Just imagine a situation; where your boss calls you inside the cabin and informs you that you have to visit another city to attend a very important seminar and also connect with some people from a similar industry. What will be your first emotional response to this? For many people, it might seem exciting while others may not want to go but surely they will make it work. According to mental health specialists, for over 18% of the population, it would probably trigger their anxiety. One interesting fact about anxiety is that about one out of five adults experience anxiety. Not many people know, but they are still dealing with anxiety, which is very common these days and can be handled with some simple tips. So, how do you handle anxiety? Let’s know about this.
What is anxiety?
Before you start to learn how to deal with anxiety, it is very important to know what anxiety is. This is a mental condition that has a negative impact on various areas of their life. One thing that not many people know these days is that they are even dealing with anxiety. So even if you do not know, you may be also dealing with the same problem. According to professionals in the mental health industry, anxiety is a condition when someone is experiencing anxiety more often than they are not. The timespan can be more than six months. It becomes even tougher when the individual is unable to handle the situation. In people dealing with anxiety, there can be some other symptoms such as restlessness, fatigue, irritability, or difficulty sleeping.
Types of anxiety disorder:
Just like any other health or mental condition, there are many types of anxiety, some of which include:
Agoraphobia – This is a type of mental anxiety during which the individual fears and often avoids places or situations that might cause panic and make them feel trapped or embarrassed.
Anxiety disorder – This is another type of anxiety that can come along with intense anxiety or panic that is directly caused by a physical health problem.
Generalized anxiety – In this type of anxiety disorder, the individual can deal with excessive anxiety and worry about activities or events. The worst part is that it can be very difficult to control and can have a huge effect on how you feel physically.
Panic disorder – This is a very common type of anxiety that involves repeated episodes of sudden feelings of intense anxiety and fear or terror. The worst part is that the anxiety can reach to intense level within just a few minutes. The individual may have a feeling of impending doom, shortness of breath, and chest pain.
Specific phobias – When you are dealing with a fear of something like fear from height, water, darkness, fire, or even any specific animal, it is a type of phobia, which can provoke panic attacks in some people.
Social Anxiety Disorder – There are many people who fear being in a crowd or becoming social. A person dealing with social anxiety disorder has significant anxiety and discomfort about being embarrassed, humiliated, or rejected in social interactions.
Tips to handle anxiety:
There are various studies that claim that the following tips can help handle anxiety. Of course, mental health counseling in Washington DC should also continue to get the maximum results.
Sleep Matters with Anxiety – One thing that not many people know about dealing with anxiety disorder is that it is very important to get enough sleep. The modern life we are living is a very busy one that is often causing a lack of sleep in many individuals across the world. The increasing screen time before sleep is also making a huge impact on the quality of sleep we get. When your anxiety is beyond what you’d like, it is highly suggested to get enough sleep as this is often the first place to evaluate. So, try some tips to increase your sleep quality and get enough sleep regularly like reducing your house temperature to trigger natural melatonin and also reduce screen time before bed. Another important thing you need to do is to reduce caffeine throughout the day, especially eight hours before bed, because the half-life of caffeine is 8 hours.
Mindfulness Helps Anxiety – According to specialists in the field of mental health counseling in Washington DC, mindfulness helps reduce anxiety. Mindfulness is the practice of paying attention to the now. The focus is on stopping the replay of the past or worrying about the future. Regular practice of meditation and mindfulness can reduce tension and create calm. This can come in a variety of forms: deep breathing, prayer, sitting quietly, and guided meditation. Also, many types of yoga can help in this area. Also, activities like painting or even cleaning can be mindful activities if you focus on the task at hand.
Exercise Helps Anxiety – Not many people know, but physical exercise is not just good for your health, but it can also give you a healthy mind as well. Unlike the common belief, you don’t have to do regular workouts or take massive time out of your week. You can take small steps to achieve your goals. Maybe you take the stairs instead of the elevator, park a touch farther, or walk a little faster. Any increase in activity can help. You can take the support of a professional in the field to learn some exercises and make sure to combine them with mental health counseling in Washington DC to get the maximum results.
Whether you are someone who is dealing with fear of darkness or feel pronounced anxiety, using these amazing tips can help improve your mental well-being and deal with the problem that is very common these days; anxiety. Make sure to consult with a professional in the field before you try anything as not all the methods for dealing with anxiety can work for all types of issues. Knowing what type of anxiety you are dealing with can help with better results.