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Anxiety is an issue that most everyone encounters to some degree. Anxiety is usually described as a fear or dread of a certain situation. Anxiety most often deals with the future. There are different degrees of anxiety. We all deal with mild anxiety during the normal course of a day or week. Anxiety becomes a problem when it starts affecting our normal routines. The fear or dread of a certain situation can cause disruptions in our work, relationships, marraige, or school. Some people may try to avoid certain situations because they feel overwhelmed by anxiety. In some people anxiety may present itself in the form of panic attacks or an overwhelming fear of certain situations. Inability to concentrate, difficulty sleeping, restlessness, and irritability can be symptoms of anxiety. It is not uncommon for people to deal with anxiety and depression at the same time.
During counseling anxiety may be addressed in the following ways:
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Identifying the source of your anxiety and fears
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Understanding how certain beliefs contribute to your anxiety
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Increasing self-esteem so that you are better able to cope with your emotions
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Evaluating your thoughts and behaviors that lead to feelings of anxiety
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Learning coping skills that can help diminish stress and anxiety
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Confronting your anxiety- learning how to calm yourself in the midst of an anxiety provoking situation.
If you recently saw the episode called "Anxious" on the Discovery Health channel you saw how people were able to make progress at overcoming their anxiety. It also took some hard work. If you already know that you have a problem with anxiety your next step is to put forth the effort to change. Contacting a competent health care professional can be the next step for you if you are struggling with anxiety related issues.
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