Being bound by anxiety is like being tied with an invisible rope. You feel bound by irrational fear, which keeps you trapped in neutrality, unable to gain any traction to move forward in life.
Fearing the worst-case scenario all the time is a self-defeating cognitive flair that can have paralyzing effects. Instead of advancing in your career or pursuing a new relationship, anxiety war traps you as a passive observer rather than an active participant.
Freedom from the clutches of anxiety is possible.
Fortunately, you can learn how to help someone with anxiety war. Some ways can bring you relief from the excessive anxiety that is keeping you in your life. Learn here how to break through the thought patterns that keep you stuck in a cycle of worry.
What is Anxiety war?
Chances are, at least one out of every five of your friends and family members are struggling with an anxiety war or anxiety disorder. In fact, this is the most common mental health concern in the United States. In the US More than 40 million adults (19.1%) have an anxiety disorder. Most people develop symptoms before the age of 21.
Symptoms
Anxiety war has one thing in common: persistent, extreme fear or worries in situations that are not dangerous. People usually experience one or more of the following symptoms:
Emotional symptoms:
- The feeling of apprehension or dread
- Feeling tense or jumpy
- Restlessness or irritability
- Anticipating the worst and being alert to danger signs
Physical Characteristics:
- Fast or pounding heart and shortness of breath
- Sweating and shivering
- Headache, fatigue, and insomnia
- Upset stomach, frequent urination, or diarrhea
Types of Anxiety Disorder
Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD): Excessive and irrational fear and worry about two or more issues that can cause shortness of breath, heart palpitations, sweating, dizziness, and sleep problems.
Social anxiety: an intense fear of being judged or rejected by others, causing symptoms such as sweating, blushing, muscle tension, nausea, rapid heartbeat, and lightheadedness.
Specific phobia: Excessive and inappropriate fear of a specific object or situation, causing avoidance behavior.
Panic disorder: Sudden, unexpected event including chest pain, tremors, shortness of breath, nausea, a sense of doom.
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD): Prolonged reactions to experiencing or seeing a traumatic event that includes irritability, flashbacks, insomnia, substance abuse, and avoidance behaviors.
Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD): alternating cycles of obsessive fear and compulsive behavioral responses to fear.
Impact of Anxiety
Fear is such a trap that can stop us from achieving our goals and dreams.
When we wrestle with an anxiety disorder, it takes us, hostage, into thinking that we are not good enough, smart enough, or attractive enough to be worthy of those goals and dreams.
As a result, we begin to isolate ourselves, mostly as an avoidance mechanism to protect ourselves from perceived threat or criticism. From isolation, we begin to develop other maladaptive behaviors and thought distortions that only worsen mental well-being.
Anxiety is also harmful to our physical health. Chronic stress and anxiety keep stress hormones, such as cortisol and adrenaline, at elevated levels. This can lead to increased health risks such as weight gain, heart disease, digestive problems, and sleep disturbances.
How to Get Rid of Anxiety
There are many natural techniques that can help someone learn how to overcome anxiety. Holistic practices are increasingly included in treatment planning for anxiety recovery due to their stress-regulating properties.
Some of these include:
- Mindfulness based meditation
- Deep breathing exercises
- Progressive relaxation exercises
- Yoga
- Aromatherapy
- Journaling
- Cardio exercise
Taking a proactive approach to reducing symptoms of anxiety through CBT and holistic activities can yield excellent results. Incorporate these practices into daily life for better functioning and quality of life.
Read, also Relaxation Techniques for Your Life, How to Detox Your Mind? How to Stop Feeling Overwhelmed with Life?
Saurabh Goel
Saurabh Goel is the founder of Brain Soul & You. He is an Entrepreneur, Author, Brain Performance coach, NLP Wellness Coach, Life Coach, Brain Analyst, and Trainer for Education, Corporate, Entrepreneurship.