
Understanding Anxiety
Struggles and challenges are a natural part of life. Some of life’s challenging events can include: balancing work and home, sudden job loss, complicated relationships, family conflicts, financial worries, health issues or even the death of a loved one. Some stressful events can also be positive such as: receiving a promotion at work, purchasing a new home, planning a wedding or starting a family. Whether the events in your life are positive or negative, they can bring on new emotions that can become overwhelming, daunting and even unbearable.
Let’s face it, some anxiety is good. It is a way for the body to naturally respond to danger. A signal goes off when you feel threatened, stressed or pressured. These signals are necessary for safety and survival. If worry and fear become excessive and interfering with your daily life, if you are struggling to gain control over this feeling, and if you feel an inability to relax, you are probably struggling with anxiety. Anxiety can derive from stressful events and cause many physical and emotional symptoms that can be minor and temporary, but sometimes they can be debilitating and extreme. Anxiety can run in families, can have an early onset or develop later in life. The good news is it is manageable and treatable with support and motivation through anxiety counseling.
Symptoms of Anxiety might include:
- Sudden increase in heart rate
- Rapid breathing or shortness of breath
- Sweating
- Excessive and uncontrollable thoughts
- Irritability
- Confusion
- Fear
- Nausea
- Unable to focus on routine tasks
- Head and muscle aches
- Fatigue
- Feeling wound up
At times, you may experience one or more of these symptoms, but not have anxiety. It may be temporary or mild. If these symptoms persist, interfere with your life, or you are unable to get a handle on them, anxiety counseling might be for you. Don’t put it off. Seek the help and support you need. Why not create the positive, enjoyable life you deserve.