Anxiety
Anxiety is a common enough feeling that everyone experiences at some stage and can be a normal emotional response to stressful situations.
It’s also a natural emotional response that can help us prepare for challenges, like sitting that next exam or worrying about an awkward social occasion.
What makes one person anxious may not create the same response in someone else.
A break-up, concern about exams or work, or a fight with a friend can make you feel anxious, worried or scared.
While anxiety is an everyday feeling it can become a problem when there is no obvious reason for that anxiety or when anxious feelings persist for more than a couple of weeks.
How can anxiety affect you?
Taken on their own, individual symptoms of anxiety are things we all experience from time to time. However, if you’re experiencing more than one of the following over a couple of weeks or longer you may need some extra support. Some of the ways anxiety can affect you physically are:
- dry mouth and/or difficulty swallowing
- nightmares
- difficulty getting to and staying asleep
- poor concentration
- muscle tension and headaches
- rapid heart rate and breathing
- sweating or trembling
- diarrhea
- flare-up of another health problem or illness (e.g. dermatitis, asthma)
- sexual problems, such as not being having any sexual feelings or being interested in sex
Some common ways anxiety can affect your behaviour and feelings include:
- irritability or constantly being in a bad mood
- worry or constantly feeling that something bad is about to happen
- asking many unnecessary questions and requiring constant reassurance
- being a perfectionist
- being pessimistic and easily able to identify what may go wrong in any given situation
There are a number of things you can try to reduce your feelings of anxiety.
Making changes
Identify the times you get anxious and what causes you stress. Can you see changes you could make that might help? Are there people that make the situation better or worse? Are there things that make you feel more relaxed that you can do more of?
Eating and exercise
When people feel anxious they often neglect themselves. Ensuring you’re eating healthy food at regular mealtimes and getting regular exercise will improve your overall health and well-being.
Relaxation
There are loads of ways to relax but some of us need to learn how. Different things work for different people, but it’s really important to find what works for you. Yoga, pilates and meditation are very popular these days with classes available in nearly every town but they’re not the only way to relax. Going for a walk, run or playing football with a friend or just taking some time out for yourself are all methods of relaxing.
Self-talk
When you’re feeling anxious remind yourself this is an uncomfortable feeling that will pass. Try to distract yourself by thinking about something different. See if you can concentrate on your breathing, focusing your attention elsewhere. Read more about self-talk.
Talking
Bottling things up can increase how anxious you feel. It can be hard but if possible, talk to a friend, family member or a GP about what’s making you feel anxious. The simple act of talking to someone outside the situation can help get some perspective.
Give it time
Changes in behaviour don’t happen overnight. But, you can learn to manage feelings of anxiety and not let them take over. Following the tips here will help and don’t forget to reach out to someone for extra support if you need it.
Extra support
If you’re feeling so anxious that it’s impacting on your day-to-day life, you might need some extra support. See face-to-face help to see who you can talk to if you decide you do.
Research has shown that cognitive behavioural therapy is very effective in helping people managing anxiety. People like your local doctor or a clinical psychologist can help you either themselves or can refer you to someone who suits. You can search www.counsellingdirectory.ie for a counsellor or psychologist in your area.
Read about generalised anxiety disorder and the other articles in this section about anxiety and information on the causes and management.
Hi all
I dont really know how to sort out my feeling, it just feels hopeless. I work in a GP sergury so i have had access to advise regarding this subject but the advise has been to identify whats causing my anxiety and to excercise it away. But it has gotten worse since ive identified exactly what the cause is, because it is career related and with the economic state at the mo its simply a state of wait it out til more work becomes available. I like where I work now but im part time and cant support myself on this and therefore still live with my parents. I feel as if my life in now on hold because i cant move in with my boyfriend, ive been saving since i started work at 17 to buy a home but now the gov is penalising me for thinking ahead with taxes on savings. I cant sleep, im comfort eating and struggle alot to keep tears at bay. I dont want to take medication to solve this issue as that will only further push my limited finances. Can you give any more advise other than go for a walk?
Hi Caoimhe
The advice is to be as honest with your parents as you have been with us. It takes a lot of courage and self-awareness to be able to articulate the way you feel as you've just done. There can be many reasons for feeling anxious and you're right in thinking your GP can help you identify why you're feeling like this. Be sure to tell your parents and your GP exactly how you're feeling and, if you think it would help, you could write down how you're feeling before you speak with anyone just so you don't forget anything. When you do tell your story, be sure and happy that you've said everything you want to say. The best way to get the support you need is by being as open and clear about what's going on as you can be.
Also, be sure that you understand any advice or solutions suggested to you - and make sure you're comfortable with that advice. If you're not, then you should keep exploring other options.
It must be really tough for you going through this right now but you're doing the right thing by finding out more and asking for support. You deserve to feel better and with the right support you will get through this,
Good luck with your parents - they will want to know how you're feeling and they can help you get support. It might be a good idea to pick a quiet time to talk to them, to make sure there are no other distractions or that there isn't an issue about time,
Do talk to your family and take care
Derek
I was reading up on this because when I get up for school or I'm told I have to go somewhere I don't like, I start to feel a strong sense on dread. My chest tightens, I get dizzy and nauseous. I suffer from depression, nightmares, insomnia and dermatitis which flared up last year really badly. I must go to the doctors about this, any advice on what to say to my parents?
Hi Margaret,
Thanks for writing in to us. There seems to be a lot going on for you right now and it sounds like your home environment is quite tense at the moment.
A little bit of anxiety is understandable when doing something like meeting your husband’s ex wife for the first time or when feeling on edge at home. Anyone would feel anxious in the same situations but when those feelings of anxiety start to affect our everyday life then it’s good to talk about those feelings with someone like a therapist. It’s very positive that you’re talking to a therapist to help you deal with all that’s going on. It’s also great that your husband is talking to a therapist. We wonder have you considered couples therapy where yourself and your husband could talk with a therapist together? It might help you both to understand how the other person is feeling and to work out steps to help communication between you both so that you don’t have to always be ‘waiting on him to blow up’ rather that he can talk to you before things get to that stage. It might be worth looking into and asking your therapist about.
It’s also really positive that you’re going to see the doctor about the symptoms you mention.
Feelings of anxiety can manifest itself in physical symptoms and it’s always good to check these out to find out the cause and get advice on how to manage the symptoms and deal with what’s going on. We’re glad to hear you seem a little clearer about what’s going on after reading the information in the factsheet above. We would encourage you to keep your hospital appointment and to explain how you’ve been feeling to the doctors in the hospital. Let them know you think anxiety might be the cause of how you’re feeling.
In terms of dealing with anxiety, there are some things you can do. Things like making sure you get enough exercise, that you’re eating healthily and that you take some time out for yourself to relax. Whether it’s having a bath or sitting down to read a book, just taking a bit of time out can make a difference. You might want to try our breathing exercise too.
Do keep talking to your therapist and your doctor about how you’re feeling and think about couples counselling. We hope this reply has been helpful.
Take care,
Fenella