How to Deal with Anxiety
All of us go through a feeling of nervousness, anxiety, stress and tension every once-in-a-while. Anxiety and stress have a purpose in our life. They are the triggers that drive us to make changes in our lives, they are the signs of dangers and the motivations to get us out of danger. Viewed from this angle, anxiety and stress are necessary, even healthy. But when anxiety and stress begin to interfere with your normal functions – affect your sleep and your health in general, then something has to be done to deal with anxiety.
There is no one single answer on how to deal with anxiety. It is different for each and every person, depending on the level of anxiety, the physical, psychological and emotional makeup of a person and the environment one lives in. But there are some common grounds on how to deal with anxiety. The first step is to find out where the feeling of anxiety is coming from or what’s causing the feeling. For some people, being anxious is a behavioral pattern. They feel anxious about most things, maybe a habit they’ve acquired from childhood. If you’re this type of person, admitting that you are is a positive step towards dealing with your anxiety. Once you’ve accepted it, ask yourself f you’re ready to change.
Another common answer on how to deal with anxiety is to learn how to relax, the right kind of relaxation that will refresh both body and mind. Alcohol may offer a temporary state of relaxation but it isn’t really relaxing. Sometimes, alcohol even heightens anxiety. What you need is the type of relaxation such as yoga that will infuse your whole being with peace and tranquility. Getting enough rest or sleep as well as exercise are also great ways to deal with anxiety.
How to Deal With Depression
Feeling sad and depressed once-in-a-while is normal. But if your sadness and slump persists and is already affecting your studies or work or your daily normal activities, then you might be suffering from a condition called depression. With depression comes a feeling of hopelessness and melancholy that drains your energy and makes you incapable of functioning normally and also prevents you from doing what you need to do to get out of the funk. The question on how to deal with depression is not easy to answer since it really is difficult but not really impossible. Unfortunately, the things that will help you recover from depression are the most difficult things to do.
How to deal with depression require some changes in your lifestyle – being physically active, avoiding isolation, having a healthy diet rather than the comfort foods that you crave, finding time to relax and rest and most importantly, defying the negative and depressing thoughts that plague you. The road to recovery from depression will take time, but you will finally get there if you choose to make positive options slowly but surely and get the support of the people who care for you.
The secret on how to deal with depression is to do it one step at a time; start with a few small targets and gradually build it up. If you do not have the energy to jog, just a walk to the garden will be good enough for starters. If you’re not ready to socialize, giving someone you love a call is already a positive step towards recovery. These efforts may look small and insignificant, but when done one day at a time, will add up fast.
Another vital key on how to deal with depression is the support of others. Isolation breeds loneliness and will make your depression worse. Reaching out to friends and family may look like an insurmountable task but if you will only remember that these people love you and care for you, you will have the energy to make that first call.
Kids Anxiety
Many kids experience anxiety and one of the main types is considered to be separation anxiety. Just because a child may experience anxiety when they are young does not mean that they will experience it when they are older especially if treated correctly. Treatment for anxiety doesn’t have to be through medication as many times a supportive person near them can help through the periods of anxiety whether it is suffered from being separated from a loved one or if it is caused by another trigger instead.
There are several factors that may contribute to a child feeling anxiety especially the fear of separation. These include changing the child’s routine, the child being sick or overtired, changes in the family such as a divorce or a new baby, and a change or repeated changes in the caregiver or the school that they attend.
There are a variety of ways that a parent or guardian can help a child through this anxiety. In terms of the anxiety coming from being separated from a loved one, by not prolonging the departure and being cheerful when leaving can help. Also, reminding the child of the things that they will do while the parent or guardian is away and not just saying that they will have fun can take away some anxiety.
For other situations and including separation anxiety, talking and listening is one of the biggest helps with anxiety disorders. Listening to the child and focusing on their feelings as well as letting them know that it is normal to feel that way and even talking about the parent’s feelings in a similar situation lets the child know that they aren’t alone and this alleviates some of their anxiety. It is important to give individual attention to the child during this time and to acknowledge that there is a problem.
It is vital to deal with a child’s anxiety in the proper manner as it will help them at that time and even later on down the road. This should be done in the right manner and if that is now known, then perhaps a professional can help.
Depressive Disorder
Depressive disorder is as old as time. Job and King David, two prominent Bible figures, were said to have endured the affliction. It was referred to as melancholia by Hippocrates. Depression has also been alluded to in the arts and literature for centuries past. In the 19th century, depression was perceived as an innate flaw of character. In the early 20th century, Sigmund Freud associated depression to remorse and inner discord. Another author, John Cheever, who also admitted to having suffered depressive disorder, claimed that his affliction was influenced by quarrels and encounters with his parents.
In the 50s and 60s depression was categorized into two types, neurotic and endogenous depression. Neurotic or reactive depression was attributed to triggering factors such as loss of a loved one, loss of job or any major loss. While endogenous depression is considered coming from within the body, maybe of genetic origin or from other sources. In the 70s and 80s the focus on depression changed from its reason or origin to its effect on the distressed person. The arguments on depressive disorder can continue but, there are some points to which experts agree on, and these are:
• A depressive disorder is a set of symptoms that manifests a gloomy and/or ill-tempered mood surpassing ordinary misery or sorrow. The misery of depression is typified by a greater force and longer interval and by more relentless symptoms and functional immobilization than what is normal.
• The symptoms of depressive disorder are distinguished not only by pessimistic thinking, disposition and actions but also by certain changes in bodily functions such as weeping bouts, body pains, weariness or low energy as well as problems in sleeping, eating and weight. These changes are called neurovegetative signs, which means that the changes in the brain’s nervous system is causing physical symptoms resulting in a lower or raised activity level.
• Some people suffering from depressive disorder, particularly manic depression or bipolar depression could have inherited the susceptibility to the condition
• Depressive disorder has become a big public-health problem
• Young persons who suffer depressive disorder is in danger of developing obesity
• A study found out that depressive disorder could cause more problems to people suffering from hypertension, arthritis diabetes and chronic lung cancer and in some cases with coronary artery disease.
We All Know What Anxiety Feels Like
Being anxious about family problems, before a tough interview or a big sales and marketing presentation, having to speak publicly for the first time are quite normal. So is fretting about a first date or a difficult exam. Anxiety is the body’s normal reaction to risks, threats and dangers. But when anxieties and fears have become recurring and are already inhibiting you from living a normal and happy life then it may be a more serious condition than the typical or normal fretting and worrying. It could be signs of an anxiety disorder.
Signs and symptoms of an anxiety disorder are not the same for everybody. Anxiety disorders are a collection of interrelated conditions and not a solitary complaint. One person may experience extreme anxiety attacks that hit without any warning, while somebody else will become unnerved at the thought of socializing at a party. Another may grapple with an immobilizing dread of driving or unmanageable, disturbing thoughts. Still someone else may live in an unremitting state of apprehension, fretting about anything and everything. Regardless of this difference in forms or types of anxiety attacks, all anxiety disorders share a foremost symptom, that of a relentless and intense fear or nervousness in circumstances where most people would not feel susceptible or endangered.
There are both emotional and physical symptoms of anxiety disorder in addition to the illogical and intense terror and worry. The emotional symptoms could be difficulty concentrating, being edgy and tense, bad temper, agitation, forever anticipating dangers or the worst and having a blank mind. Physical signs are profuse sweating, palpitations, stomach upset, diarrhea, muscle rigidity, fatigue, headaches and insomnia.
Most people suffering with anxiety disorder are prone to depression. Anxiety and depression are believed to come from the same biological susceptibility. This could be the explanation why anxiety and depression almost often go together. Because anxiety makes depression worse and vice versa, it is vital to try to find remedy for both conditions.
