From overwhelmed to empowered: A beginner's guide to anxiety

Anxiety is your body’s natural response to stress. It's a feeling of worry or fear about what’s to come. Occasional anxiety is normal, but for some people, these feelings are intense, persistent, and seem to appear without a clear reason. When anxiety starts to interfere with your life, it may be helpful to understand the specific symptoms and take steps to manage them.

Recognising the symptoms of anxiety

Anxiety can show up in various ways, affecting your mind, body, and behaviour. Here’s a look at the different types of symptoms you might experience:

1. Emotional symptoms

Anxiety impacts our emotions and can cause intense feelings that may feel difficult to manage.

• Excessive worrying: You might find yourself constantly worrying about various aspects of your life, like health, finances, or relationships. This worry can feel persistent and uncontrollable.
• Irritability: Feeling easily annoyed or frustrated, often for reasons you can’t quite identify, is common with anxiety.
• Restlessness: Anxiety can make you feel “on edge” as if something bad is about to happen. You may struggle to relax.
• Overwhelming fear: Some people experience intense fear or dread without a clear reason.
• Sense of impending doom: This is the feeling that something terrible will happen, even if there’s no specific reason to think so.
• Hypervigilance: Anxiety can make you feel as though you constantly need to be on the lookout for potential threats or dangers.
• Decreased tolerance for uncertainty: People with anxiety often feel very uncomfortable with unknown or unpredictable situations.
• Loss of control: You might feel as if you’re losing control over your emotions or circumstances, which can be especially frightening.

2. Cognitive symptoms

Anxiety doesn’t only affect our feelings; it also impacts our thoughts.

• Racing thoughts: You might experience thoughts that come in rapid succession, making it hard to focus or relax.
• Intrusive thoughts: These are distressing, unwanted thoughts that seem to “pop up” and are hard to control.
• Difficulty concentrating: Anxiety can make it challenging to stay focused on tasks or follow through on activities.
• Catastrophic thinking: This means always assuming the worst will happen, no matter the situation.

3. Physical symptoms

Anxiety can also show up in physical ways.

• Increased heart rate: Your heart might race or feel like it’s pounding.
• Muscle tension: You may feel tightness in areas like your neck, shoulders, or back.
• Digestive issues: Anxiety can upset your stomach, leading to nausea or digestive problems.
• Sleep disturbances: You may find it hard to fall or stay asleep or feel rested.

4. Behavioural symptoms

The impact of anxiety can lead you to change your behaviour in an attempt to cope.

• Avoidance: You may start avoiding people, places, or activities that might trigger your anxiety.
• Social withdrawal: You might start avoiding social situations, and feeling detached from others.
• Seeking reassurance: It’s common to constantly ask others for reassurance as a way to relieve anxiety temporarily.

Practical strategies to manage anxiety

Managing anxiety isn’t about eliminating it but learning how to cope effectively. Here are strategies that can help.

1. Breathing exercises

When you’re feeling anxious, your breathing tends to become shallow, which can worsen anxiety. Here are some breathing techniques:

• Deep breathing: Slowly inhale through your nose, hold for a moment, then exhale through your mouth. Repeat to help calm your nervous system.
• 4-7-8 breathing: Inhale for 4 seconds, hold for 7, and exhale for 8. This exercise can slow your heart rate and reduce anxiety.

2. Mindfulness and meditation

Practising mindfulness can help you stay in the present moment, which reduces anxiety.

• Mindfulness meditation: Focus on your breath or sensations in your body. When your mind wanders, gently bring it back.
• Body scan: Mentally scan each part of your body from head to toe, noticing any tension and consciously relaxing each area.

3. Cognitive techniques

Your thoughts play a big role in anxiety. Working with them can help you manage anxious feelings.

• Cognitive restructuring: Notice your negative thoughts, question their validity and try to replace them with more balanced thoughts.
• Thought journaling: Write down your anxious thoughts and look for patterns or recurring themes. This can help you understand and challenge them.

4. Behavioural techniques

Changing some behaviours can reduce anxiety and help you feel more in control.

• Break tasks into small steps: Large tasks can feel overwhelming, so divide them into smaller, manageable parts.
• Set realistic goals: Setting achievable goals helps avoid overwhelm. Celebrate small victories!
• Progressive exposure: Gradually face situations that cause anxiety in small, manageable steps.

5. Lifestyle adjustments

Making certain lifestyle changes can positively impact anxiety.

• Regular exercise: Exercise releases endorphins, natural chemicals that improve mood. Aim for 30 minutes of exercise most days.
• Healthy eating: A balanced diet with whole foods can help stabilize your mood and energy levels.
• Good sleep hygiene: Create a regular sleep routine. Avoid screens before bed, as they can stimulate your brain and make it hard to fall asleep.

6. Relaxation techniques

Finding ways to relax physically can help calm the mind.

• Progressive muscle relaxation: Tense each muscle group, hold, then release, working from your toes up to your head.
• Visualisation: Picture a peaceful place in your mind, focusing on its details. This helps to shift your focus away from anxiety.

7. Social support

Connecting with others can provide comfort and perspective.

• Talk to someone you trust: Sharing your feelings with a friend or family member can relieve emotional weight.
• Join a support group: Talking to others who experience similar feelings can provide comfort and ideas for coping.

8. Structured routine

Having structure can help add stability to your day.

• Daily routine: Create a daily routine to add predictability. Knowing what’s coming next can be reassuring.
• Limit multitasking: Focus on one task at a time to reduce feelings of overwhelm.

9. Self-compassion and acceptance

Learning to treat yourself kindly can make a big difference.

• Practice self-compassion: Speak to yourself kindly, especially when feeling anxious.
• Acceptance: Understand that it’s okay to feel anxious. Instead of fighting anxiety, accept it as a natural part of being human.

10. Therapy options

Seeking support from a therapist can be a very effective way to manage anxiety, especially if your symptoms are significantly affecting your life.

• Cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT): A therapist can help you identify and change patterns of thinking and behaviour that contribute to anxiety.
• Exposure therapy: Gradual exposure to feared situations helps reduce anxiety over time.
• Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT): This approach teaches acceptance of your thoughts and feelings instead of struggling to eliminate them. 

Building a toolkit

Dealing with anxiety is a journey. Start by choosing one or two techniques that resonate with you and practice them regularly. Over time, you’ll discover what works best for you and build a toolkit of coping skills to draw on when anxiety arises.

When to seek help

If anxiety is impacting your daily life, relationships, or ability to function, consider reaching out to a licensed mental health professional. Therapy provides support and guidance, helping you learn ways to understand and manage your anxiety.

Remember, anxiety is a common and manageable condition. With the right understanding and tools, you can build resilience and regain control over your life. The road to managing anxiety is unique to each person, and every small step is progress. You don’t have to face it alone.