Anxiety
"Living with anxiety is like being followed by a voice. It knows all your insecurities and uses them against you. It gets to the point when it's the loudest voice in the room. The only one you can hear."~ Unknown
We don't know about you, but it seems that more people than not are struggling with unhealthy symptoms of anxiety. Yes, "unhealthy" is the key word here. So, let's break that down a little further:
- Healthy Anxiety is triggered by specific events/situations, intermittent, and beneficial for things like productivity and creativity.
- Unhealthy Anxiety interferes with daily living, is irrational and chronic, and inhibits productivity and creativity.
Now, looking at it like that, it's easy to distinguish between the two, right? Maybe. If treating mental health was as simple as that, then we'd all be out of a job very quickly. So, let's break it down even further:
- Anxiety - ongoing, difficulty regulating emotions, overwhelming sense of dread that causes avoidance
- Stress/Nervousness - a natural reaction to certain situations, typically new or important challenges (i.e., giving a presentation or waiting on lab results), but goes away once the situation has passed
Are we saying that anxiety is unnatural/abnormal? Not at all. Anxiety is the next step up from feeling stressed or nervous.
Symptoms of stress and anxiety tend to present with similar sensations, such as:
- fatigue
- difficulty sleeping/staying asleep
- irritability
- muscle tension
- elevated blood pressure
- difficulty concentrating
- increased heart rate
- excessive worry
- headaches
- chest pain
- "his palms are sweaty, knees weak, arms are heavy..." I digress.
In all seriousness, though, the most important factor for distinguishing between feeling stressed or experiencing anxiety is how your emotions are presenting physically. Is there a difference between the physical sensations you experience when you are stressed/nervous and those of anxiety? Theoretically, there should be.
Tips For Dealing With Anxiety
Okay, we have the knowledge, now what do we do with it?
This may go without saying, but therapy is a great way to learn how to regulate your emotions and overcome overwhelming feelings. A knowledgable clinician can also help determine if you are suffering from a disorder or experiencing normal/healthy symptoms of stress.
Enhance your mindfulness: Mindfulness is not meditation. To be mindful means to be aware, on purpose, in the present, without judging.
Implement self-care. Self-care doesn't have to be this lavish spa weekend or staying in bed all day. Self-care can be spending five minutes alone in your car screaming your lungs out before you have to go inside and make dinner. Self-care is what you need in that moment in order to move through those overwhelming emotions. Other examples include going to the gym, gardening, fishing, or reading.
Establish a strong support system. Surround yourself with people who boost your confidence, celebrate with your during the highs, and stay with you during the lows.
This ties into mindfulness, but you will have to learn and be willing to accept that anxiety, although unwanted, is a natural occurrence. Again, healthy anxiety can spur you on to be more productive or creative. You might just have to learn what healthy anxiety in your life looks and feels like.
Self Test
Not sure if you're ready to take that next step and seek professional help? On the fence about whether or not your symptoms are "that bad"? Maybe you're concerned for a friend or loved one. Click one of the links below for a quick test to know if you could have a mental health disorder. Bring the results to a mental health provider for evaluation, and possible diagnosis and treatment.
*The provided links are not a diagnostic tools. If you have concerns about possible anxiety see a mental health professional. An accurate diagnosis can only be made through clinical evaluation. This self-test is for personal use only.
What Is PTSD?
June is PTSD awareness month and we want to share with you some resources available to help manage your PTSD. A Helping Hand Counseling Center has recently added psychiatry services to our clinic.
We are so excited to announce the arrival of Nikki Hrycko to A Helping Hand Counseling Center! Nikki is a dual boarded Psychiatric and Family Nurse Practitioner welcoming new patients of all ages 3+ for individualized treatment of anxiety, depression, eating disorders, autism and ADHD assessment in addition to many other mental health concerns. She states, "I promise to work with you to co-design your personal treatment plan to provide the safest, most effective treatment possible."
Looking for immediate resources? here is a reference to some online support groups to help guide you.
Alcohol and Substance Use Disorders
- www.aa.org – Alcoholics Anonymous is an international fellowship of men and women suffering from alcoholism. To find an online support group, visit here.
- www.adultchildren.org – Adult Children of Alcoholics (ACA) & Dysfunctional Families is a Twelve Step, Twelve Tradition program of men and women who grew up in with parents suffering from alcoholism. To find an online support group, visit here.
- www.na.org – Narcotics Anonymous is a global, community-based organization that helps individuals with substance use disorders. To find an online support group, visit here.
- www.ca.org – Cocaine Anonymous is a fellowship of men and women help each to recover from their addiction. To find an online support group, visit here.
- www.al-anon.org, A worldwide fellowship for those affected by another’s alcoholism. To find an online support group, visit here.
- www.nar-anon.org, A support group for those affected by another’s drug addiction. To find an online support group, visit here.
Co-dependency
- www.coda.org – Co-Dependents Anonymous, a program that helps individuals recover from codependence. To find an online support group, visit here.
Depression and Anxiety
- www.adaa.org – Anxiety and Depression Association of America (ADAA) is an international nonprofit organization dedicated to the prevention, treatment, and cure of anxiety, depression, OCD, PTSD, and co-occurring disorders. To find an online support group, visit here.
Eating Disorder
- www.eatingdisorderhope.com – Eating Disorder Hope’s mission is to offer hope, information, and resources to individual eating disorder sufferers, their family members, and treatment providers. To find an online support group, visit here.
Sexual Addiction & Love Addiction
- www.saa-recovery.org – Sex Addicts Anonymous (SAA) shares experience and hope to others so that they can overcome their sexual addiction. To find a telephone or virtual meeting, visit here.
- www.cosarecovery.org – A recovery program for men and women whose lives have been affected by another person’s compulsive sexual behavior. To find an online support group, visit here.
- www.sanon.org – A worldwide fellowship of the relatives and friends of sexually addicted people. To find an online support group, visit here.
- www.slaafws.org – A program for anyone who suffers from an addictive compulsion to engage in or avoid sex, love, or emotional attachment. To find an online support group, visit here.