Did you know that April is Stress Awareness Month?
We love awareness months as it gives us a chance to explore certain topics and raise awareness of how people may be feeling. In this blog we discuss stress and anxiety…read to the bottom for tips to help.
Anxiety and Stress
In today’s world we are so apprehensive that even the words anxiety and stress can cause endless streams of problems. Responsibilities come pouring into our mind’s eye before we have even finished reading the sentence it was in.
Many people still have an antiquated view on these words and phrases such as ‘just get on with it’ get thrown around as remedies. As if you can shut your brain down in an instant and refocus on a usually quite trivial task. Most of the anxiety and stress inducing thoughts are intrusive and so the individual has no control over when or how these emotions will be interpreted by their brain.
The brain is a very powerful organ, and it dictates everything that happens to the vastly complex systems that govern our bodies. The problem with this is that if the brain is not working at full capacity, then how can the body be expected to?
Anxiety itself is a feeling that all people will experience in their life. It is often considered a taboo subject as it’s perceived as weakness or an inability to make decisions. In reality if you’ve ever worried about a package arriving on time, finding a good parking space, getting to work on time when stuck in traffic, then you have felt anxiety.
Anxiety disorder is a medical condition that is often confused with the feeling of anxiety – we will get to the actual disorders in a moment. As people we are always fearful to admit weaknesses (primal instinct to appear as strong as possible and pose a challenge to predators) especially to those who above us. We fear that they may use it to punish us or maybe mock our problems as they are ‘not as bad as…’, but the feeling of anxiety is innate and part of our nature.
Worry and doubt are crucial to survival and the more brazen and confident early humans were, the more likely they were to have fatal accidents. These emotions have an important role in life as they show the things we are truly fearful of and allow us to address them.
The hardest part of dealing with anxiety provoked thoughts, is that they often come in loud and strong, taking over previous thoughts as we go into defence mode at the thought of something going wrong. Anxious, intrusive thoughts can actually be incredibly helpful, they act as an early warning system that signals to the brain that something is happening that should be thought about more. The skill is identifying the root of the anxiety without giving it too much attention, as the more the anxious thought is questioned the more real and scary it’ll become.
The human brain is very complex and rarely reacts with the first thing it has felt. The strongest emotions (joy, rage, despair) are often veiled and are actually a smaller and more vulnerable feeling that has snowballed into a much stronger and more destructive force.
How this can play out in life
To give you an example of this, imagine you’ve just passed your driving test and you’re still a bit nervous on roundabouts. Your friend needs you to give them a lift into work because their car broke down, so being the lovely person you are you accept and are now on your way. As a roundabout approaches you are already thinking about all you’ve learned and how to apply it in this scenario, as you begin the thought process your friend hears their favourite song on the radio and turns it up to sing along. Now for someone who’s just passed and is already fearful of roundabouts, that level of distraction would definitely interfere and would likely be followed by an immediate anger response.
The anger is only the last emotion in a long chain of them and is rarely the emotion that really needs to be used in this situation. When we are able to identify anxiety as it happens then we know it’s just a warning. It’s important to be mindful of course, but doesn’t lead to overthinking.
What is an Anxiety disorder?
Anxiety is the name we call the uncontrollable fear and worry that we have when dealing with uncomfortable situations. It is quite simply, the brain’s reaction to stress.
Everyone has some form of anxiety as it’s a normal emotion we feel which activates our fight, flight or freeze mode.
For example, when a person is taking a very important test they may feel anxious and worried. This emotion is completely normal. The issue with anxiety is when it becomes chronic and affects an individual’s way of life. A person with an anxiety disorder may not show up and take the test because of that fear of failing.
When anxiety gets in the way of a person living a normal, happy life, it is known as an anxiety disorder. There are multiple different forms of anxiety disorders and they are typically caused by a traumatic event in a person’s life but can also be brought on for no apparent reason. It is important to know that regardless of the disorder, speaking to someone and getting help will allow anyone living with these disorders to manage and live a normal life.
Types of Anxiety Disorders
In our post pandemic world anxiety disorders are on the increase, but it important to realise that you are not alone and it is estimated to effect around 5% of the UK population.
Generalised Anxiety Disorder (GAD)
Generalised anxiety is a complex disorder that differs for each individual person but typically involves the individual excessively worrying and constructing unrealistic scenarios in their head. People with GAD worry about the things that may happen rather than what is actually happening but this is continuously being done on a daily basis with the worries, in some severe cases, even causing panic attacks and other physical symptoms.
Psychological Symptoms of GAD:
- Feeling ‘on edge’ and nervous constantly.
- Irritability and restlessness.
- Difficulty concentrating.
- Extreme fear of getting hurt when leaving the house.
- Mood swings.
Physical Symptoms of GAD:
- Tiredness and difficulty sleeping.
- Heart palpitations.
- Muscle aches/tension.
- Headaches.
- Stomach aches and digestion problems.
- Shortness of breath.
- Trembling/shaking.
Some people may only experience 1 or 2 of these symptoms and others may experience all. Nonetheless, experiencing this on a regular or daily basis can really affect a person’s ability to live a normal life.
Social Anxiety Disorder
Social anxiety is usually connected to a person’s self-worth. They feel panicked and extremely uncomfortable before, during and after any social interaction. Going for a job interview and being worried is normal, but most people will feel fine after the interaction. However, for someone suffering from social anxiety, they often worry about how the interaction went and how they were perceived.
The person can feel on edge and nervous for days, even weeks after the interaction. In some severe cases, someone suffering from a social anxiety disorder can shut themselves away and avoid any social interactions.
Psychological symptoms of Social Anxiety:
- Feeling of being watched and judged all the time.
- Difficulty completing everyday tasks such as speaking on the phone or going to work.
- Worry about meeting strangers and starting conversations.
- Fear of being the “centre of attention”
- Worry about blushing or sweating.
- Extreme fear of being criticized.
Physical Symptoms of Social Anxiety:
- Trouble sleeping.
- Feeling sick and out of breath.
- Sweating, blushing.
- Feeling ‘on edge’.
- Panic attacks and heart palpitations.
These are just a few examples of what a person suffering from a social anxiety disorder may experience but the list is truly endless.
Other anxiety disorders someone may have:
- Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) – Excessive fear and panic caused by a traumatic experience.
- Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) – Recurring thoughts and repetitive behaviour that cannot be controlled.
- Panic Disorder – Regular, sudden attacks of panic and fear.
- Separation Anxiety Disorder – Excessive fear of being separated from loved ones.
- Agoraphobia – The extreme fear of leaving the house, being in crowded places and not being able to escape easily.
Different types of treatment to help individuals manage anxiety disorders.
There are several types of treatments an individual can have in order to manage their anxiety disorders and live a normal life. Depending on the severity and the individual, this help can be provided by experts, medication or alternatively the person can make lifestyle changes and help themselves at home. Always contact your GP if you have concerns that anxiety is getting the better of you and impacting your life.
Counselling
Talking to a therapist can help the individual suffering from an anxiety disorder to understand not only what causes their anxiety but also find ways to cope and deal with those thoughts.
Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT) – A type of therapy that experts use, it involves identifying and understanding the negative thinking that a person has which can trigger their anxiety. It allows the individual to replace those negative, unrealistic thoughts with more realistic and positive ones. This type of therapy has proven to help multiple anxiety disorders.
Psychoanalytic Therapy – An intensive form of treatment that involves the therapist talking to the individual about a variety of different fears, thoughts, feelings and desires that can help determine how the person views themselves. This information can then help the individual to understand and change the way they think.
Group Therapy – Support groups that involve multiple people with the same problem meeting with a trained therapist and working through the issues together. This type of therapy has proven to help people suffering from all types of anxiety and is also less costly.
Medication:
Medication can be prescribed by a doctor to help someone suffering from chronic anxiety. This is usually only given when anxiety affects the individual’s quality of life and under the prescription of a Doctor.
Not everyone with anxiety has a disorder!
It is perfectly normal to feel unsettled from time to time or for things to play on your mind. There are various different ways you can help yourself to cope with anxiety. Here are our ten top tips and take look at our links to further resources.
- Believe in yourself. You’re capable of anything.
- Learn about anxiety. This will help you understand your anxiety more.
- Know that you’re not alone. Talk to someone about your thoughts and worries.
- Learn how to relax and prioritise it.
- Get enough sleep.
- Find a form of exercise that you enjoy and do this regularly.
- Avoid alcohol, caffeine, nicotine and any other addictive substances.
- Practise Mindfulness.
- Practise positive thinking and be grateful.
- Be Patient, change takes time.
You’re not alone.
Useful links:
https://www.discoveryourbounce.com/anxiety-moi/
https://www.discoveryourbounce.com/five-ways-to-support-others-in-stressful-times/
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/social-anxiety-disorder/symptoms-causes/syc-20353561
https://synergyhealthprograms.com/the-5-types-of-anxiety-disorders/
Listen to our Podcast where we speak to Nick Elston about anxiety.
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