Living with Anxiety

Here I would like to talk a little about anxiety, and those people affected by it.

sane.org claims that 14% of Australian adults will suffer from some form of anxiety each year. Anxiety disorder is a medical condition characterized by persistent, excessive worry.  Anxiety disorders can take on a number of forms. Common to all of these is an anxiety so distressing it can interfere with a person’s ability to carry out or take pleasure in day-to-day life. There are many symptoms with anxiety i.e. confusion, trembling, sweating, faintness/dizziness, rapid heartbeat, difficulty breathing, trouble sleeping, these are to name just a few.

Anyone of us at some point in our lives could suffer from some form of anxiety or may know someone close to us who is affected by anxiety. It is very important to get an early diagnosis, if you do have any concerns you can visit your GP where they can conduct a simple test called a checklist. This consists of a series of questions scored between 1-3, depending on your answer your GP can determine the level of your anxiety, and from there you can discuss the best options in terms of treatment that best suits you. Some people opt for medication (antidepressant) that can be effective but only recommended for a short period of time due to the side affects and level of potential dependency. There’s natural medication i.e. St John’s wart, hypnotherapy and counseling. The most notable treatment is CBT,  Cognitive behavioral therapy, this method involves the changing of your thought process by a trained therapist, and this has proven to be extremely successful.

Anxiety can be debilitating and really frustrating, due to the fact that you can’t just take a course of tablets and it will go away. There are however things that we ourselves can do to help with anxiety, such as the food that we eat and how we exercise. Mental wellbeing is directly linked to your physical wellbeing and visa/versa. Try to eat plenty of fresh fruit and veg, and foods such as wholegrain, nuts, greens, eggs, and fish, which are high in vitamin b and b12, which helps with the nervous system. Try to avoid too many salt and artificial additives, such as preservatives.

Exercise is another proven way to help with anxiety. The fight –flight response that floods the body with adrenaline and other stress chemicals, causes the physical symptoms of anxiety. Exercise burns up stress chemicals and promotes relaxation. It also increases body temperature, releases endorphins (feel good hormones) and dopamine, these give a feeling of safety and security.  Running, walking and swimming are rythmatic, which can help you relax.

You don’t have to suffer anxiety on your own, your friends and family are one of the best support networks you can have, make sure you talk to them about how your feeling and what your feeling.  A great start is to understand your anxiety and read as much as you can. There are some great websites out there, Beyondblue.com.au and anxietycentre.com are two excellent websites to visit. Remember with knowledge, early diagnosis, the right treatment and support, you can help control anxiety and not let it control you.