Are you going through an overwhelming thrust of emotions? If yes, and you did not realize that you could be going through an anxiety disorder. Moving back & forth, breathlessness and an inner turmoil beyond explanation are common symptoms of anxiety. It is like uneasiness often followed by cold palms.
Feeling dreaded about forthcoming events oft leads to anxiety. Anxiety does not come alone. With it ushers in muscular tension. Folks facing anxiety feel fatigued. The pain gets excruciating and concentration becomes a real-time problem. Anxiety is almost like fear – a response to a perceived threat. In today’s era where it becomes problematic to dislodge mental illness, it’s a dire need to educate people about anxiety. Aggravated anxiety often becomes an anxiety disorder. In this article, we would talk about how to get rid of anxiety.
Anxiety vs. fear
Anxiety may be confused with fear very easily. But, in practice, both aren’t identical concepts. Fear is a cognitive conscious response to the assumed threat. But anxiety is more common in do-or-die situations. Anxiety can also arise out of an escapist mentality. It is more of a defensive behavior.
Anxiety comes out of future-oriented state where one does not have the preparedness. Coping with anxiety might be difficult with accurate knowledge. The mind imagines negative situations that are not very realistic. Anxiety is also agony. It is terror, dread or apprehension. Insufficient coping strategies lead to anxiousness. Here, in this space, let us teach people how to get rid of anxiety. Also, let us try to identify the signs & symptoms of anxiety.
Differentiating fear from anxiety
There are 4 major domains wherein fear differs from the concept of anxiousness:
- Duration of trauma
- Temporal focus
- The nature of trauma
- Motivated direction
Needless to mention, fear stays for a shorter duration compared to anxiousness. Fear is generally directed towards one specific point. But the same cannot be commented on anxiousness. Anxiety may last for weeks if it remains undiagnosed. It is highly future-focused and unnecessary. Anxiety triggers excessive cautious behaviors too. The nature of anxiety is such that it invariably interferes with constructive things.
Symptoms of anxiety
- Nervousness – Cold palms, restlessness behavior indicate anxiety at large. Acute tense situations can be a clear indication of anxiousness.
- Impending danger – Sensing unrealistic apprehension directs towards anxiety
- Increased heartbeat – A sensation of fear accompanied by increased heartbeat is a common sign of anxiety
- Sweating profusely – Are you sweating profusely? Hang on. This could just very well be anxiety.
- Trembling – Trembling of hands and feet could indicate unexplained anxiety. It symptoms persist, it could even be an anxiety disorder.
- Excessive fatigue – feeling fatigued more than usual is a sign that you are going through anxiety.
- Trouble concentrating – Anxiety is future-oriented. We tend to dodge the present situation and focus on unnecessary matters. We curate our problems that way.
- Insomnia – A person suffering from anxiety could languish to fall asleep.
- Appetite – An acute loss of appetite is often related to anxiousness.
- Escapist mentality – An urge to dodge things are a reason to worry. There is anxiousness underlying this mentality.
Anxious people languish to control worry. To dislodge anxiousness, it is crucial to know signs. To know, how to get rid of anxiety, we must spread awareness about this grueling issue. Only then can we come up with remedies.
The kind of anxiety issues that exist
Agoraphobia – In this case, people stop socializing at large. The folks dodge situations indicating panic issues. Agoraphobia comes with a feeling of helplessness and embarrassment. It makes individuals feel trapped in one way or the other.
Anxiety triggered by some medical condition – A degrading physical health can be a cause of acute anxiousness.
Anxiety disorder – Prolonged anxiety leads to anxiety disorder. Things often go out of proportion. Controlling nervousness becomes difficult. Anxiety patterns alter general patterns. It may even be accompanied by depression, at times.
Panic – Panic involves more than just one episode of intense anxiety. One feels shattered and doomed at times. In this case, there can be difficulty breathing, profound chest pain and palpitation too. Panic attacks make us apprehensive about the future. There is a general feeling of helplessness.
Selective mutism – This generally occurs in young children. The young ones oft do not know how to communicate things to the elderly. This alters social functioning in children.
Social phobia – People in such cases fear being judged all the time. Others’ opinions tend to matter a lot to them.
Specific phobia – When folks are exposed to things that they fear, it causes paramount phobia or fear. Phobia may even induce panic attacks.
Anxiety induced by substance – People may go through severe anxiousness during withdrawal from a drug. Signs of acute restlessness become rampant in these cases.
So now that we know about the various forms of anxiety, we must know the causes of anxiety and related problems.
Medical conditions that may give way to anxiety-related troubles
- Heart diseases are anxiety-prone.
- Diabetic people become anxious too soon.
- Patients suffering from hyperthyroidism could be victims of anxiety disorder.
- Folks with a history of respiratory issues such as asthma develop anxiety-related problems.
- Withdrawal from alcoholic beverages may worsen anxiety issues, to say the least.
Also, it is possible to develop anxiety issues without a prior family history. You could very well be the first one in your family tree to suffer from anxiety. Often things unfold in ways we never imagined. Certain unprecedented situations lead to anxiety.
Risks
Several issues aggravate the problem of anxiety. They are –
Trauma – Young children who have endured trauma could develop anxiety at a later stage of life. Even adults with a traumatic history are prone to anxiety problems.
Excessive stress – Uncontrolled stress makes the masses anxious. Unprecedented or unrealistic things make people anxious.
An existing family history – Having parents or siblings with pre-existing anxiety-related troubles could make you vulnerable to anxiety.
Alcoholic beverages – There are ones who consume alcohol regularly. Such people do not take the time to become nervous wrecks.
Anxiety relief techniques
Anxiousness, if untreated, can be a real spoilsport. Anxiety may bring in an acute feeling of helplessness. So, we must know how to get rid of anxiety, before it is too late. Let us cast some light on ways to dislodge anxiety.
In today’s times, when you can still reach out for help, managing anxiety is possible. Just be mindful of what you are feeding your mind with.
Take a long sigh
You need to breathe well to vanquish anxiety. Diaphragmatic breathing can be a powerful technique to diminish anxiety. It is done to activate the body’s relaxation responses. It lets you go of flight-or-fight mechanism of the mind. A relaxed response of the system lets you cool off.
Accept you are anxious
Feeling anxious is not unnatural. Accepting this fact is the key to tackling the problem effectively. Anxiety is just like any other emotional reaction. It is high time you start to accept this. Acceptance remains critical. It is because only trying to eliminate or wrangle will intensify the matter. It might perpetuate the notion that anxiety is a social shame. Anxiety might not be ideal, but it’s in no way intolerable.
Question your thoughts
Anxiety comes with outlandish ideas. Things start getting increasingly unrealistic. And, thoughts like such will worsen people’s already anxious state of mind. You can be anxious, but understand that it is important not to reach the burn out stage. You are allowed to start afresh. No one leads a perfect life as such. Be wise to mitigate the problem. Question yourself is worrying necessary? If not, try to cool off.
Imagine a calming visual
Try to picture how to get rid of anxiety. Use Chinese music balls to calm yourself down. Practice meditation, if need be. Picture yourself by the calm riverside. Try imagining yourself in that favorite park of yours. Assign thoughts and emotions to leaves and clouds. Just let natural things float by. Never let others’ judgments dominate you. It steals joy. Focus on honing your craft.
Be the observer
Practice to observe your own emotions. Every single thought of ours is impactful. Do things with a tinge of compassion. This may solve a lot of conundrums. Be a person of less judgment.
Indulge in the positive
Do not let all the negativity chatter around you. Remind yourself necessary positive coping strategies. Anxiety feels bad, but hopes are always bigger than fears.
Focus on the present
Stop obsessing over the future. Breathe, pause and let go of what’s seemingly uncertain. Be attentive to what is happening now. Focusing on present leaves future worries behind. Do the needful to manage anxiousness. Pleasant thoughts can give you a great relief. The future is beyond our control. So, there’s no point over-thinking.
Indulge in meaningful activities
It is important to understand how to get rid of anxiety, because, you are a victim of your weavings. Think and imagine a life minus anxiety. Are you feeling happy now? If yes, then continue with the mitigating technique. You would be benefitted at large. Get busy and do not sit laid back. It will only aggravate a tense situation. Be so busy that anxiety takes a back seat. This is the only known way to mitigate and overcome your unrealistic worries.
Anxiety treatment at home
Stay active
However difficult it sounds, but, anxiety can be managed at home. An easy solution lies in staying active. Chose settings conducive to work-out, and practice it daily. Regular activity is just as good as medication. It has been confirmed by scientists around the globe. Staying active won’t just fix short-term problems, it will also benefit you and your anxiety issues in the long run.
Quit smoking
Stressful times may make you want to smoke. But, it is a short-term pleasure. Smoking is proven to harm the process of mental wellness. It makes you anxious about the core. Cut back on smoking as early as possible. If you start smoking at an early age, you could develop anxiety issues later on. Dependence on nicotine has been linked with developing anxiety. Know what your wellness lies in and try to act accordingly.
Ditch caffeine
If your anxiety issue is chronic, unfriend caffeine. Caffeine causes restlessness and nervousness to the core. Caffeine aggravates anxiousness. So, eliminate caffeine to keep problems at bay. This will help you throw anxiety issues off your life.
Get proper sleep
A good night’s sleep can cure almost all troubles. Never skimp on your sleep schedule. Make sleep your utmost priority. Get ample sleep to fight fatigue. Never watch television before going to bed. Reduce your screen time before you hit the bed. Try avoiding junk food, caffeine before you sleep. Keep the room as dark as possible. Try to adjust light settings accordingly. Keep the room amply cool and sound-proof to get an undisturbed sleep.
Eat healthy
Stay away from processed food as much as possible. Eat home-cooked meals. Preservatives often cause mood swings in people. This triggers anxiety. A sugar-rich diet may just alter your temperament. Eat the right kind of breakfast. The first meal of the day is the most important. Include nice portions of carbs, proteins and other macro-nutrients in your breakfast.
Eat green veggies and the freshest of fruits. These measures will keep your mood swings in check.
Aromatherapy
Essential oils are fragrant and promote wellbeing at large. Inhale the oils directly to boost that feel-good factor.
Studies suggest that aromatherapy helps to –
- Relax
- Ensure a good night’s sleep
- Is a mood booster
- Reduces heartbeat
A concluding note
Here, in this blog, we have tried to cast light on – how to get rid of anxiety? Of course, you may have your signature way to fight anxiousness, but these are tried and tested methods to deal with anxiety at home.
Now that you know, how to get rid of anxiety spread the word and create awareness among the ones ailing. Come up with your suggestions. Any alternating thoughts are welcome.
