How Does Anxiety Show Up in Your Life?
Anxiety is an interesting state in which the body and brain behave in sync with what they believe is saving their lives. You may have heard of the “Flight, Flight, or Freeze” response. In this state, the body shuts down specific aspects of daily functioning to prioritize the parts that need extra blood and energy to escape a particular situation. Once the problem is over, our bodies are supposed to resume a normal level of perceived safety.
As I write this, much is happening politically and in the news in Western culture. As we’ve discovered since newspapers began, news makes their money by bringing you reasons to be afraid and angry. Extreme emotions will bring you back to read or listen to more news. It’s a manipulation device that we don’t generally think about, but it’s one of the reasons why our general state of anxiety is high. This is just one example of the ways anxiety is kept high here in the United States as well as in other parts of the world.
Once you take into consideration where anxiety comes from in your daily life, it’s easier to see how it feels in your body. Here are just a few of the emotions you may feel that are a part of anxiety.
Anger
Fear
Nervousness
Agitation
Short Temper
Insecurity
Frustration
Helplessness
Embarrassment
Guilt
Overwhelm
Contempt
Betrayal
Worry
That’s a long list, and it isn’t complete. Some of these symptoms may have preceded the onset of anxiety, and some may occur every moment of every day. Anxiety is complex and has many moving parts. Sometimes, it slowly goes away when the circumstances that caused it cease, but most of the time, the circumstances don’t change. It takes a great deal of courage to change circumstances. It also takes resources to change the circumstances that cause anxiety. We don’t always have the courage or the resources to make them happen. Many times in life, we just don’t become aware that something can change in our lives to help alleviate anxiety. This is why seeking counseling and gaining perspective can be a significant first step to feeling better.
If one or more of these emotions are dominating your life, it’s long past time for you to seek some help to learn how to manage anxiety. It won’t take a long time to learn. Once you have the skills, you must implement and repeat them daily. Soon, your body and brain will learn the skills to help you manage your emotions and help you feel better about your days!
