Several weeks ago, when I wrote an article about how important it is to know that youWe are all more than our anxiety, I realized I hadn't written about what anxiety itself is.
Although it may seem pretty obvious, since we've all been anxious at some point, I think defining anxiety and sharing some basic information about it can be helpful. Having this information can help us name what we feel, and in this way, understand it.
Anxiety is not the same as stress.
Although we use them as synonyms, they are not technically the same. Stress is the process that arises when environmental demands exceed an organism's adaptive capacity. Because of this, Stress is usually temporary (although not always) and its cause is more easily identifiable than anxiety. Stress also tends to disappear once the individual adapts to the environment or when the stressor is no longer present.
On the other hand, anxiety It is considered the emotional response to stress. It is usually accompanied by feelings of restlessness, suspicion, fear, and nervousness. It is associated with excessive worry. It can also be considered apprehensive expectation.
These are literally the textbook definitions. If you want to learn more about stress and anxiety, you can read the entire unit: Stress and anxiety (Unit 3) by Mcgraw-Hill.
The manifestations of anxiety.
The symptoms of anxiety can be truly distressing. Muscle tension, shortness of breath, shortness of breath, trembling or numbness in the extremities, stomach pain, and nausea are some of the most common manifestations. Hence the importance of being able to express what we feel through words. When we don't really know what we're feeling, much less why, our body manifests these discomforts.
Anxiety also has a very strong component at the thinking level. Thinking about the misfortunes that could come our way, or the more unfortunate events we could face, becomes part of our routine when we suffer from anxiety. It's often said that anxiety is an excess of the future.
But of course, because these thoughts can be so negative and absurd, we don't say them. We try to ignore and control them. And so, the anxiety cycle begins again. Only dwelling in our own bodies.
A simple step forward is to recognize how our body manifests anxiety. Obviously, not everyone experiences the same symptoms or the same intensity. If we learn to recognize our body's signals, we can more easily take action for ourselves.
Anxiety can be treated.
It's completely normal to feel anxiety. It exists to alert us. To create movement. But what happens if it doesn't go away?
Anxiety can occur even when there is no apparent triggering factor. That is, someone can be anxious and become agitated for no reason, and even if the person is aware of this, they cannot control their anxiety level. When this happens, or when the symptoms of anxiety become disabling To carry out daily activities, I recommend you search professional help.
No life is filled with certainty and absolute happiness. Uncertainty and frustration will always be a part of life. And this is precisely why strengthening our resources to deal with this uncertainty is so important. It is in our hands to find the balance.
If you suffer from anxiety or know someone who might benefit from this information, I invite you to share this article. I'm also leaving you these links that might be of interest to you:
6 Self-help resources. A post where I share several free guides and materials.
- How to manage anxiety at home. A video with practical tips.
