Anxiety disorder and harm

Today, I want to talk a little about anxiety disorder (particularly GAD) and the harm it can cause.

I see a lot of media around anxiety and how it cannot harm you, etc. and while, technically, it can be said for anxiety – a normal mind/body function that serves to keep us safe in response to short-term stressors – the same cannot be said for an anxiety disorder (particularly GAD) and therefore long-term and sustained activation of our bodies stress response.

Long term activation of the bodies stress response translates into long term activation and cycling up and cycling down of a myriad of systems within the body – not least of which being surges of adrenaline, cortisol and other stress hormones of which the effects can leave people feeling lethargic for weeks after a anxiety flair up or panic attack.

However, the long-term effects of this sustained onslaught can affect and increase blood pressure, increase chances of heart disease, heart attack and stroke, and that is just the cardiovascular system. It can also wreak havoc with our digestive system and become an all-around nuisance to our entire mind and body systems. This can, of course, have a knock-on effect on one's mental health, and so the cycle continues.

I'm mindful this is a bit dark, but I feel it needs to be said; otherwise, the alternative could be some of the things highlighted above. It's my hope that this at least leads to questions the next time we see a sound bite for how anxiety doesn't cause harm, etc. The more questions we ask, the more knowledge we gain and with that knowledge, we can then make informed decisions about our health and mental health.

So then, what can be done?

The good news is it's within your control. Prevention is always the best medicine, as they say in the health world, and that means making sure we are taking care of our mind and our bodies, the all-around holistic approach. Eating well, exercising, work life balance, prioritising our needs, setting boundaries, all of this and more. This, of course, includes using therapy for both mental health and self-development purposes to grow and learn and maintain your internal world.

What if we are already further down the line?

If we already have an anxiety disorder, the good news is there are still things you can do, but at this point, prevention is less the focus, and the focus becomes more one of management. This means the things above will absolutely be key – you still have to do the things that help you in order to maintain your mental health and physical health – but it may mean working with specific tools to focus on managing anxiety disorder, panic attacks, etc.

I like to call this being intentional, but you can call it anything you like; the name is less important than the doing. In this way, we may use tools specifically geared towards helping bring you back into the present moment when anxiety takes you away to some other moment. Tools such as grounding tools and mindfulness are particularly effective in this area. Mindfulness can also double as a relaxation tool to and has its roots for anyone interested in buddhist teachings and zen meditation, although mindfulness is the much more westernised and arguebly watered down, that does not make it any less effective at what it does and what it does to serve as a tool for focusing the mind. Focusing on what you are doing in that moment so that 100% of your focus is on whatever it is, without worrying about the next thing.

In practice, this looks like being 100% focused on brushing your teeth and not thinking or worrying about the next thing, which may be getting dressed. Your mind may wander to getting dressed, and that's OK, but the idea is to bring it back to brushing your teeth. As you practice this more and more, you'll get better at focusing on brushing your teeth without thinking about getting dressed until you're actually on that task. You can replace brushing teeth and getting dressed with other examples here, as it is simply an example to ease explanation.

In time, you'll build your ability to focus on the thing and the moment you are in. It does take practice, and people can get disheartened, but this is where working with a therapist who is familiar with mindfulness can mean the difference between building this skill and giving up on it. I believe we are all capable of achieving this tool in practice; it's simply a question of how to make it accessible for you personally.

Grounding tools are a similar thing, but can be used short-term in the moment and are often referred to as distractionary tools. I believe this is an oversimplification, but I'll let you decide its merits when you engage with such tools for yourself.

Seeking out someone who is familiar with anxiety and perhaps even a specialist in that area is really important for successful outcomes in your mental health, but so is awareness, and that is what therapy can bring – awareness – so that you can make informed decisions about your life and health. Reach out to a specialist therapist in anxiety to explore your anxiety journey.