Anxiety can be both a blessing and a curse. A little bit of anxiety can give us a nudge, elbowing us forward to accomplish our goals. Too much  can be debilitating, paralyzing progress, inciting panic and forcing individuals to focus on a flurry of negative, doom-filled thoughts. And it becomes a cycle of thoughts, panic and anxiety. Some people can’t eat, can’t sleep, can’t thinking and even develop digestive disorders.

Anxiety effects adults, children and even our pets.

The physical and emotional symptoms of anxiety are related to the fight/flight responses of the body, and the adrenaline would dissipate if we had to run or fight to save ourselves. But, that’s not how we live our lives now.

There are a number of ways we deal with this distress – often we use avoidance. We try to escape pressure situations (make excuses to leave early); stay away from provoking situation /people; procrastinate; or use safety behaviours – distract ourselves by carrying an object or doing something with our hands.

Whilst the avoidance strategies might seem to help in the short term, in the long term they actually reinforce the anxiety and cause the anxiety to increase.

Not the best plan.

• So what are some helpful things to do?
• Use calm/mindful breathing
• Consider how anxiety affects your life, and identify the triggers
• Create some systems to help you manage anxious situations
• Be in allowance for yourself
• Cut yourself some slack and stop judging yourself
• Let go of thoughts and feelings that aren’t yours
• Make a choice to be/do something different
• Let go of control
• Stop people pleasing
• Call Helen for an appointment  🙂