You get too stressed about your finances, your physical appearance, or every new project you’re assigned at the office.
It surprises you how your friends or coworkers handle situations in such a normal way that they take you to the limit of your worries. You are in a constant state of worry and stress.
Happen to you? This does not always mean that you are suffering from anxiety, but do not rule it out until you know a little more about this disorder, why it originates and how it can be reflected in your body.
This article aims to equip you not only with tools to cope with anxiety but also with valuable information so that you know its origin and when it is time to take action on it.
Let’s see the following definition by Psychologists Clark and Beck :
A complex cognitive, affective, physiological, and behavioral response system (e.g., threat mode) that is activated when anticipated events or circumstances are considered highly aversive because they are unpredictable, uncontrollable, and could potentially threaten a person’s vital interests. person.
In simpler words, constant worry about what might happen.
Whenever you perceive danger or situations that your mind considers dangerous a certain degree of anxiety occurs. It is a defense mechanism inherited from our ancestors, whose function is to prepare us to face dangerous situations.
In other words, anxiety is a survival mechanism.
When is anxiety not a problem?
Anxiety is a defense mechanism that has helped humans survive since ancient times.
Whenever there is imminent danger, the nervous system activates a series of physiological reactions such as tachycardia, muscle tension and hyperventilation that puts us in a state of fight or flight.
This anxiety is considered adaptive and more than a problem it is an ally that helps you survive.
Let’s look at a common example in your life.
Imagine that when you are cooking you do not perceive the flame of the stove as a danger to your skin. You may end up suffering from burns, because you wouldn’t avoid contact like you normally do.
But your nervous system perceives fire as a threat, sends signals to the body and prevents you from making contact.
Do you think that’s a negative thing? Exactly, it is not.
It is a watchman that exists in your brain watching over you so that you don’t get burned, fall or get run over.
When does anxiety become a problem?
When you respond with high levels of anxiety to situations that other people face perfectly normally.
Examples: a meeting with friends, a work meeting.
This happens because your brain incorrectly processes certain information that you receive from the environment through your senses, unnecessarily activating the defense mechanism in everyday situations such as family gatherings, work situations, social situations, among others.
When this happens it means that the anxiety has become maladaptive and instead of protecting you, it is making you see danger where there is none, affecting your interactions with the world.
How do I know if I am suffering from anxiety?
The symptoms of anxiety can vary depending on the disorder, but the ones you will read below can occur in all of them.
Up to this point you have been able understand in greater depth what anxiety is, why it originates when it becomes a problem and how to detect if you are suffering from this disorder.
Let’s talk now about how to handle it.
How to cope with anxiety?
After recognizing that anxiety is affecting your daily life, the most important thing is to take action to overcome it.
Here I share some techniques to help you cope with anxiety:
1. Recognize anxiety in your body
Know how to identify when anxiety is manifesting in your body It’s a powerful tool for coping instead of scaring you.
2. Don’t try to control or avoid it
When you try to control or avoid anxiety, the opposite effect occurs. It’s like you’re putting fuel in it Therefore, the situation will worsen.
3. Avoid exposing yourself to situations that can generate anxiety to “get over it”
Exposing yourself to what generates anxiety over and over again will not make it go away, we are talking about a disorder that must be attacked at its roots, preferably with professional help.
4. Know the symptoms of anxiety
Knowledge is power and by knowing what the symptoms of anxiety are you will be able to identify it and take action to overcome it.
The best antidote to stop worrying about the future is to anchor yourself in the present. Incorporate into your routine activities that allow you to focus on the here and now.
Coping with anxiety is not a one-day thing.
When you put into practice these techniques that I have shared with you, you must keep something very important in mind…
Coping with anxiety is a process and can take time.
The important thing is that every time its symptoms appear you try to recognize it and then spend a few minutes focusing on the present.
And if you feel like you need to go one step further to cope with anxiety, remember that there will always be a mental health professional willing to help you.
