A good thing to remember is that with ANY mental health topic there is a difference between having anxiety and having a diagnosable anxiety disorder. Anxiety is just like any other emotion, it is a NORMAL reaction that our body is supposed to have. It can alert us to danger and help us react quickly to protect ourselves. Imagine you’re on a highway and a car slams on the brakes in front of you. You want that heart pounding second that you feel because that’s your body increasing your response to danger so you react and don’t crash.
The difference between a healthy amount of anxiety and when you start talking about an anxiety disorder is when you have an excessive amount of fear or anxiety whether or not danger is occurring. It’s more intrusive in your life and can prevent you from functioning at your normal levels. It’s like if your body continues to act like a car is going to hit you even when you’re just brushing your teeth.
So many people think that in order to deal with their anxiety they have to ELIMINATE anxiety and that anxiety is WRONG to feel. A better way to think about it is how can I MANAGE my anxiety so that it doesn’t interfere with my daily life as much. It’s hard to know how to manage your anxiety if you don’t learn what is happening in your body. Learning your symptoms and triggers are so important.
Physically when you experience anxiety that means your body is releasing stress hormones to react to danger, speeding up your heart rate, and redirecting power to your most essential survival systems. For example: hands get clammy, heart pounding, flushed face, shaking with adrenaline, tiredness, muscle aches, headaches, or digestive issues.
Mentally you may notice racing irrational thoughts, inability to concentrate, or a fog. This is because your body redirects power from the brain to survival.
Take some time and examine your symptoms next time you’re anxious. Understanding and awareness is imperative.
This is just the beginning ✌🏻
-Becky @walkofthewilde
