Getting to the Bottom of Anxiety: What Is It?
Hey there! Gather ‘round so we can talk about anxiety. Remember, we keep it simple here at The Well Family Spot so I while I could go on and on, I am going to explain what anxiety is and when it becomes a problem. What I am about to share is applicable whether it’s a child or adult experiencing distress due to anxiety…..
So I intentionally said “distress due to anxiety” because I think to some extent, everyone has anxiety and most of the time, it isn’t problematic. If you think of it on a continuum, there’s some people that live in the lower end of the spectrum, and those that live on the higher end. The real point is: does it cause you distress? That is, does it impair your ability to live, work, and play? If so, keep reading. If not, keep reading because you know someone that needs to hear this.
Anxiety, at its core, is about intolerance of uncertainty. It’s fear of the unknown. It’s also about false beliefs that somehow, one will be more in control and less anxious if there is more certainty. People affected by anxiety will do all kinds of things to calm it down:
Seek Reassurance: Ask a lot of questions so they are in the know about everything that is going to happen. The false belief here is thinking that if you get more intel, you will somehow be more prepared or even avoid a feared outcome.
Seek Information: Read or watch the news incessantly so they know everything that is going on.
Over-Prepare: Study nonstop way beyond that of their peers because they don’t want to risk seeing a question topic that they are not 100% familiar with on that test. Getting a question wrong feels extremely risky and may result in ultimate failure.
Avoid: Avoid any situation that does not allow them to be in control or to predict what is going to occur.
These are just a few of the many ways that anxiety can manifest but this is what I see the most often as a practitioner.
But how can you deal with anxiety when it gets to distress level? Here’s some ideas and just keep in mind that this is not a substitute for talking to a health provider that specializes in this work:
Write it down! What are you anxious about exactly? How often do you think about it? Try keeping a log of your anxious thoughts for a few days and see if there’s a pattern or frequency to certain things.
Pay attention to your body’s reaction to your anxious thoughts. Is it impacting your sleep, your appetite, or your overall mood?
Make a list of things that you avoid as a result of your anxiety. This can be really helpful because you may not even realize that you are doing this until you really think about it. Sometimes, it’s obvious like you don’t go to this or that place. But sometimes, avoidance is more sneaky- like when you go to a restaurant, you HAVE to sit facing the exits, just in case.
Seek the help of a professional. Reading this blog is great to increase what you know about anxiety. But it’s not a substitute for some good ole therapy! If your anxiety is greatly impairing your life, it is great to talk to a licensed clinical professional to get ideas and support on how to cope and manage.
This is really just the tip of the iceberg where it comes to anxiety. There are many different subtypes of anxiety disorders. I will address those in future posts.
The first step is raising your awareness. Let’s continue to get well…together.
