Talking About Anxiety

Anxiety: it’s real and it can make you feel absolutely terrible. Constant worrying, feeling like something is always wrong, and obsessive thoughts are all feelings caused by being anxious. It can be difficult to articulate how you’re actually feeling when you’re anxious. A lot of people don’t feel comfortable talking about their anxiety because they’re scared of sounding ridiculous. At Grace Recovery, we want to end the stigma of anxiety being made up or ridiculous. We know the cure to anxiety isn’t being told “you worry too much” or “stop worrying, it doesn’t matter”. Your feelings do matter. 

If you’re currency struggling with anxiety, it’s important to talk about it. There are also certain coping techniques that can help minimize your anxiety. 

What Is Anxiety?

Anxiety is one of the most common mental health issues that you can develop. About 19% of adults in the past year had anxiety disorder and 31% of adults have experienced some form of an anxiety disorder in their lifetime. So, the next time you’re worried that no one will understand what you’re going through, try to remember that you’re definitely not alone in this. 

Anxiety is feelings of worry and fear. Since anxiety can be a reaction to a stressful situation, everyone will experience anxiety from time to time. If you have a big presentation coming up at work or if you have a child who is often sick, you’ll probably feel anxious and that’s ok. Anxiety disorders, such as generalized anxiety, go beyond feelings of being worried and nervous. 

Generalized anxiety disorder, also known as GAD, is exaggerated worry and tension for months on end. GAD can be diagnosed when a person spends six months or more worrying about something without a specific focus or fear. 

In addition, people who suffer from anxiety may also suffer from panic attacks from time to time. These are intense moments of anxiety that lead to sweating, fear, a rising heart rate, and shortness of breath. These are often broken by benzodiazepines such as Xanax; however, these medications are addictive and should not be used as a long-term solution.

Effects of Anxiety

While anxiety affects your mental health, it can also affect your physical health. The constant worrying and stress can cause muscle aches, headaches, hot flashes, and even high blood pressure. 

Anxiety can affect your personal and professional relationships as well. If you’re experiencing tremendous anxiety and are unable to go to social events or be with friends, they may feel like you’re being distant. If you’re anxious and unable to focus at work, your job performance may start to decline. Because of this, it’s important to let those around you know how you’re feeling. 

Reach Out and Get Help

Don’t be afraid to talk about anxiety, you have nothing to be ashamed of. The more you keep it inside and bottled up, the worse it can get. You’ll be surprised at how reliving it can be to look at yourself in the mirror and say “I’m anxious. I am experiencing anxiety”. It will probably provide immediate, temporary, relief. 

Confiding in friends or family and seeking professional help is also extremely helpful when dealing with anxiety. Your friends and family will be happy to support you and provide a shoulder to lean on. A therapist or counselor will be able to help you dig a little deeper and try to figure out why you’re experiencing anxiety in the first place. You can then work together to figure out the coping skills you need to feel better.

Exercise, meditation, and yoga are all also great activities to do when you’re feeling anxious. Exercising will help release the happy chemicals in your brain. Meditation and yoga are amazing tools to clear your head and lessen your worries. 

Let Us Help

At Grace Recovery, we are an addiction treatment program based out of the heart of Hollywood, CA. We know that addiction has the potential to impact anyone in the Los Angeles, CA area which is why we are here to help. We provide luxurious amenities along with the latest in substance abuse programming at our detoxification and residential inpatient addiction treatment programs. If you are looking for help with mental health issues, substance abuse, or addiction recovery, please contact us today to learn more about how we can help you!