Self-Help for Anxiety. Can You Do It?When exposed to dangers in jungle, anxiety may be an appropriate response but in the present day modern society, it may not be acceptable as we are not always supposed to scamper or exchange blows.
Now let us find out what is precisely meant by anxiety? It is actually an advance forewarning alarm system which prepares us for action in time. It functions just like a smoke warning system at your home. The smoke alarm goes off with a little smoke from a burnt toast and does not wait till actual fire starts to spread.
Similar to the smoke alarm anxiety is a mechanism which forewarns us about any concealed threats and hazards in our immediate vicinity and prepares us for action in time. Animals present the true picture of the signs of anxiety and strain. As soon as rabbit hears a sudden sound, it becomes still and stops eating. All energies are at once directed towards the musculoskeletal system making it ready to fight or to run away. As most of the blood is directed away from brain the individual is likely to react in an unsocial and inappropriate way till the attack passes off. So we all are gifted by nature with a defense mechanism called anxiety. To survive in danger, it takes control over all other processes in the body. Our cultured responses are shut down and we respond in a way which may be appearing inappropriate to others.
Sometimes Anxiety is a Hoax: Just as minimum smoke from a burnt toast sends off a smoke alarm, anxiety response may be triggered by minimum or false perception of danger. You feel in line of danger which actually is far away because you are unable to distinguish between real and anticipated danger. It is difficult to manage your anxiety symptom complex as they are not under your control. As the emergency system is activated, adrenaline levels rise and it is send all over the body. Once in the system it is difficult to get rid of it without actually fighting of the attack. Unused it remains in the body for quite some time. Moreover in some people who are more responsive to adrenaline, it keeps on starting the anxiety response again and again resulting in a lengthy and tedious state.
Ways to Keep Anxiety under Control. There are a number of remedies available to keep your anxiety response under control; however most of these medicines have side effects which are difficult to bear. All these therapies work by masking the symptoms without treating the root cause, just similar to a sticking plaster. It is better to proceed in a step by step manner. To start with identify and eliminate the reason for your anxiety. There can be genuine cause for your symptoms. Without tackling it the symptoms will recur again and again. If you are prone to such false alarms, assess your lifestyle as a cause. Limit the use of foods like coffee, soda, chocolate and black tea in your diet because of their caffeine content. Take regular exercise and try not to indulge in diversion strategies like alcohol, unnecessary shopping, gambling and extra work.
You can build up your endurance against anxiety by getting psychological help. There are many methods available to select from; such as talking sessions, behavior alteration, relaxation procedures, hypnosis and many others. You can also train yourself to regulate your adrenaline surge by meditation and regular exercise. It is essential to understand that it is not easy to fight anxiety alone. You may get trapped and start getting anxious to treat your anxiety, thus entering a vicious circle. It may be an uphill task but if you can find a person who can help you out with a clear mind about the subject, your chances of success can increase many fold.
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