I sat across from her watching her squirm in agony. Several people tried to help her, but she refused to let them help. I could tell she was embarrassed. She curled into a fetal position in her seat and hung her head low. The flight was headed from Fort Lauderdale to New York; she was in agony for the entire duration of the flight because of her fear of flying.

Most of us were taught or forced to deny our feelings when we were kids. Anxiety is the body’s way of responding to stress and the unfamiliar. Anxiety is normal, it is subjective, and it is triggered by our fear of the unknown or our inability to control what is to come. It is a fact that your thoughts trigger your emotions and revs up the neurochemicals throughout your body. Additionally, when you dwell on the ‘What Ifs’ anxiety spikes your nervous system. If you don’t know how to control your nervous system, it will control you, and may lead to more severe forms of anxiety and medical disorders.

symptoms of anxiety

You should begin to worry when your anxiety becomes so severe that it starts to affect various areas of your life such as your relationships and your performance in academic and/or social settings. Some common symptoms of anxiety are fear, irritability, heart palpitations, trembling, excessive worry, sleep problems, difficulty concentrating and digestive issues.

what can you do?

Take Action! Recognize it, embrace it, accept it and start to self-regulate. Let’s practice:

1. Place your hand on your heart
2. Take four Deep Breaths
3. Think of someone who you know who is calm while you breathe
4. Accept the emotions that you are experiencing, don’t fight it.
5. Say out loud, “I deserve kindness, and I am going to be kind to myself now, I aware of this emotion that I am feeling and I accept it.”
6. Take a Deep Breath, hold it, count to four in your mind, now exhale.
7. Repeat as needed.

You may not realize it, but you have the tools you need to help you cope with stress and anxiety. You may just not know how to use them. Don’t hesitate to partner with a mental health professional to get the treatment yo need to help you maintain mental wellness. Call Now to get started!