Overcoming Generalized Anxiety

Everyone gets anxious or scary thoughts sometimes. What differentiates normal anxiety from chronic generalized anxiety is that generalized anxiety happens consistently to the point where it affects your everyday life. Suffering with everyday anxiety makes it hard to work, talk, think and handle everyday situations. Since your mind is constantly active with catastrophic thoughts your body responds to these thoughts by setting off your “fight or flight” response.

Our “fight or flight” helps us in dangerous situations by sending off signals to release things like adrenaline and cortisol to prepare to either run or fight. Adrenaline rushes give us that doom feeling as well as racing heart, sweating, numbness, jitters, shaking, faint etc. Having anxiety doesn’t put us in any danger but because our thoughts feel dangerous and are alarming our body responds to them in that way. That is why you may feel constant symptoms.

Anxiety happens when a negative fearful thought pops in our mind and we entertain that thought. In turn our body reacts which then causes us to worry more until we make ourselves physically ill to the point we feel like the walls are closing in and we are doomed. Anxiety comes from our experiences, traumatic events, abusive relationships or up bringing. Anxiety can even come from genetics or just growing up around anxious people. Having this constant worst case scenario thinking is exhausting and can be tormenting. Anxiety can make us feel helpless or like we can never get better. You may feel like your thoughts are out of control and you don’t know how to gain control back.

Anxiety does not have to rule your life! Everyone works differently and there are different coping mechanisms you could try. But the one thing we all have in common is that our thoughts are scary, catastrophic and unwanted. So how can you conquer anxiety?

Self-Awareness: Being Mindful

It can be hard to determine what is anxiety and what is not. The negative thoughts we are having although irrational, feel so real! It is important to be able to recognize when you are having anxiety.  Self awareness helps you understand your emotions and thoughts. This can help take control of your actions to nurture the outcome you desire. Being aware basically makes you prepared for whatever is going to come your way instead of feeling like you are being hit with a category 5 tornado. You are more likely able to talk yourself through it because you know it is anxiety and can talk yourself off the ledge easier. Briefly pay attention to your thoughts and what are you feeling.

You may not notice you are having anxiety until you start having symptoms and start panicking over that. So ask yourself the hard questions. What thoughts are going through my mind right now? What am I feeling? When did I start feeling this way and why? When you are able to identify the trigger, you will more likely be ready to deal with it and handle it in a manner before it gets out of control.

Thoughts Aren’t Reality

The thing about anxiety is because the thoughts are so intense and terrifying we mistake it for thinking that it is happening or it is going to happen. Remember, the things you are thinking does not mean it is happening or it is going to happen! Just because Bethany is giving a dirty look does not necessarily mean she hates you! She could just have RBF and look that way. You may think you are psychic because the thought popped up it must mean it might happen but I’m here to tell you no, you are not psychic.

The more you think about something does not mean the likelihood of it happening goes up. Being able to identify that it is just an anxious thought and not something that is actually happening can give you relief. A thought is just that, a thought. It is in your mind, it is not actually happening. Imagine taking your anxious thought and placing it in a box in your mind. Name the box like “useless thoughts” or ” not reality” whatever you like and imagine storing it away.

Embrace

I know you are probably like embrace? What are you talking about? Hear me out! One of the major parts of anxiety is feeling out of control and fear of the unknown. You don’t know what is going to happen but your brain is telling you it is something bad! Most people when they get anxious thoughts or symptoms they will try to fight it. I’m here to tell you do not fight it! Embrace it, welcome it. See after you have self awareness down pact and you know it isn’t actually real, you’ll be able to identify that and be more open to not fighting yourself. So if you start getting a racing heart let it come and let it pass. I’m not saying it is easy because it certainly is not!

Its a matter of practice, not fighting it and trying to remain calm. Let’s say a scary thought about being forever alone pops up and you start feeling that nervousness again. Say something like ” hello thought, you are just a thought. Thanks for stopping by.” Having a neutral reaction will make it pass easier. If you have a negative reaction to those thoughts then they will cause more thoughts to pop up and symptoms. And you certainly don’t want to have a positive reaction to that thought because who likes the thought of being alone forever? You don’t want to encourage the thought. Just want it to come and move along. You can’t control what thoughts come but you can control what you entertain. Like when you have a visitor at the door. You can’t control who knocks but you can control who you invite in.

Challenge And Replace Thought

So you become aware of your anxious thoughts, you know they are just thoughts but what else can you do to overcome anxiety? Next step is to challenge them! What evidence do you have that supports your anxious thought(s)? Actual factual evidence not fear based thoughts. This one can be hard so to start off you may need someone you trust to help you. For instance lets say you are afraid your sister got in a car accident because you haven’t heard from her all day.

A way you could challenge that thought is by seeing the odds of getting hurt in a car accident. Is it really likely that, that is what happened? Or you could challenge it by reminding yourself that maybe your sister is busy and hasn’t gotten the chance. There are more chances that your sister got busy than she just got in a car accident because you thought about it. Ask yourself questions that help you get a reality check, questions that help you realize there are other alternatives and questions that can put things in perspective.

Another helpful tool is redirecting your thoughts which I talk about more here.

Coping with anxiety is not easy. It is a lot of work and trial and error. You could know all the tips and tricks on how to overcome anxiety but if you don’t apply it to your life you’ll get nowhere. The most important part of overcoming anxiety is to deal with the thoughts and train your brain to think differently. Our brains are always changing so there is always room to grow and improve. I know you may feel crippled with anxiety now but it can get better! Sometimes anxiety meds are helpful in starting your journey to tackle anxiety. Whatever works for you, do what you need. With the right help, tools and repetition you’ll get there. Don’t loose hope or give up on it. You got this!

What do you guys think? Have you found something that helps with your anxiety? Have you overcome it? Do you still struggle and want to share your journey? Leave it all in the comments below!