Waking Up With Anxiety

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It is hard to wake up with anxiety.

It can be a very distressing experience. You just opened your eyes, and you notice the stream of thoughts coming to your mind 'I don't feel like doing this anymore, I really want to change my job'. You may feel some physical symptoms like sweating, racing heart, and shortness of breath; 'Why is my heart beating so fast? I feel that my chest is so heavy'. You hold your phone and start wondering 'I can't even remember my schedule. Did I promise Sally to see her today or next week?'

Then, next week's presentation pops up and you realize that you have not started working on it yet.

Everything feels so heavy, you decide to go back to bed.

Anxiety is a feeling of unease, such as worry or fear, that can be mild or severe. It is a normal feeling that anyone can experience at some point in their life. For example, you may feel worried and anxious about sitting an exam, or having a medical test or a job interview.

However, an anxiety disorder is a mental health condition that makes it difficult to get through your day. Symptoms include feelings of nervousness, panic and fear as well as sweating and a rapid heartbeat.

If you're feeling anxious or stressed in the morning, before heading to work, or at random times throughout the day, it's important to recognize these feelings and take a moment to acknowledge them.

It could be a difficult experience, and there is a way to manage your anxiety with 3 simple techniques from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT):

  1. Practice deep breathing: Slow, deep breathing can help calm your mind and body, reducing the intensity of your anxiety. Breathe in through your nose counting to four slowly. Feel the air enter your lungs. Hold your breath for 2 seconds. Try to avoid inhaling or exhaling for 4 seconds. Slowly exhale through your mouth for 4 seconds.

  2. Identify triggers: Try to identify what might be triggering your anxiety, such as a stressful job or relationship. Once you identify the trigger, you can work on finding ways to manage or eliminate it. It could be a physiological symptom 'My heart is beating very fast', an event 'Getting a low mark on a paper', a distressing or intrusive thought 'I  have so much work I will never finish it', or a memory 'My friends also cancelled on me last time'.

  3. Reframe your thoughts: Once you have identified negative thoughts, reframe them into more positive, realistic thoughts. 

    'I'm always so negative. I can't help it' to 'I tend to focus on the negative sometimes, but that doesn't mean I have to stay stuck in that mindset. I can practice shifting my focus to more positive thoughts and perspectives'.

    'I cannot handle how much I will miss my family when I travel' to 'I will miss my family, but I’ll be able to tolerate it and it will encourage me to build up a support network'

    'I am a failure' to 'I may have made a mistake, and I can learn from it and try again'.

    'I'm never going to find a job. No one wants to hire me' to 'It's been challenging to find a job lately, but I can keep working on my skills and networking'.

Take home message:

Remember that managing anxiety is a process, and it may take time to see results. Be patient with yourself, and celebrate each small step you take towards managing your anxiety. 

If your struggle is interfering with your daily life, consider seeking help from a mental health professional.

Yours truly,

Dana

Kindness is not just a virtue, it's a way of life. 

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