We keep hearing statements such as ‘I’m so anxious about my new job!”, “I’m really tensed these days,” “I’m getting restless,” “My anxieties have anxieties.” Many people speak about anxiety without understanding it well and many more people have no idea if they are anxious or not. Let’s understand what anxiety is and how we can spot it.
Every emotion is an indicator which helps us to adapt to the world. For eg. Fear signals us to protect ourselves, anger signals us to defend ourselves. Anxiety is an indicator that we need to be alert, vigilant, careful and prepared. Our body becomes ready for our fight-or-flight response as our heart beats faster, our muscles tense up, pupils dilate, etc. If we process anxiety when it occurrs then it results in improved performance in whatever our tasks are. But when it goes unprocessed repetitively, which is the case for many people, it builds up over time and affects our thoughts, behaviors and other emotions negatively.
Anxiety is a slow poison which doesn’t feel like a negative emotion when it is in its nascent stages. It gives one the feeling of doing something about the issue or figuring things out. But it is a slow poison. If a frog is being boiled in a pot and the temperature goes on rising slowly and the frog dies, there is no one point when one can say that this one moment of heat killed it. The same way, anxiety builds slowly and gradually and over time, leading a person to more and more difficult mental issues.
Anxiety: An illusion of control
Anxiety gives one an illusion of control- by thinking about things which are out of control, in the future or in the past, ‘planning’ some tasks, trying to figure out some things, we delude ourselves into the belief that we are doing something about the issue, but in reality it is an illusion of control and the thoughts have a repetitive, compulsive, judgemental quality to them. Always evaluating where we are or how the situation, always anticipating, apprehensive, these are the qualities that anxiety brings to the table.
The tip of the iceberg
Many times when we feel very anxious what we are experiencing is only a tip of the iceberg. Just as most of the iceberg is submerged underwater, most of our fears, doubts, anxieties, pain and other negative feelings and thoughts are unconscious and only a small part of it makes itself known to us in our conscious mind. This is why it is so important to identify the frequency, intensity and range of how our anxiety manifests in different situations.
Steps to identify anxiety in ourselves
Keep a lookout for the signs of anxiety
Be vigilant and observe the common and uncommon signs of anxiety in yourself. Some of the common signs are Feelings of dread, nervousness, persistent worrisome thoughts, sweating, palpitations, breathlessness, poor sleep, poor concentration, weakness, irritability, anticipating the worst, social withdrawal, etc. Some of the uncommon signs are jaw pain (from teeth grinding and clenching of the jaw), scattered thinking, indecisiveness, disorganization, indigestion, impulsivity, etc.
Put your thoughts under a spotlight
We aren’t aware of most of our negative repetitive thoughts which induce negative emotions. Anxious thoughts take the form of worry, stressful thoughts, apprehensive thoughts, thoughts about doing something or something happening sooner or faster, irritable thoughts, excessive planning and over thinking. Watch your thoughts and identify which of them make u feel discomfort, anxiety or stress.
Watch what u are running away from
It is when we want to distract ourselves the most that we should be paying attention to our inner state. Watch when you are avoiding talking or thinking about something, reaching out compulsively for your phone or other distractions or running away from certain tasks or conversations. They can give you a clue to what is making you anxious.
Become aware of sudden shifts in mood
Sudden changes in one’s mood or having random feelings without any trigger can also indicate a sign of unconscious anxiety. Bouts of anger, irritability, feeling low, loss of energy for no reason, are some examples of these mood swings.
Know your when your judgement arises
Persistent negative judgement can also be a sign that there is underlying anxiety. Complaining about many situations, people, or blaming oneself are manifestations of judgement and can be a hidden sign of anxiety.
Meditate
Meditation makes one more aware of one’s thought patterns and feelings. Many people believe that they’re too restless to meditate but that’s exactly why they should! To watch the nature of one’s restlessness, one’s anxiety it is necessary to raise ones awareness. It helps in significantly reducing anxiety in addition to helping one identify it.
Journaling
Introspective writing is beneficial in acknowledging and understanding anxiety. Whenever you are feeling low or stressed or tensed take a pen to a paper and see what comes up. Or alternatively write about situations which made you feel low or tensed. Watch what u repeat and this will help you understand your patterns better.
Anxiety, fortunately can be treated and any individual can learn how to process their anxiety efficiently so that it doesn’t hamper their functioning. We, at Zorbacare rehabilition center aim to identify and work with various mental health issues of an individual. Using Cognitive behavioral therapy, Dialectical behavior therapy, Mindfulness training and various other approaches we focus on the underlying causes of one’s issues and equip the client with tools to manage them. The process of rehabilitation is a dynamic, evolving and completely personalized one which can offer something unique to each individual according to their needs and goals.