Understanding Anxiety: Mental & Physical Impacts and Techniques to Overcome

"

Imagine being grabbed by the throat not having that one ick of saliva pass through. Imagine the air-conditioner is at 20 degrees but your palms are still sweating. Imagine your stomach churning like it's trying to digest a hot solid ball of steel. That is anxiety.

Just know that anxiety is an everyday reality for millions of people who feel the same way you do. This is to say that you are not alone. Anxiety can show up in our body in multiple ways- it could be racing heart-beat, short breaths, insomnia, uncontrollable shaking, excessive sweating, or loud thoughts that won't go away.

Feeling anxious is the human-the feeling you get just before going on a date or an hour before your exam? Anxiety can be considered as a response necessary for our survival. How? It alerts our “fight” or “flight” response that keeps us away from any potential danger that surrounds us. Anxiety can also be good. It can motivate and give us the energy we need to meet work deadlines, play a sport, etc. But let's talk about the “good” anxiety in another article.

So, some worry or nervousness is absolutely normal especially when it comes to new situations or challenges, like moving to another city for your college. And some will feel a little more anxious or nervous than others. We are all unique individuals after all. Why do we feel so? Because our brain associates “the unknown” with danger. But once the problem is faced our worry fades away with it.

However, for those who suffer from an anxiety disorder, the case is quite different. The signs may be the same but it is persistent, it is overwhelming and, it hinders them with daily life functioning. It's like a switch that won't turn off. In essence, the anxiety has blown out of proportion and makes you debilitating.

Let's try to understand anxiety from 3 aspects :

WHAT IS HAPPENING TO YOU PHYSICALLY ?

When we are in anxiety-provoking situations, our body activates our sympathetic nervous system which results in the “fight” and “flight” response.

WHAT IS HAPPENING TO YOU PSYCHOLOGICALLY?

HOW ANXIETY INFLUENCES BEHAVIOR?

Once you think you are calm, try journaling. Try to map what possibly triggered your anxiety, how it made you feel, and the thought you were thinking."