We all know what it's like to feel anxious, it's a human condition. However some of us feel anxious/fearful for extended periods and at higher levels of intensity. This type of anxiety can affect all domains of a person's life. Anxiety is the most common type of mental illness in Australia.
Anxiety feels very physical, some people have symptoms that are similar to having a heart attack. It can also be an unpleasant feeling of distress, a fear or feeling that something bad is going to happen to you.
The most common forms of anxiety in Australia are:
Post Traumatic Stress - reactions by people who have been through a traumatic event/s. The person feels intense fear, helplessness and/or horror at times not associated with the initial event/s.
Social Phobia - excessive reactions and fear of social situations.
General Anxiety - the person experiences symptoms of anxiety at all times.
Panic Disorder - panic attacks are recurrent and disabling.
Agoraphobia - involved a fear of going places where a panic attack may occur.
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder - fearful thoughts influence behaviour, which is unhelpful.
Fear focuses our thoughts on the object of the fear, because it might be dangerous. Sometimes we become so focused on fear that FEAR becomes the object of our fear. And around we go in circles.
The best action to counteract fear is to face the fear. Fear is our concerns and unhelpful thoughts of future events.
Let's concentrate on breaking the cycle instead of the fear. You are capable, you can do this, when you feel the fear take action!
Thoughts - instead of concentrating on the fear, engage your thoughts in something you like doing, something that gives you pleasure, i.e. reading, listening to music, talking to someone you trust.
Behaviours - fear leads to certain behaviours, when you notice yourself doing fear based behaviours, change them for something positive like going for a walk, putting on music and dancing or going for a drive to the beach.
Physical - fear feels physical. When you notice the physical symptoms of fear...take action. Do not concentrate on the physical symptoms, do something that will give your body relaxation, i.e. yoga, meditation, reading or have a bath.
Emotional - anxious feelings are unpleasant, When you notice them, remember feelings cannot harm you unless YOU give them power. Distract yourself with actions that lead to your strength. Ring a friend or relative. Concentrate on a hobby, people find coloring books very handy or jigsaw puzzles.
You are the author of your life, if you don't like the story you are writing, change the script. Your health and wellbeing are very important and you are worth taking time to help yourself.
If you would like to learn more about anxiety and how to help yourself or someone else who may be living with anxiety please have a look at our course.
http://www.mentalhealthpartners.com.au/courses/standard-mhfa
Remember Mental Health is everybody's business.
