Anxiety Disorders
So many people today suffer from some form of anxiety disorder.
This anxiety can produce many negative consequences
that can interfere with optimal performance on the job or
with life in general. As you confront your fears using these
suggestions, your fears WILL become smaller.
As a child, did you ever believe that there were monsters
under the bed? Many of us lay frozen under the blankets,
afraid to make a sound because doing so might alert the monsters
of our presence. Have you outgrown your monsters, or have
their names simply changed? Most adults have a number of "monsters" or "fears" that
secretly terrify them from time to time. In the workplace,
these fears might include fear of failure, fear of uncertainty,
fears about layoffs and so forth.
Anxiety disorders are based in underlying fears that
may seem beyond our control. It can produce many negative
consequences that can interfere with optimal performance
on the job or with life in general. Most would agree that
anxiety can cause chronic worry and negative thoughts that
distract us from doing our best. However, this feeling can
also result in a number of additional negative consequences.
For example, anxiety can be directed inward, causing self-doubt
and hesitation that keeps people from acting confidently
and effectively when needed. In the extreme, being anxious
can produce chronic procrastination and avoidance of important
tasks that could seriously jeopardize one's effectiveness
and success at work. Anxiety can also cause a host of physical
and mental problems such as sleep difficulties, problems
with concentration and focus, and general uneasiness. At
its worst, anxiety can result in panic attacks, during which
an individual might experience heart palpitations, shortness
of breath, hyperventilation, and a fear of dying.
Any of these
sound familiar? Anxiety might seem like "the
enemy," but if channeled properly, a low level of anxiety
can be an ally. Anxiety is energy that can help to charge
us up and prepare us for action. Feeling anxious might signal
that something needs attention—that there is something
that we may need to face. It can also help spur us on to
greater and greater personal growth and achievement.
Anxiety disorders are often born from busy, challenging
lives. The world of work is uncertain and unstable. There
are layoffs, big changes, and unexpected expansions that
can create an unpredictable work environment. At a personal
level, you might find yourself feeling anxious about financial
issues, changes in work tasks, and the competing demands
of work and home. Your feelings of anxiety can also come
from internal sources. Some of us start with temperaments
that are more prone and sensitive to anxiety. We may place
too many demands and expectations on ourselves, or have a
fear of being out of control.
Our natural instinct is to run from what we fear the most,
or to freeze, hoping that what we fear will go away. However,
just like turning on the lights helped to dispel the monsters
under the bed, turning around and facing your fears directly
can have an empowering and liberating effect from anxiety.
As you confront your fears, they WILL become smaller. Here
are some suggestions for breaking the cycle of anxiety:
1. TAKE ACTION. Don't procrastinate, hide, or run away.
Believe that you have the power to overcome your anxiety.
Immediately, it may not feel good to face your fears directly,
but if you apply this strategy consistently, it always works.
2. GET SOME
PERSPECTIVE. Often anxiety is rooted in exaggeration of
one's worst fears and negative thoughts. If you are the
kind of person who embraces "worst-case scenarios" regularly,
you may need a cognitive tune-up. Strategies such as thought
stopping might be helpful. Whenever a negative or anxiety-based
thought occurs such as "I'm going to make a fool of myself" or "I
don't measure up," tell yourself to STOP! Stopping these
types of thoughts is essential to interrupting the cycle
of anxiety.
3. TUNE OUT. If anxiety causes physical problems such as
sweaty palms, heart-racing, shallow breathing, or nervousness
in general, it is important to distract yourself from these
physical sensations. Deep breathing and simple counting can
be effective. Use any of your five senses to distract yourself.
For example, count the dots on the wall, focus on background
voices or music, and so on. Remember, what you focus on tends
to grow.
4. REPACKAGE
ANXIETY. Sometimes relabeling anxiety as "energy" or "excitement" can
cause a positive transformation. An interesting study compared
the thoughts of beginning and expert skydivers. Beginning
skydivers reported a lot of fear and apprehension about their
jump; whereas, expert skydivers reported feeling excited
or exhilarated. However, on actual physical measures, both
groups were experiencing the same physiological reactions.
The only difference was in the label they attached to them.
If you are experiencing extreme or chronic anxiety (i.e.
panic attacks), consider talking to a professional to learn
effective techniques that might work for your particular
situation. You can learn to manage and even conquer anxiety.
Authors
Details: Anxiety Disorders - Poonam Sharma,
Ph.D.
Email: mycoach[at]healthfulchanges.com |
Spiritual.com.au Editors Note: Anxiety
can be handled by understanding and mastering how your thoughts
and emotions work. Anxiety comes from a pattern of thought.
The emotion and the subsequent physical symptoms come from
what you are thinking. There are many articles on this subject
in the 'Aymen's
Articles' Section.
I have also written a book about this http://www.KeyToLife.info
More Articles To Help With Anxiety Disorders
(Anxiety
Disorders)
(Anxiety
Symptoms & What To Do)
(Social
Anxiety)
(Social
Anxiety Disorder & What To Do About It)
(Transforming
Anxiety)
(What
To Do About Anxiety Attacks) |
