Me, Myself, and Anxiety

I am a 31-year-old working wife and mother, and I have been feeling under the weather lately.

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It was hard to say what brought this on. I think sometimes we all do panic or feel anxious or scared about something or the other. But such panic is often momentary. Along with that, I have been so irritable about everything in my day-to-day life: be it doing the laundry or cooking dinner, or even just going to work. I am just so tired all the time, with a constant, pounding headache. My anxiety came and went; when they came it lasted fairly longer than the previous instance. One fine day, I thought to myself, “No more; I must not ignore this”. Here is all that I learned when I eventually decided to take this more seriously.

Anxiety and panic in it are quite common. It is when people react in overly dramatic ways for simple situations. One in five people can be affected. It is more common than we realize, especially in women. Some of the things that we tend to take in stride or consider common are the ones we should look out for. These signs also help distinguish between momentary anxiety and anxiety that would require management. These include:

  • Excessive worry about anything and everything
  • Frequent sleep difficulties
  • Gripped with fear for the most mundane of things
  • Reliving traumatic events, which can include losing that promotion you counted on, violent encounters and death of a close one
  • Being finicky and obsessive
  • Second-guessing yourself for every little thing
  • Chronic indigestion and irrational fear

When recognized and eventually diagnosed, can be treated or managed. Self-awareness is the key to optimal management. You can take measures to combat anxiety such as relaxation exercises (tai chi), adequate rest/sleep, mindful breathing, meditation, practicing yoga and exercising in general. You can maintain a positive attitude and know that you are doing your best at everything. Limiting the intake of caffeine and alcohol goes a long way in reducing your panic signs, as well as having healthy well-balanced meals. If you still feel off color, try talking to someone; your friends or family. Once you seek help or adopt these measures for your anxiety, you will see that your quality of life is now exceptionally better!

The most important thing is to recognize these common things we brush off and seek help, no matter how small you think the problem may be! Speak to your doctor now!

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