Peace is such a big word, and something we all seem to need right now. With the constant rush to meet the expectations of everyday life, peace is often forgotten.
Do you often want to let go and run away somewhere none of this matters? Do your thoughts and emotions feel so turbulent that you cannot seem to ease them? It may sound unattainable, but there is a secret most of us forget:
“Nothing can bring you peace but yourself.”
What gets in the way of inner peace?
There has been plenty of uncertainty in the past couple of years, and that has not helped our mental health. Worrying about or fearing uncertainty is only natural in times like these, and it is understandable to crave peace.
Anxiety is often caused by fear of uncertainty. Most of us feel strong waves of anxiety quite often: anxiety about performing well at work, doing well in exams, or even anticipating a break-up.
What is anxiety?
You have probably heard about anxiety many times, but what does it actually mean to experience it?
Anxiety is a common mental health problem that refers to being in a persistent state of worry or feeling excessive fear. Everyone worries now and again, but living with anxiety means that worry has a debilitating impact on your daily life.
Anxiety disorders are the most common mental health problem in the world, with the World Health Organization (WHO) suggesting that 1 in 13 people globally live with an anxiety disorder. So if you are dealing with one, know that you are absolutely not alone.
Anxiety is more common in women and young people, which could be for a number of reasons. Women are twice as likely to be diagnosed with anxiety as men.
Common symptoms of anxiety
Symptoms vary depending on the disorder, but most anxiety conditions involve several or most of the symptoms below. They most closely describe generalised anxiety disorder (GAD).
Physical symptoms
- Feeling light-headed or dizzy
- Sweating or feeling hot
- Increased heart rate
- Panic attacks
- Gastrointestinal problems
- Rapid breathing or hyperventilation
- Nausea or a painful stomach
- Aches and pains in your body
- Feeling weak and tired
- Insomnia
- Changes in sex drive
Mental symptoms
- Feeling nervous, irritable or tense
- Low mood and depression
- A sense of impending danger, or fearing the worst
- Constantly worrying about things
- Needing reassurance from other people
- Feeling like everyone is watching you
- Derealisation: a form of dissociation where you feel like the world is not real or you are not connected to it
- Depersonalisation: a form of dissociation where you do not feel connected to yourself, as if you are watching yourself from the outside
How to cope with symptoms of anxiety
Here are some tactics you can use to cope with symptoms of anxiety. They cannot replace professional help, but they may offer a sense of calm when you need it:
- Breathing and mindfulness exercises (you can try Trijog’s free guided breathing and calming audio)
- Distracting yourself with friends, family or hobbies
- Using self-care strategies
- Exercising
- Writing in a diary
- Going to bed early
- Eating healthy, balanced meals
- Avoiding alcohol, drugs and caffeine
Am I anxious or just stressed?
Stress and anxiety are related, but they are not the same thing. Both are normal, adaptive responses to life’s challenges, such as work, relationships and mortality, to name just a few. They also share many symptoms, including worry, stomach aches, restlessness, muscle tension, racing thoughts, headaches and sleepless nights.
For these reasons and more, we often use the words “anxiety” and “stress” interchangeably. Yet despite their similarities, there are important differences between the two. Working out what is going on for you is the first step towards finding relief.
What is the difference between stress, anxiety and an anxiety disorder?
When left unchecked, both stress and anxiety can escalate into more serious mental health conditions.
Anxiety disorders, which include generalised anxiety disorder (GAD), panic disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), are the most common mental health condition in the U.S., affecting more than 40 million Americans. Globally, anxiety disorders are also the most common mental health condition, affecting up to one in 13 people.
The basic test of whether stress or anxiety has become a problem is whether it has started to affect key areas of your life, such as work or social situations. “Maybe you’re having trouble sleeping, trouble concentrating, or have increased symptoms like irritability or sadness,” said Dr. Marques. “As a rule of thumb, those things have to happen for enough time consistently to qualify as an anxiety disorder.”
Whether your stress or anxiety feels manageable at a given moment is a very personal question, especially since some degree of both actually helps us feel motivated.
“Most people can actually pulse check when stress or anxiety become too much,” Dr. Marques said. “When you start to see that regular interference [in your life], that’s usually when it’s time to seek some help.”
Understanding where stress and anxiety come from, and how they differ, will not make your feelings go away. But it is the first and most important step to finding freedom from the discomfort, whether on your own or with a therapist. Like so many things we do, feel and think, stress and anxiety can easily become habits: well-worn paths we walk down on autopilot.
Choose to notice these feelings when they show up: how they feel, where in your body they live, what triggers them, and so on. When you do that, you open yourself up to curiosity. Being curious is about as close as you can get to the opposite of anxiety. It is expansive, generous and humble.
When you are curious, there is a whole world out there, with countless paths you can take instead, including asking for support when you need it.
Treatment for anxiety disorders
The two main treatments for anxiety disorders are psychotherapy and medication. You may benefit most from a combination of the two. It may take some trial and error to find which treatments work best for you.
Psychotherapy
Also known as talk therapy or psychological counselling, psychotherapy involves working with a therapist to reduce your anxiety symptoms. It can be an effective treatment for anxiety.
Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) is the most effective form of psychotherapy for anxiety disorders. Generally a short-term treatment, CBT focuses on teaching you specific skills to improve your symptoms and gradually return to the activities you have avoided because of anxiety.
CBT includes exposure therapy, in which you gradually encounter the object or situation that triggers your anxiety, so you build confidence that you can manage the situation and your anxiety symptoms.
Medication
Several types of medication are used to help relieve symptoms, depending on the type of anxiety disorder you have and whether you also have other mental or physical health issues. For example:
- Certain antidepressants are also used to treat anxiety disorders.
- In limited circumstances, your doctor may prescribe other types of medication, such as sedatives (also called benzodiazepines) or beta blockers. These are for short-term relief of anxiety symptoms and are not intended for long-term use.
Finding your peace
Anxiety is a feeling that can be brought under control.
It may not feel that way, but using the coping strategies above and seeking proper treatment can greatly reduce anxiety. It is only a matter of taking one step towards feeling better. After all, nothing can bring you peace but yourself.
If anxiety is getting in the way of your daily life, you do not have to manage it alone. You can book a session with a Trijog therapist or call the Trijog helpline on 1800 202 7180.
