What is Anxiety?
We all seem to live in stressful times. There is always so much to do and so little time to do it in, but we still just about manage to survive. The problem arises when we cannot get out of the stress cycle. Everything is too much. There is no peace and our minds keep working in over-drive.
A general anxiety is more than the normal anxiety that people experience day to day, such as getting to work on time, getting the children to school, or deciding where to go on holiday. It fills the sufferers mind with worry and tension, even though there may be little to stimulate it.
Anxiety is always anticipate something terrible happening.
With anxiety, there is an inability to relax and 'switch off'. There is no way to get rid of the concerns, even though logically there is really nothing to worry about.
Not only are there negative thoughts, there are also physical symptoms, such as tiredness, headaches, tension, difficulty swallowing, trembling, twitching, irritability and sweating, and of course, the churning stomach. On top of which there is an inability to concentrate.
More problems may arise, other than a general feeling of anxiety. Naturally enough, if anyone feels anxious in specific circumstances, such as a supermarket or waiting in a queue, the obvioius thing to do is to get out of that situation. Unfortunately, when this happens on a regular basis it tends to become a phobia.
No-one likes to feel uncomfortable in any situation, but the only way to face any anxiety is to work through it in stages until the feelings subside - and they will eventually.
If you are always checking, washing your hands, ensuring everything is tidy and in the right place, hoarding or having thoughts that you may harm someone, and you know that these thoughts are yours, then it is possible that you are suffering from obsessive compulsive disorder, predominately caused by a chemical imbalance in the brain. It does not mean that you are mad, just that there is a 'short circuit' between thinking you have done something and knowing you have.
The first thing you need to do is to go and see your GP. You may well be prescribed tranquillisers or anti-depressant which can certainly help in the short term (except with OCD when anti-depressants may well be a long term solution). However, it is so easy to become both reliant and addicted to tranquillisers that coming off them, especially if you decide to go 'cold turkey', can cause withdrawal symptoms which may be unpleasant. On top of which you have to face the anxiety problem which caused you to take them in the first place.
The best way to overcome any anxiety disoder is to learn to relax. Practicing relaxation exercises at least twice a day will help, but they will not work straight away. It may take several weeks before you begin to feel any benefit, depending on how high your anxiety level was to begin with. But never give up.
When your body is relaxed you can face any situation calmly and confidently.
