How to Manage Your Anxiety
Over 20% of the Dutch population experiences anxiety disorders. That equates to more than 3.4 million people, with women being more affected than men. The pandemic has had a significant impact on mental health, leading to an increase in the number of people suffering from anxiety disorders.
What is Anxiety?
Anxiety is a natural response of the body when your safety is threatened; the so-called fight-or-flight response which helped us survive as hunters and gatherers thousands of years ago. When you experience anxiety in a threatening situation, the body is primed through the stress system (under the influence of various hormones) so that we are alert and can fight or flee if necessary. The sensations you may experience then include:
- sweating
- increased heart rate
- dry mouth
- rapid shallow breathing
- increased temperature
- trembling
- nausea
- a feeling of losing control, fainting, or going insane
- a sensation of having a tight throat
- inability to swallow
- inability to think clearly (blackout)
The emotional and physical sensations during a panic attack vary from person to person and are diverse. Anxiety disorders do not always manifest as a panic attack but can appear in other forms. These are just a few examples; the list of symptoms is extensive and varied. It also varies from person to person how anxiety manifests in daily life:
- being tense, nervous, and on edge
- being easily startled
- avoiding situations
- excessive worrying and catastrophising
- feeling that something terrible is about to happen at any moment
- poor sleep
- stomach pain and painful tense muscles
- poor concentration and absorption capacity
- irritability (easily overstimulated)
Different Types of Anxiety Disorders
When anxiety disorders interfere with your life, they are classified as an anxiety disorder. There are various types of anxiety disorders, such as:
- agoraphobia
- social anxiety
- specific phobia such as fear of flying or fear of mice or spiders
- generalised anxiety disorder; this is an obsessive form of worrying where constant concerns are made about various aspects of life, and one always assumes the worst will happen in certain situations.
- panic disorder where one experiences panic attacks and eventually develops a fear of these panic attacks (fear of fear)
- post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD); here, people remain anxious after a traumatic event such as experiencing a war, accident, or abuse. This manifests as being tense, easily startled, poor sleep, nightmares, triggers such as sound and smell that make people relive the situation and become anxious.
- hypochondria; the constant fear of becoming ill
The different forms of anxiety can overlap in practice.
How Do Anxiety Disorders Develop?
There are various factors that can cause anxiety disorders, such as:
- genetic predisposition; trauma and anxiety can change a person's DNA, known as epigenetics, where environmental factors influence genes. Trauma and anxiety can thus be passed from parents to children and grandchildren, and so on.
- an unsafe home environment or another place where you don't feel safe, such as school or the office
- trauma (see PTSD)
- imbalance of neurotransmitters and hormones (important messenger substances in the body)
- excessive alcohol and drug use
- prolonged stress
- low self-esteem
- major life changes such as birth, death, a new job, moving house
- chronic sleep deprivation
- lifestyle; poor diet, lack of exercise, insufficient daylight, chronic sleep deprivation
In practice, you often see a combination of several of the above factors developing into anxiety disorders. This can manifest as early as childhood, but anxiety disorders are most common between the ages of 20 and 50.
What to Do About Anxiety Disorders?
When anxiety disorders interfere with your life, it is important to seek professional help, but there are also many things you can do yourself to bring your body and mind into balance.
Routine and Regularity
It helps to establish a routine and regularity in your schedule, such as going to sleep and waking up at fixed times, but also exercising and engaging in physical activities on set days and times. Allocate time in your schedule for yourself to relax and prevent your diary from becoming overloaded by setting a maximum number of appointments per week for yourself. Dare to say no!
Healthy Nutrition
Take good care of yourself with healthy nutrition by eating plenty of vegetables and some fruit, proteins, healthy fats, and carbohydrates every day. Don't forget to drink water! Avoid refined sugars, fatty snacks like crisps, and pre-packaged foods. If you suffer from anxiety disorders, coffee can potentially trigger certain sensations (such as a feeling of restlessness, palpitations, or trembling) that can exacerbate anxiety. Therefore, try to limit coffee, avoid it altogether, or choose decaffeinated coffee.
Specifically, yoga and meditation can be very effective in reducing tension in your body and alleviating anxiety disorders.
Exercise
Engage in at least 30 minutes to an hour of physical activity every day, such as walking, cleaning the house, exercising, shopping, cycling, or gardening, and ensure you go outside every day for sufficient daylight. Specifically, yoga and meditation can be very effective in reducing tension in your body and alleviating anxiety disorders.
Talk About It
If you have an anxiety disorder, you may feel alone, but as you can see, you are not the only one! By talking about it with others, you will find that many people face the same problems to a greater or lesser extent. Discuss it with your family and friends, and educate yourself (there are many books written on the subject) to gain insight into what exactly happens in your body when you suffer from anxiety.
Written by: Noëlle van Seggelen
