According to The American Psychological Association, anxiety is defined as “An intense emotional response caused by the pre-conscious recognition that a repressed conflict is about to emerge into consciousness.” Most of us are easily able to remember a time or situation where we felt anxious. Anxiety can range from being very mild to being very severe. Likewise there can be many causes to someone having anxiety as well. Most often people find themselves feeling anxious due to a particular situation. This is known as situational anxiety. However, many people also develop anxiety disorders. This is defined as “Mental disorders marked by physiological arousal, feelings of tension, and intense apprehension without apparent reason.” ( The American Psychological Association)
What Can I Do About My Anxiety?
Regardless of the cause or the degree of your anxiety, it can generally be managed by learning different skills, also known as coping mechanisms. Using these skills will assist you in reducing your anxiety if they are used in a consistent and ongoing manner. As with most things, the more you use them the better they will work. If you find one or two things that work particularly well over other methods, then stick with those!
The 3 Skills You Need To Know...
- Be aware of the signs: Before you become overly anxious there are usually warning signs such as: irritability, shortness of breath, increased heart rate, headache, sweaty palms or feet, feeling tired, difficulty concentrating or focusing, not sleeping well or feeling restless.
Being aware of the signs will assist you in knowing when you need to use your coping skills. Don’t wait until the situation is “bad enough” to use your skills. At any point if you are feeling even mildly anxious or stressed, that is the time to use the skills you have obtained.
- Deep breathing: Since most people experience an increased heart rate and a shortness of breath learning to deep breath can be a great stress reliever. To do a deep breathing exercise take a deep breath. Hold it for 3 seconds and let it out slowly. Continue this process until you can count to 10 while exhaling. Doing this will allow you to slow down and re-focus.
- Make a list: This may sound simple, but it works! Many people begin to feel anxious because they get overwhelmed with everything that needs to be done. Making a list can help you to determine what things need to be done first and what things can be placed on the back burner. Having a clear plan really helps to put things into perspective!
Using these quick and easy techniques on a consistent basis can help you to reduce your anxiety. All three of these skills are things that can be used quickly in a crisis situation. Likewise these skills can be used in helping you to make a difficult decision that may be causing you to become anxious. However you use these skills, they are sure to be helpful to you.
Amanda Presho - Amanda holds a BA in social services. She works in the social services arena with an emphasis in assisting the homeless population, as ...
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