Anxiety is defined as a feeling of worry, nervousness, or unease, typically about an imminent event or something with an uncertain outcome. When anxiety becomes severe or problematic is when it begins to impede and interfere with your daily functioning.
The thing about anxiety is…it looks different for everyone. It can present itself in the form of always needing control, crying and difficulty managing your emotions, constantly feeling agitated and angry, and it can even show up as physical symptoms from stomachaches, headaches, sweaty palms, or increased heart rate.
Anxiety can also come with unwanted thoughts, emotional distress, and an unsettled mind. And lets face it we are coming into the holiday seasons, where you are expected to be joyful, thankful, and around family, whether your family is functional or dysfunctional like most, there tend to come some anxious thoughts that are associated with preparing for this time of year. So, what can you do about that? Let me tell you…
Question your thoughts & evaluate your thinking and feelings. Ask yourself is this true? Has this happened? Review the possible outcomes of the events that’s causing the anxiety and identify ways to cope to those outcomes. Typically this allows you to recognize a number of outcomes and usually find that things are not as bad as our anxious mind makes them.
You can also engage in deep breathing? How you say? Sit in a comfortable position, close your eyes, inhale for 5 seconds, hold for 6 seconds, and exhale for 7 seconds, and do this repeatedly, until you feel calm.
Another technique that we use often with our clients is what we call grounding. If you find yourself experiencing a heightened level of anxiety you can stop what you are doing, and do the grounding technique called 5-4-3-2-1. In that moment you look around you and find 5 things you can see, 4 things you can touch, 3things you can hear, 2 things you can smell, and 1 thing you can taste. And repeated this technique as necessary until you feel calm.
Whether you suffer from anxiety or know someone who does, just remember to be kind to your self and be kind to others. The seasons are approaching and there are so many of us who experience anxiety, depression, sadness, and all out frustration. But know that by utilizing the techniques above, building that support system, or reaching out to a therapist, you will get through these rough times.
And if you need to reach out please feel free to contact TRCC, we are here to help.
Happy coping!