A N X I E T Y
What is anxiety?
Simply put, anxiety is an intense thought, feeling, sensation or belief that something is wrong or about to go wrong. It can be caused by a single past event, multiple events, current life events, medications, or physical and mental health problems.
Anxiety is a serious medical condition that has a negative impact on the quality of life for someone who suffers from it, this may be minor or so severe that the person has little to no quality of life.
We have all experienced that intense moment of panic or terror when our chair rocks back or we slip, anxiety is similar to that but rather than a split second lasts for hours or days and is repeated many times over the course of months or years. Sometimes with anxiety the cause of a particular episode isn’t known, other times the cause is obvious and even expected.
Whatever causes it, the sensation is very real and isn’t affected by a low probability of the it happening.
Anxious or anxiety?
Many of us describe feeling nervous or apprehensive as anxiety which can cause confusion about what anxiety is.
Feeling nervous about a meeting or job interview is completely normal, the symptoms are minor and short-lived.
Anxiety, on the other hand, lasts for months or years, the symptoms are much more severe and even if caused by one event, it doesn’t pass after the event does.
Helping someone with anxiety
1. Don’t dismiss or judge
Even if what is causing the anxiety seems unusual or unlikely to you, try to understand that for the person it’s very real and very upsetting. Dismissing it won’t help.
2. Rational or logic aren’t helpful
It can be tempting to try and help by rationalising can be frustrating, the person isn’t choosing to feel this way. Try to be calm, accept and listen.
3. Learn about their anxiety
You could ask about their experiences, how the anxiety affects their life, what helps, what doesn’t and learn about anxiety generally to help you understand.
4. Ask how you can help
It might be helpful to remind them to breathe, to give them some space, to take them somewhere quiet or simply sit and listen.
5. Support them to get help
Ask if they are getting help for their anxiety and if not, would they like you to. It may to help them attend a doctors appointment, find a therapist or charity to help or make adjudgments in work so they can attend appointments.
6. Look after you
Supporting someone with anxiety can be tough, its normal to feel overwhelmed or in too deep at times. Remember to set your own boundaries, speak to others, practice self-care and get support if you
need it. Remember, even therapists regularly speak to other therapists.
Weekly Wellbeing Tip
Feeling overwhelmed with problems? In one column write every problem you have in life (this can be tough). On a new page, write every idea you have to help with those problems, from brilliant to the ridiculous and then pick a single idea to act on.
