Where does anxiety come from?
The first step to overcoming anxiety is to know where it came from, and discovering how your anxiety started in the first place. Read this article and also listen to the podcast for more information about overcoming anxiety.
Anxiety can come from a thought which can bring about ruminating. A split second thought about something that brings with it fear. This thought can then trigger our thoughts into ruminating, etc. which I explain more in Anxiety Part 1 Facing & Understanding Anxiety.
It can also be caused from constant state of always on the go and not resting. Generalised Anxiety Disorder is someone who is anxious but not necessarily over any specific reason. Being in a state of active mentally can cause anxiety to rise.
The adrenaline can build up over time and the nervous system is in a “go go” state and can cause us to become hypersensitive to trivial things. We can over react and over think things that in a normal state we would not care so much about. We become irritable.
PODCAST: Ep5 Understanding & Overcoming Anxiety
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Overcoming Anxiety Tips
Thinking and Doing we can control but physiology and emotions are controlled indirectly.
1: Have hope
This quote from Henry Ford is a great example that explains what you want to see is what you’ll get. If we choose to believe we can’t overcome something then we believe that is the case, but we sometimes need to change our thoughts to having hope. We may not know all the answers and solutions but choosing to take hope that we will get through it is the first step. Choosing not to settle for the thought of “I can’t do this”.
Believe you can,
Believe you can’t,
Either way you are right
Henry Ford
2: Know Your Triggers
Discover what your triggers are so you can lower your anxiety levels. For example know what triggers your anxiety and reframe your perspective toward these things. For example, if the news of a pandemic gives you massive anxiety, then lower your level of exposure to the news. Then build up to a healthy level of exposure to the news, bit by bit. Sometimes our triggers can be broken down and understood better which can help. It sometimes pays off to speak to a professional about your triggers and how to deal with them.
3: Balance
Getting the work life balance is so important. Burning the candle at both ends can cause a build up over time of stress and anxiety. This can cause health problems both mentally and physically. Getting rest is part of it, but getting exercise helps dispel the stored up adrenaline and stress, which helps us overall with our anxiety. Exercise also helps with releasing happy hormones which aid us in overcoming anxiety. A work, rest, and play balance is something we can all create for ourselves.
4: Let the thoughts float by
The anxious thoughts want to get your attention. Your mind is simply analysing what is the root of this anxiety so it throws many scenarios up as possibles threats in the form of thoughts and mental images. Your thoughts aren’t always your thoughts, its just your mind trying to figure things out. Just because you thought it doesn’t mean you agree with it or it is even true.
5: Get Advice
Speaking to a professional whether it’s a GP, therapist, councillor, or life-coach is a much faster way to overcoming anxiety. The reason some of us may figure out how to beat anxiety ourselves but it can take time. A professional experienced in this field can speed up recovery and help us make sense of it all. Don’t get help and you may just stay the same.
6: Stop googling
The biggest trigger and habit of people with anxiety is the constant googling of possible causes and remedies. This is god to do to get informed but it can become an obsession. Be careful the amount of time you allow yourself to google things. Also if you are worse off after googling maybe avoid it altogether and speak with a professional.
I hope this article helped and I have many more anxiety articles so do go check them out. Get in touch and let me know if this article helped.
