Don't let fear rule your life

The references here to the different types of anxiety and are not meant to diagnose you. But you may find them useful if you go to a doctor, psychologist, or counselor who uses these terms.

Anxiety is not a new phenomena, since COVID-19 and associated events like as unemployment and business closures have not contributed to it.  According to the National Institute Of Mental Health, 40 million people suffer from an anxiety disorder in the United States alone. As the most prevalent mental disorder, therapeutic choices are easily available; nonetheless, only 36.9% of sufferers receive assistance. Our minds are wired to consider survival, which in archaic times necessitated constant vigilance. This survival mode, called as “fight or flight,” was a code for situations requiring terror in order to reach a safer location. When anxiety becomes unmanageable or is accompanied by great fear or worry, it can interfere with daily living. Fortunately, there are techniques to lessen anxiety and anxiety attacks, and the best thing is that it can be done instantly and without the use of medicine. It is essential to be aware that natural medicines can frequently be safely coupled with conventional medical treatments, but it is always better to see a physician first. And as business owners on main street, we may see this phenomenon in our employees and even our customers.

Frequently, anxiety disorders go undetected and untreated. Thankfully, treatment can be beneficial. The appropriate treatment can enhance your life quality, relationships, and productivity. Additionally, it can add to your overall health. You do not have to be always worried and anxious. Consult a physician if you discover symptoms of an anxiety disorder. It is optimal to receive a diagnosis and treatment as soon as feasible. This can reduce the potential negative effects of anxiety disorders. Oftentimes, a combination of medicine and therapy is effective in treating anxiety.  Know the information below may be of use to you in dealing with employees and customers, to aid you in conflict resolution.

Fear can cause anxiety

Everyone has at least one fear. Phobias, on the other hand, are unreasonable, severe, and seemingly all-encompassing fears. Specific phobias include the fear of heights, small places, dogs, germs, bees, snakes, spiders, difficult-to-escape circumstances, and flying. Specific phobias are the most prevalent type of anxiety disorder and might contain a number of the symptoms on our list of anxiety symptoms.

 

Some individuals experience stress in their stomach. People with IBS experience unpleasant digestive issues, such as abdominal pain, constipation, and diarrhea. The association between irritable bowel syndrome and anxiety is due to the fact that the neurological system controls the colon in part. The response of the neurological system to stress might influence the stomach.
Fifty to ninety percent of IBS patients also suffer from an anxiety disorder or depression. Stress management and psychotherapy may be used to alleviate IBS symptoms. Stress management and psychotherapy may be used to alleviate IBS symptoms.

Anxiety… or Phobia?

A phobia is an intense fear of—or aversion to—certain objects or situations. Although it may be realistic to be anxious in certain circumstances, the fear that people with phobias feel is out of proportion to the actual danger posed by the situation or object.

People with a phobia  may have an irrational or excessive preoccupation with the feared object or situation  They may take active steps to avoid the feared object or situation.  They experience intense immediate fear when they encounter the feared object or situation.  They approach unavoidable objects and situations with intense fear.

There are several types of phobias and phobia-related disorders.  Specific phobias (sometimes called simple phobias), as the name suggests, is about having a strong fear of or feel intense anxiety about certain objects or situations. Examples of specific phobias include fear of flies, certain animals, such as spiders, dogs, snakes, receiving injections,  or blood.

Social Anxiety Disorder (formerly called social phobia): People with social anxiety disorder have an intense, generalized fear or anxiety about social or performance situations. They fear that the actions or behaviors associated with their anxiety will be negatively evaluated by others, causing them to feel ashamed. This worry often causes people with social anxiety to avoid social situations.

People with agoraphobia have severe anxiety about two or more of the following situations such as using public transportation, waiting in line or standing in a crowd, being outside alone.  People with agoraphobia often avoid these situations, in part because they think it might be difficult or impossible to go out if they have panic reactions or other embarrassing symptoms. In the most severe form of agoraphobia, the person may become housebound.

Separation anxiety is often thought of as something that only children suffer from, but adults can also be diagnosed with separation anxiety. People with separation anxiety are afraid of being separated from the people they are connected to. They often worry that something will happen to their caregivers or something unpleasant will happen while they are separated. This fear causes them to avoid separation from their caregivers and being alone. People with separation anxiety may have nightmares about being separated from their caregivers or experience physical symptoms when separation occurs or is expected.

A more rare disorder associated with anxiety is selective mutism. Selective mutism is when people do not speak in certain social situations even though they have normal language skills. Selective mutism usually occurs before age 5 and is often associated with extreme shyness, fear of social embarrassment, obsessive-compulsive traits, withdrawal, clinging behavior, and outbursts of anger. Individuals diagnosed with selective mutism are often diagnosed with other anxiety disorders as well.

Panic or anxiety attacks are common. Panic disorders are less common, affecting about 2% of the population. For a person to be diagnosed with panic disorder, he or she usually must have had at least four panic attacks per month over an extended period of time. Often, panic attacks are not tied to a specific situation, but occur spontaneously.  Panic disorder can be diagnosed when panic attacks occur frequently and there is a strong and persistent fear of another attack.

Know the signs of anxiety

The symptoms of an anxiety disorder can be similar to those of a heart attack or other health emergency. If you are experiencing a panic attack for the first time or if you are worried about your health, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room. If you are having an anxiety attack and are not sure if you should go to the emergency room or not, it is best to leave. Health professionals can make sure you are okay and getting the treatment you need.

If your social anxiety flares up at work, keep these tips in your pocket. Get away from friends: One of the first reactions to anxiety symptoms is to move away from the people you care about. If you don't want to spend time with your friends or partner, it could be a sign that you're putting all your mental energy into controlling your anxious thoughts. You are likely to distance yourself from the present and become mentally and emotionally exhausted as you try to remain calm.

New daily habits can reduce your anxiety

Compulsive behavior: From a logical perspective, you may recognize that anxious thoughts are just that… worries circulating in your brain but not your current reality. However, many people feel that these intrusive worries dominate their minds to the point that they can no longer control them. You may keep thinking that something is going to happen to your loved ones or that they're going to die, and you often pray to make sure they're safe.

Because your brain is on overdrive when you're anxious, you may have a very short fuse when dealing with other people. Or with technology, for that matter. Or with your pets. Being preoccupied with the emotions of anxiety, we can have little patience for small talk, can't stand it when something doesn't go our way, and may even argue with anyone who tries to help us.  Even if you're not the kind of person who lives at a party, you're probably at least enjoying the good times. Keep in mind, as anxiety increases, so does fear of social situations. Most people become more critical of themselves and worry about every interaction with strangers and even their closest colleagues. You may worry excessively about how you look, what people think of you, if people are talking about you behind your back, if no one likes you, if you sound stupid when you talk. This is a sign of social anxiety and often leads people to avoid social situations because of their fears.

Many people experience their most intense anxiety at almost the worst time: bedtime. It's very common for people to lie awake in bed thinking and worrying because suddenly all distractions are gone. But at night, when the demands of the day have fallen asleep, the thoughts we swept under the rug resurface and demand attention.

A not-so-fun fact is that the brain can't distinguish between a real threat (a tiger chasing you) and a perceived threat (worrying about being fired or anger from a friend). When you are in a fight-or-flight situation—either real danger or an imagined dangerous state—your body changes and does everything it can to survive.  Instead, the brain cuts off blood flow to the digestive system and diverts it to the muscles. The sensation can feel like a knot or a weight in the stomach, or even butterflies fluttering around. It's important to know that the brain and gut are connected because more than 90% of serotonin is in the gut. When our microbiome is compromised, we can feel ill.

Many people suffer from financial anxiety when they are barely making ends meet, but even those who have more than enough to get by can worry. If you or your partner lose your source of income, a large bill for medical treatment or home damage lands in your mailbox, or if you have to care for a sick parent, it puts a lot of financial stress on you. This stress can take the form of anxiety.  People can examine their relationship with money and its importance to their lives. When decisions are made that don't align with the importance of money, and as a result, desired goals can't be achieved, some anxiety is inevitable. For example, if money means security and freedom, and you don't manage your money in a way that allows you to experience security and freedom, it will undoubtedly trigger anxiety.

Get to the root of the Anxiety problem

Whether you have toxic co-workers or a boss who micromanages you, going into the office every day is a surefire way to trigger anxiety symptoms. Most people in the United States spend a disproportionate amount of time at work or at work, even when they're at home. Most people take their email to bed with them, where the phone is just inches from their pillow. This constant thought that we need to be connected creates anxiety. We're always available, and we're expected to be available— that's a source of stress. The workload is heavier, the workday is longer and seems endless, as our devices keep us tethered to work even on vacation. If you can't shake the impression that you hate your job, talking to a professional about an appropriate therapy that can have positive change. They can help you deal with feelings of insecurity, lack of control and lack of control over yourself while at work.

Anxiety can be situational, genetic and chemical, and all three factors – your circumstances/environment, your DNA and your chemical makeup – contribute to the development of an anxiety disorder. There are many neurotransmitters in our brain that affect our mood. The main ones that affect anxiety are serotonin, GABA, dopamine and norepinephrine. When the levels or uptake of these neurotransmitters are disrupted, it can lead to anxiety. This means that if your mother or father suffered from anxiety, the chances that you will experience it are higher, especially if you witness their symptoms firsthand.

Your group of friends can provide your life with messages of encouragement, long talks and even a meaningful hug. But what happens when there is stress in your friendships or romantic relationships? Many people feel pressure from the outside world – including their immediate environment – to be happier, better and more supportive. When we feel like we're falling short, we often feel overwhelmed, which leads to anxiety symptoms. The same thing happens when someone we trust and love disappoints or betrays us, or when we go through a major change. Even the most beautiful events, such as marriage or the birth of a child, can cause unexpected negative emotions. Most of the time, the best way to combat these thoughts and feelings is to talk to a professional about them.

Anxiety And Our Mobile Devices

Most of us are guilty of paying more attention to our phones, computers and tablets than to our partners, pets or even our children. In a world where you're constantly connected, it's easy to be constantly checking, scrolling or reading the latest news. However too much technology can lead to anxiety symptoms because it overstimulates the brain and nervous system, creating almost an addiction. We can suffer from anxiety about missing out if we leave our technology for a while and find that we're constantly thinking about it, wondering what others are doing online and saying what we missed. If being away from our devices makes us nervous, Whatley recommends talking to a close friend or colleague. That's because we crave connection and engagement, which our phones can provide instantly. A conversation can have the same effect and ease those feelings.

One of the factors that wears down the body and mind is anxiety and the problems it causes: Nervousness, insomnia, difficulty concentrating, worsening depression and general imbalance in the body. If you are looking for a comprehensive solution that will allow you to reduce anxiety and nervousness to a minimum, the following tips will help you.

If you have spent endless days in intense activities, try to finish as early as possible so that you have time to relax. This is one of the keys to preventing the exhaustion and fatigue of wakefulness (which are so useful during the day) from turning into anxiety. Finish early, take time to relax and disconnect from the world, especially when you desperately need sleep. A good example is valerian, which has a calming effect, reduces irritability and promotes sleep without causing dependence or complications like night terrors or feeling heavy the next day. It's the perfect solution when you need to restore your natural sleep cycle to stabilize your nervous system.