Working Through Anxiety

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Anxiety. It’s unambiguous. It is what it is and that’s it. At least this is what I thought a few years back. But I have learned that that’s not true, in the literal sense. When it comes to believing what our minds tell us when we feel anxious, it’s perception, not truth. Nevertheless, some of our beliefs have truths to them in our minds and these are actually not as true as we think they are – they are just ideas, mythical thoughts, hypnotic negatives, etc., and when we allow them to be considered truths, they hurt us.A lot of times we live in either the past or the future, and I had a bad habit of doing this (I still do sometimes). When I feel down, I sometimes live in the past, rehashing what was, what could have been, what I did wrong, what I could have done better, and this causes anxiety. I also can feel anxious when I think about the future, worrying over what could or may happen, usually on the negative spectrum of things.When I do this I need to remind myself to find peace and that involves living in the moment, not working up a situation in an anxiety-induced preview. This can be very challenging. But when I stop and take the time and energy to simply listen to the frogs in my backyard chirping at night or the other little sounds of nature surrounding me, I instantly feel relief, even if it’s just momentarily, from the clutches of worrying about or trying to control the future. It takes practice and I still struggle at times. But just acknowledging what the value of living in the moment is helps me with more in-the-moment thinking. Anxiety is also more than just a feeling; it’s part of the body’s fight-or-flight response, and can cause a lot of physical symptoms.Here are some common physical symptoms of anxiety:• Trembling/Shakiness• Churning stomach/Nausea/Diarrhea• Headache/Backache• Heart palpitations/Racing heartbeat• Numbness or ‘pins and needles’ feeling in arms, hands or legs• Sweating/flushing• Restlessness• Feeling tired/Easily tired• Trouble concentrating/Irritability• Muscle tension• Frequent urination• Trouble falling or staying asleep/Insomnia• Being easily startled/upsetMany of these symptoms are the same issues you would experience if you had a serious health problem. For example, anxiety can cause chest pains, just like a heart attack. Anxiety also has a tendency to intensify normal symptoms. For example, you can get a dizzy spell from not eating for a while, and that’s normal, but those of us with anxiety often feel this more severely, because we’re especially tuned into the way our bodies feel. This can make things feel worse and actually creates more anxiety, which just creates a vicious circle. Can you see how a little anxiety can do so much damage?I urge anyone who is reading this and can relate to any of this – to stop, take a deep breath, and bring yourself into this moment.Feeling anxiety is something that affects a lot of people. It’s hard to deal with at times, but it can be overcome with a willingness and dedication to work through it, along with help from loved ones, therapists, doctors, and sometimes with medication.It won’t happen overnight but you can work through it. And Sanctuary Counseling is here to help you do that. If you need to talk, call us. One of our caring and compassionate therapists will help you work through whatever you are struggling with.