Anxiety

Chances are if you are a human being you have experienced anxiety to some degree in your life.  People can experience everyday anxiety in a variety of different ways.  Anxiety in small doses can actually be a great motivator and enhance productivity.  It can help to push us out of our comfort zones a little bit, and helps to keep us safe.  But when anxiety becomes more frequent and intense, or interferes with daily functioning, it can be very debilitating.

The reason I decided to do a post on this subject is because I have personally struggled with anxiety (especially in the last year), and have sought out treatment for it.  I have developed so much more compassion and empathy for people who experience anxiety because of it. Unfortunately, anxiety, depression, and mental illness in general tend to have a stigma attached, which keeps a lot of people from getting help.  I came across a great article HERE that describes the connection between anxiety and depression (as it is very common for these to co-occur); here's a great quote from the article explaining this concept:

"....A pervasive perception remains that depression and anxiety stem from some mental weakness or inherent fault in a person's constitution.  People suffering from these disorders are hypersensitive to the world around them and often adapt misconceptions like these as their own.  They can be haunted by the familiar refrain, 'Pull yourself up by your own bootstraps.'  The sense of inadequacy people can feel while dealing with a mental disorder further burdened by the notion that they are not even strong enough to rescue themselves...."

It goes on to say this (which is my favorite part):

"But by their very definitions, anxiety and depression are marked by incapacitation and a disruption in one's ability to cope.  Inadequacy is not a cause - it's a symptom." (emphasis added). 

I love that because I have personally felt that way myself.  Like, "why can't I just get over this?"  And by nature, many people who suffer from anxiety have the same mindset, which actually makes the anxiety worse. I have a strong desire to advocate for individuals with mental illness, and to help improve society's view on mental illness.  If someone had a physical illness, like a heart condition or cancer, they wouldn't hesitate to receive medical treatment.  How is mental illness any different?  It can be just as debilitating as an physical illness.  Anyway, I'll get off my soap box now. :)  

(Image found here)

Anxiety is caused by the brain's biological response to stress.  The interesting thing about anxiety is that the brain doesn't know the difference between a real or perceived threat (which means that a person experiencing a flashback of a traumatic experience can feel the same as if they are being attacked by a bear).  The brain responds to a "threat" by instigating the fight or flight response, which begins in the part of the brain called the Amygdala. The Amygdala releases a chemical that literally feels like someone shot you full of adrenaline.....blood starts pumping, palms get sweaty, heart starts beating faster, breathing gets more shallow, you get the picture.  (In my personal experience with anxiety, I also get a stomach ache in addition to these symptoms and sometimes even feel nauseous).  When this process becomes extreme it is indicative of a panic attack.  The other interesting thing about this response is that when the Amygdala becomes activated and releases chemicals throughout the body, it actually cuts off circulation to the part of the brain that helps you think clearly.  (That's why whenever I get in a heated argument with my husband I sound like a huge idiot and can't think of anything witty to say, haha). It would make sense then that when an individual has anxiety it is difficult for them to think rationally and realize that everything is going to be okay.

There is something really simple and easy that helps calm down this process and gets the brain thinking more clearly again.  You know what it is??  Oxygen. Taking a few deep breaths sends oxygen back to the brain and regulates things.  This is something that I do now when I catch myself getting anxious.  I stop what I'm doing, sit down comfortably, take a deep breath through the nose, hold it for a few seconds, release it slowly through the mouth, and then repeat this 3-4 times.  Now I'm not saying that just taking a few deep breaths will "cure" anxiety (because there are usually deeper underlying issues that trigger anxiety, which can be worked through in counseling), but it can help someone who is experiencing an anxiety episode to get back in control.

Here's some interesting statistics related to anxiety:

• Anxiety disorders are the most common mental illness in the United States (reference here).
• According to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), about 40 million Americans (ages 18 and older) are affected by anxiety disorders each year. Women are 60% more likely than men to suffer from anxiety (reference here).
• Only about one-third of individuals suffering with anxiety receive treatment, even though it is highly treatable (reference here).
• According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), anxiety disorders can be "severely impairing" and can negatively impact an individual's personal relationships and ability to work or study (reference here).

Anxiety is way more common than we think, and many people live with it without receiving help. I guess my message for this blog post is, if you suffer from anxiety, you are not alone. You should not be embarrassed or ashamed of it.  Going to counseling and receiving help can drastically improve anxiety.  I wish I could shout from the rooftops that there is nothing to be ashamed of in seeking out counseling!!!  It does not make you weak, it means you are strong.  It has personally helped me so much.  The other thing that has helped me with anxiety is taking better care of myself and making myself a priority.  I am learning (through this whole quest for balance) that we cannot feel guilty for taking care of ourselves and pampering ourselves once in a while.  In fact, it is necessary!!! There's this thing called 'Mommy Guilt' (I'm sure most of you mom's out there know what this is, it is brutal) which has made it difficult for me in the past to feel that I can do things for myself because it usually means taking time away from my kids.  But I have learned that I am actually doing my children a disservice by NOT taking care of myself! When I am anxious I am usually more irritable, quicker to lose my temper, and lacking patience.  When I have too much anxiety I also tend to shut down and even get depressed.  Taking a little time for myself helps me to be a better mommy.  I'll be doing a separate post on healthy coping skills later, but this also plays a huge part in helping with anxiety.

If you are interested in learning more about anxiety, here's some good websites to check out:

The American Psychiatric Association (APA): http://www.psychiatry.org/anxiety-disorders
Anxiety & Depression Association of America: http://www.adaa.org/
National Institute of Mental Health: http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/anxiety-disorders/index.shtml
National Alliance on Mental Illness: http://www.nami.org/Template.cfm?Section=By_Illness&Template=/ContentManagement/ContentDisplay.cfm&ContentID=142543

I would like to point out that there are some people who have anxiety and others who have actual anxiety disorders (such as generalized anxiety disorder, PTSD, phobias, etc)....here is a link to the APA's website for more information on anxiety disorders: www.psych.org.

HERE is a website I came across that differentiates between everyday anxiety and anxiety disorders.