Hijacked by Anxiety

Anxiety acts like an intruder seizing control of your life and ruining good moments, days, or weeks. When unchecked, it can turn into a panic attack, paranoia, or even a nervous breakdown. It disrupts sleep, harms relationships, affects job performance, and becomes too much to handle.

Feeling anxious is a typical reaction to stress often linked to specific causes like starting a new job or moving. But anxiety can sometimes show up unexpectedly. Some people feel anxious all the time and often ask themselves why this is happening to them.

Various factors can cause people to experience anxiety. Sometimes, you might have a panic attack without seemingly any particular triggers. A hidden emotional memory or a particular smell can trigger a panic attack.

Pinpointing the exact cause of your anxiety can be challenging, and you can't alter what set it off in the first place. It's best to steer clear of fixating on the "Why" which can make you stuck in a loop that will only ramp up your anxiety.

Think about going to therapy instead. A therapist can help you grasp why your anxiety sticks around and come up with ways to cope that boost your day-to-day functioning.

Understanding Anxiety

Feeling anxious is a typical reaction to stress and danger that everyone experiences. It gets our bodies ready for possible threats or challenges. But when anxiety becomes too much to handle, it can have a big effect on our day-to-day lives and overall health. At its core, anxiety consists of physical, emotional, and mental symptoms. In terms of physical signs, anxiety can show up as a racing heart, trouble breathing, or tense muscles. On the emotional side, it can lead to feelings of unease, restlessness, or crankiness. As for mental effects, it often results in excessive worry, racing thoughts, and problems focusing.

The Anxiety Loop

 The anxiety loop has a continuous effect on our anxious feelings making them stronger and longer lasting. It often begins when something sets off anxiety, which leads to anxious feelings. Our body then kicks into fight-or-flight mode releasing stress hormones and getting us ready to act. However, when the threat isn't real or is blown out of proportion, this response worsens our anxiety. This heightened anxiety then fuels our fears and worries creating a cycle of negative thoughts and physical reactions.

Anxiety or stress - what's the difference?

Stress goes away once a stressful situation ends, but anxiety often sticks around. Everyday stress doesn't last long. When it's gone, you feel balanced again. Anxiety though, is a constant feeling of pressure that can hang around even when there's nothing to stress about.

People with anxiety often worry about what's coming next. They might focus on bad things that could happen even when everything's fine right now. Anxiety can take over your mind. Just knowing you have anxiety can make you feel more anxious creating a loop that's hard to break.

What causes anxiety?

Anxiety sticks with us like glue, no matter where we are. It shows up in different ways, from a bit of worry to full-blown panic attacks. At its core, anxiety comes from our built-in fight-or-flight response, which aims to keep us safe when danger is around. But in our hectic world today, this basic survival instinct can sometimes spin out of control leaving us stuck in a loop of fear and worry.

Anxiety shows up in different ways: physical, emotional, and behavioural. Its signs can change from one person to another. Some common physical signs include a racing heart, shaking, sweating, and stomach issues. On the emotional side, anxiety can make you feel uneasy, scared, and worried. In terms of behaviour, it can lead you to avoid things, feel restless, and have trouble sleeping.

Remember, anxiety is different for everyone, and not all people will show the same signs. Still, knowing these signs can help you spot and handle your anxiety better.

Factors Contributing to Anxiety

Genetics, environment, and life experiences influence anxiety development.

Environmental factors. Our surroundings can make us anxious as adults. Stressful jobs tough living situations, school problems, money changes, breakups natural disasters, car crashes, friend group shifts rocky relationships losing someone, or going through something scary all play a part.

Life experiences. Living in a toxic relationship can trigger anxiety. The denial of basic human needs can lead to anxiety, as well as the effects of the abuse itself, resulting in:

• Excessive worry

• Fear

• Anticipation of future events

• Guilt

• Shame

• Paranoia

• Obsessive thoughts

• Confusion

• Inner conflict

• Isolation

• Negative self-talk

• Self-doubt

• Low self-esteem

• Concern about the perceptions of others

• Worry about the impact on children

• Difficulty focusing

• Anxiety-inducing nightmares

• Walking on eggshells

• Heart palpitations

• Muscle tension

• Digestive issues 

An abusive relationship can also contribute to your anxiety. The mere presence of the abuser, or even their voice, can make you feel anxious.

Biology and genes also play a part. Studies show that overactive brain circuits are linked to anxiety disorders. This extra brain activity passes down through generations pointing to a strong genetic link.

Think about whether any of your relatives or parents have dealt with anxiety issues such as Generalised Anxiety Disorder (GAD), Panic Disorder, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD), Agoraphobia, or Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).

Knowing this can help you grasp your anxiety better and identify areas that might need intervention and support.

The most common anxiety disorders:

Generalised Anxiety Disorder (GAD). GAD causes people to worry non-stop, which affects their day-to-day life. This anxiety often comes with physical signs. People might feel tense and tired. They may struggle to focus or sleep. They could feel restless or have tight muscles. The worries revolve around everyday stuff. This includes health, chores, appointments, duties, and regular tasks.

Panic Disorder. Panic disorder has a main feature: repeated panic attacks. These attacks bring on severe physical and mental distress. When people have panic attacks, they might feel their heart racing, sweat a lot, shake, struggle to breathe, have chest pain, feel dizzy, go numb, get hot or cold flashes, feel sick, or sense they're not connected to reality. They might also fear losing control. Sometimes, people think they're having a heart attack and rush to get medical help. This can lead them to stay away from places where they've had attacks before. They may also worry about having more attacks in the future. Panic attacks can happen on their own, but they can also show up alongside depression or PTSD.

Social Anxiety Disorder. Social anxiety disorder also called social phobia, makes people scared of social situations. They worry others might judge them, reject them, embarrass them, or get offended. People with this disorder often feel self-aware get nervous about upcoming social events, find it hard to keep friends, and show physical signs like sweating or shaking. They might feel terrified to meet new people, speak in public, or eat around others.

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD). OCD patients experience a need to have recurring, irrational, and undesired thoughts (obsessions) or perform certain actions. These individuals find it hard to manage these thoughts and behaviours. Although the repeated actions cause long-term harm, they offer quick anxiety relief to those dealing with OCD.

Phobias. A phobia means an unreasonable and crippling fear of something harmless. Phobias can range from small bothers to big hurdles in everyday life. Phobias become an issue when they make you avoid people, places, or situations due to your fear. Phobias can focus on anything, but some common ones include fear of animals like dogs or snakes fear of specific situations like riding in a car or flying, and fears like agoraphobia, acrophobia (fear of heights), and mysophobia (fear of germs).

Separation Anxiety Disorder. Separation anxiety disorder occurs when you feel anxious about being away from people close to you. When this fear interferes with daily activities, doctors classify it as an anxiety disorder. People suffering from this condition often worry about losing their loved ones. They might have bad dreams about separation and resist sleeping away from home or their family members. While people often connect this disorder with children many adults also deal with these issues, either continuing from childhood or developing them as they grow older.

Overcoming Anxiety

To manage and reduce anxiety, you need to take a broad approach.

Learning relaxation techniques such as deep breathing and progressive muscle relaxation can help calm your body's stress responses. Regular exercise, a good diet, and enough sleep are crucial to control anxiety.

Self-help methods can help, but people often need to get professional help to handle anxiety well. You have several therapy choices such as Cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT), or psychodynamic therapy.

CBT can help you change the negative thinking patterns that drive anxiety. DBT, in contrast, focuses on building skills in key areas like mindfulness, and distress tolerance to help withstand difficult emotional states and emotion regulation.

Psychodynamic therapy looks at the thoughts and beliefs that lead to anxiety as well as where these thoughts and beliefs come from and how they maintain your anxiety.

Therapy offers a safe space to explore the underlying causes of anxiety, build coping skills, and learn ways to question our anxious thoughts. It can also help us understand ourselves better and see patterns in our thinking and actions.

Self-Help Strategies for Anxiety

Besides therapy, several self-help methods can help control anxiety.

Relaxation exercises such as deep breathing, muscle relaxation, and guided imagery can lower our stress levels and make us feel more at ease.

Focusing on the present moment without judgment, or being mindful, can also help us manage anxiety.

Taking care of yourself by doing things you like, spending time outside, and keeping in touch with friends and family can give you a break from worry.

Put self-care at the top of your list. Changes to your lifestyle can make a difference when it comes to what you eat how much you move, and how well you sleep. Getting enough rest is key to feeling fresh and ready to tackle your day-to-day tasks. Think about adding some exercise to your week, like signing up for a gym membership or trying out a dance or yoga class. If you're pressed for time, look for ways to sneak in some movement during your day. You could park a bit further from where you're going or squeeze in a quick 20-minute run before you start your day. Getting your body moving can boost your heart rate and help you manage feelings of anxiety.

Keep an eye on how much booze you drink and how many coffees you have each day. These can make your anxiety worse.

Taking concrete steps to change our lifestyle can set up a better scene for our mental health, in the end easing the impact of anxiety on our day-to-day lives.

Building a Solid Support Network

Having people you can count on has a big impact on how we handle anxiety. Being around folks who get it and care can give us support, push us forward, and help us feel like we fit in. Reaching out to friends, family, or support groups can help us feel less alone when times get tough.

10 skills to calm anxiety

It's okay. What you're feeling is common. Your body is reacting to a threat it thinks is real just like it's supposed to. You might feel out of control, but you're not. Just remember, your anxiety is behind these symptoms, not you losing your mind. Learning to handle anxiety takes guts and hard work, but knowing you're not in danger can help you get through the tough feelings and use the tools you've learned. You've got the strength inside you to push forward.

Take a step back from the thoughts racing through your head. Think of yourself as separate from the thoughts, feelings, or body sensations linked to your worry. These are all ways your body talks to you, but they don't put you in danger. You're a complete person who exists on your own apart from the symptoms.

Take your mind off it. Keeping busy can help ease the strong fear you're feeling. Here are some ideas to distract yourself:

Count to 40 by 4s, like 4, 8, 12 16...

Give a detailed description of your shoes or clothes to change your focus.

Do things like play a board game, read a book, solve a puzzle, or draw with crayons.

Put it on Paper. Write down what's worrying you on a piece of paper then turn it over and get busy with something else that grabs all your attention such as singing your favorite song. Come back to it after half an hour and look at it again.

Deep Breathing. Put one hand on your chest and the other on your stomach then breathe a few times. Let the heat from your hands link with your body moving from your head to your toes.

Water. Splash some water on your hands. Jump in the shower. Feel the cool or warm sensation as water runs over your hands, feet, or shoulders. Changing your body's temperature can help you focus again and give your mind a boost.

Walking. Go for a walk and slow your pace. Notice how you put your heel down before your toes. Picture your feet like they're stuck to the ground similar to tough roots. Feel the pull of gravity keeping you steady. If you still feel floaty, try stepping down harder or even stomping a bit.

Take up spiritual practices. Praying and meditating can help quiet your mind and lessen anxious feelings. Praying might connect you to a higher power giving you comfort and peace. Studies show that regular meditation lowers blood pressure, boosts immune function, and improves overall health, which can all help to reduce anxiety.

Physical contact. If touch comforts you, ask someone you love for a warm hug. Being held and supported can calm your anxiety. You can also snuggle with a pet feeling soothed as you hold them. Remember, hugging a stuffed animal can also provide comfort.

Try one of these and see how it works for you. The more we practice the better we get. By making these skills part of your daily life, you'll be ready to handle stress and worry when they pop up.

 If you're finding it difficult to cope with anxiety and require more than just self-help techniques, don't hesitate to contact me through my website:

www.SafeSpaceCounsellingServices.com.au