HEALTH When anxiety strikes

FRIGHTENING PLACE ?Anxiety is a natural physical response designed to protect us, but if it becomes constant or overwhelming, it should be talked about and treated.

When anxiety takes over


Mental Health
Jannah Walshe

Anxiety is a natural part of everyday life. We can all remember a time when we have felt anxious about something – an unpaid bill, a new job or an important upcoming match…. Thankfully, this type of anxiety relates to a specific event and is normally short lived. Often times, it’s even helpful: it can help focus the mind on the task ahead. For example, when exam nerves set in, that last-minute cramming starts!
Unfortunately, for many people, anxiety can reach a stage when it stops been a positive force and instead starts to hinder life in many ways, often eclipsing the good in life completely. This type of anxiety can become overwhelming, to the point that life may seem not worth living. It can have a huge impact on the quality of life of the person affected and their family.
Many people suffer with anxiety silently. They may not speak about it to anyone out of fear of being judged, misunderstood or ridiculed. They may make light of their symptoms and feel they are being silly, or they may overestimate their symptoms and feel like they are going mad.
Others may experience anxiety symptoms – such as heart racing, sweating, stomach upset, headaches, tension in the body – but not realise the root cause. It would be natural to assume that there is an underlying physical issue, but if you currently suffer with any of these sypmtoms it would be well worth speaking to your doctor about the possibility of anxiety, if even to just rule it out.
To understand anxiety we have to understand the body’s fight-or-flight response. This is an important bodily function for when we are exposed to danger. When the body perceives a threat it reacts instinctively through this response, but the body will not always evaluate the validity of the threat before the fight-or-flight response kicks in. This is why a perceived threat to one person can be insignificant to another.
When the fight-or-flight response is activated, the body releases hormones that speed up the heart rate, raise blood pressure and quicken breathing. The body is now on alert. It is on the look out and prepared to react to any threat. With anxiety, this fight-or-flight response is turned on a lot of the time, leaving the person in a constant state of high alert.
Using this information a person can work with a trained professional to identify what triggers this response in their life and why. The anxiety can be broken down into stages, allowing   patterns to be identified, making it possible to work out what can be done to change the response.
At home, you can start to think about how you mind your body. It may seem unusual for a counsellor to focus on body before mind, but when good self care practices are not in place anti-anxiety techniques can be undermined. Exercise, healthy eating and avoiding stimulants like caffeine and alcohol are a good basis for any ongoing work.
Breathing techniques are often mentioned when talking about managing anxiety. Doing the following exercise at home is quite simple and well worth a try. Having your eyes closed can help, but it’s not essential.
Place your hands on your stomach. Breathe in and out through your nose. With your hands you can feel your stomach rise and fall with each breath. Do this for about one minute. This type of conscious deep breathing can focus and calm the mind. Don’t wait for the ideal moment to practice this. Build it into your life – for example, when you are lying in bed, watching television, sitting in class or waiting at traffic lights. When this becomes more natural for you, the possibilities for extending this type of practice are limitless.
Anxiety is a natural physical response designed to aid and protect us, but when it starts to interfere negatively in a person’s life it needs to be spoken about and treated.
It is extremely common and not something to be hidden away. If you feel you are suffering with anxiety, speak to someone you can trust and find the help and support you need to overcome it.

Useful links: www.reachout.com, www.headsup.ie/socialphobia.php. Useful library books: ‘Overcoming Anxiety’, by Helen Kennerley; ‘The Feeling Good Handbook’, by David Burns; ‘Overcoming Social Anxiety and Shyness’, by Gillian Butler; and ‘When Panic Attacks’, by Áine Tubridy.

Jannah Walshe is a counsellor and psychotherapist based in Castlebar and Westport. A pre-accredited member of The Irish Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy, she can be contacted via  www.jannahwalshe.ie or at 085 1372528.