The Thing about Anxiety…

Who is guilty of having thoughts about worst case scenarios that have 0.05% chance of happening? Just me? Okay… Anxiety is a very real feeling that many people go through and if you answered this question with a very bold “ME”, I can assure you that you are not alone. In this post, I will be expanding on what anxiety is, what the symptoms are, as well as providing you with a few helpful tips to manage and cope with it. I am an aspiring psychologist but as I am only in my second year of my undergrad degree, I am writing this from my own experience with anxiety and what I have learned so far, as well as from extra research that I have done. This is not from a professional perspective, but I hope that it may help you understand more about anxiety and help you in some way.

What is Anxiety?

Anxiety, defined by the American Psychological Association, is “an emotion characterized by feelings of tension, worried thoughts and physical changes.” It is important to not get confused between worry and anxiety. The main difference is that anxiety is felt in the body, it is more general, and vague, and it includes thoughts and mental imagery. Worry is more specific, and thoughts are more focused, but it does not include imagery. (Winch, 2016) Oftentimes, there is no solution to what is making you anxious because it usually has to do with a very broad topic. It also usually has to do with something that is most likely unrealistic, like fearing failing a test even though you spent a month studying for it and is therefore very unlikely that you will fail.

What are the Symptoms?

Some of the most common symptoms of anxiety include (Cirino, 2018):

· Overthinking

· Irritability

· Fatigue

· Muscle tension

· Increased heart rate/heart palpitations

· Gastrointestinal problems

· Lack of Concentration

· Sleeping problems

How Can I Manage It?

There are different ways to manage anxiety, some daily changes that you can make include:

1. Staying Active

2. Eating Healthy - not a diet, just in general.

3. Meditating

4. Keeping a Regular Sleep Schedule

5. Avoiding Alcohol and Caffeine

Some extra tips that have helped me at some point in my life that I would suggest are to:

· Have a work schedule that you stick to during the week and make sure that you stick to it. If you need more time to work then set a specific amount of time on the weekend to catch up any work you may need to catch up on. I generally like to give myself Saturday afternoon/evening and Sunday off to focus on family, friends, and church. If you tend to study or work into the evenings, make sure you have a set time where you switch everything off and can focus on yourself for a while before you go to bed.

· Set time aside for little self-love things. If you have any hobbies like reading or art, then read a chapter of your book or sketch or paint a little drawing. I find that when I get too busy and stressed about everything around me, I don’t get to do the things I love the most but it just so happens that the things I love the most are often the things that help me to relieve my tension and get away from the demands of life. Another idea is to set yourself a day out of the week or every two weeks where you can enjoy a warm bubble bath, use those bath bombs that you love, do a face mask or paint your nails. The feeling that you get when looking after yourself just gives you that little sense of control that you need to relax a bit.

· Keep a journal. There is no right or wrong way to write in a journal. There are many different types of journals that will help different types of needs. However, it is YOUR journal, you have free range of what you want to do with it. The possibilities are endless but the point of it is to release any thoughts or feelings that you may have, especially if you find it difficult to open up to people. If you are prone to focusing on all the negative things that are happening then think about starting a gratitude journal where you keep track of everything that you are grateful for each day or each week. Pinterest has many reflective questions or prompts to get you started or for those times where you may not be able to think of anything that you can write about.

· Connect. Call up a friend and go for ice cream or coffee. I am sure we have all noticed how much we need human connection. Just chilling, laughing and being in the company of someone you trust and love, can boost your mood and take your mind off the things that may be overwhelming you.

I would just like to add a reminder that if anxiety is something that you really struggle with and nothing seems to help, then I would recommend seeing a professional. You can go to your GP and they will be able to refer you to someone or give you different options that you may choose from. There is nothing wrong with seeing a professional or with taking medication for anxiety. Everyone is different so everyone will have different ways to manage anxiety, just find what works for you. What might work for you, might not work for someone else and that is perfectly okay.

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Meet today's author - Kimi

Our first follower feature was written by the oh-so lovely Kimberley Archer, a psychology student who loves a good book or two, Harry Potter marathons and a good ol' feel good adventure for the soul.

Whichever route she decides to go in the psychology field, all I know is that this industry will have gained a true gem!

Reference List

American Psychological Association. (2020). Anxiety. [online]. APA. Available at: https://www.apa.org/topics/anxiety#:~:text=Anxiety%20is%20an%20emotion%20characterized,certain%20situations%20out%20of%20worry [Accessed 31 Aug. 2020]

Cirino, E. (2018). Everything You Need To Know About Anxiety. [online]. Healthline. Available at: https://www.healthline.com/health/anxiety-symptoms [Accessed 31 Aug. 20]

Winch, G. (2016). 10 Crucial Differences Between Worry and Anxiety. [online]. Psychology Today. Available at: https://www.psychologytoday.com/za/blog/the-squeaky-wheel/201603/10-crucial-differences-between-worry-and-anxiety#:~:text=3.,as%20those%20associated%20with%20worry). [Accessed 31 Aug. 20]