Anxiety and Stress

Have you ever felt anxious or stressed and not really been able to think why you have felt this way? Anxiety is generally an unpleasant feeling although it can sometimes be positive and realistic – enabling people to avoid dangerous situations, making people more alert and giving people the motivation to deal with problems.

Anxiety can also stop people from doing what they want to do for no apparent reason. This can leave people feeling miserable and often trapped in a situation with no way of getting over it.

Severe anxiety involves over-reacting to something that is not life-threatening or possibly even risky. If people avoid situations that leave them feeling anxious, the relief can be short-lived but in the long run it won’t be doing much good for the person’s mental health.

Here are some tips on coping with anxiety:
• Try to remain positive, you may have avoided a situation that left you feeling anxious recently but maybe next time you could try a little thing that would set you on your way to dealing with this. Take one day at a time
• It is often easier to deal with things if you get all the feelings out in the open, try making a list to start with that includes small tasks that will enable you to move on. Remember to make these tasks achievable and realistic
• Do things that help you to relax, for instance reading, listening to music or getting some fresh air on a long walk. This will help to clear your head and give you a refreshed outlook
• If lack of confidence is holding you back, it may have something to do with the way you see yourself. Improving your diet and exercise may make you feel more positive and give you more energy to tackle challenging tasks
• It is always good to talk things through with family or friends as support during difficult times can give you a new perspective and an opportunity to lessen your worries.