If you’re like many Americans, you know what it is like to feel overwhelmed by anxiety. Anxiety is a part of everyday life for a huge number of people, and it affects our moods, our actions, and our entire lives. Anxiety isn’t something that can be “cured,” but it is something that can be managed with smart strategies and the right kind of support.
For that to happen, though, you need to confront the reality of your anxiety. You’ll need to understand what anxiety is and why the condition is different from simply feeling anxious on occasion. And you need to understand that reaching out to a professional for help is a smart move, not a reason for embarrassment or shame.
What is anxiety?
Everyone feels anxious some of the time. But when we say that a person suffers from anxiety, we don’t just mean that the person gets worried or anxious in some situations. What anxiety means in a mental health context is a more serious condition that affects a person’s quality of life.
Anxiety can manifest itself mentally and physically. A person with anxiety may suffer from feelings of apprehension or dread, or may become sensitive or “twitchy.” The sufferer may also encounter physical symptoms such as an elevated heart rate. When anxiety changes how you function day to day, you’re likely suffering from an anxiety condition. Conditions include generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), panic disorder, and phobias.
If any of this sounds like you, you’re not alone. In fact, anxiety is startlingly common. It’s the most common diagnosis among college students, and those figures are rising. Anxiety is also common among children and adults who are out of school, and those numbers are rising too. Having anxiety is no fun, but there’s a lot that you can do to fight back.
Strategies for dealing with anxiety
If you’re dealing when anxiety, then you’re dealing with a host of upsetting consequences. You may be experiencing physical and mental symptoms. Your anxiety may be keeping you from being productive in school or at work. It’s also likely affecting your relationships.
Fighting back against anxiety means living a healthy life and working on strategies for managing your symptoms. Getting exercise and eating right can improve your mental health, and nutritional choices can be used to combat anxiety in particular. Knowing how to react mentally and physically when you begin to feel anxious can be crucial, too.
Getting help for your anxiety
You’ll find lots of information on managing anxiety in books and on the internet, but there’s no reason to go it alone, and there are plenty of reasons why you’ll be better off if you don’t try to do so. The best way to learn ways to handle your anxiety is to work with an expert mental health professional.
A therapist, psychologist, or psychiatrist will be able to help you better understand what you’re feeling and experiencing. They’ll also be able to arm you with strategies for minimizing the impact that your serious condition has on your life, according to a therapist NYC. Pay a visit to your therapist once a week and talk through your options. You’ll see that taking a proactive role in managing your anxiety can make a massive difference in the way that you feel and behave.
Talk therapy and other mental health treatments can improve our moods, relationships, productivity, and overall happiness. You should invest in your mental health and your future by working with one as soon as possible.