Understanding Nervousness and Anxiety

Anxiety and nervousness are terms that are often used interchangeably, though they are two different things. Feeling nervous about something that you’re doing, or about to do is fairly normal and is usually temporary, with perseverance these feelings of nervousness should subside over time, and would not lead to negative coping strategies. Feelings of anxiety on the other hand are more persistent and troublesome, interfering with your day to day life and may require an intervention such as therapy or medication. Below are some ways to better understand and deal with nervousness and anxiety.

·      Overcoming Nervousness

·      Overcoming Mild Anxiety

·      Dealing With Anxiety Disorders

Overcoming Nervousness

Some healthy ways to overcome nervousness are to practice what you are nervous about such as taking mock exams before taking the real exam, or reciting a poem numerous times before performing it in public. Taking deep breathes can also help bring a sense of relaxation to your body as nervousness builds tension, and deep breathing helps to release tension. Maintaining a positive mind-set can also help alleviate feelings of nervousness by redirecting or reframing negative thoughts.

 

Overcoming Mild Anxiety

Feelings of mild anxiety may be overcome using various techniques and strategies. Some of these techniques are to smile more, as smiling releases endorphins in the brain helping you to feel good even if you don’t feel like smiling. Breathing deeply can bring a sense of calm to your body and help to release tension as anxiety can build tension in the body. Oxygen also helps to bring a sense of calm as well. While breathing deeply you can imagine breathing in fresh calming air and breathing out tension and anxiety. Writing a journal, preferably in the morning after waking can help to organise your thoughts and put things into perspective helping you cope with an upcoming situation.

 

Dealing with Anxiety Disorders

If your anxiety is more severe and having a major detrimental impact on your life, interfering with your day to day activities and you are unable to cope with it, then you may have an anxiety disorder. There are various anxiety disorders and each of these may require help from a professional to be able to manage them. Some of these anxiety disorders are:

·      Generalised Anxiety Disorder (GAD) This is when you have uncontrollable worries about various things in your day to day life on a regular basis. As this is a generalised disorder different people with it can experience different symptoms of anxiety.

 

·      Social Anxiety Disorder This is when you feel extreme fear or anxiety during social interactions such as going to events, attending social gatherings, workplaces or anytime you have to interact with another person. ‘Social phobia’ is another name it is known by.

 

·      Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) This disorder is caused by a traumatic experience that you have had in the past, causing you to feel fear and anxiety about the experience after it has happened. You may find yourself experiencing flashbacks and nightmares of the traumatic experience, causing you to re-live the anxiety and fear you felt at the time of the traumatic experience.

 

·      Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) This is when you have anxiety which causes repetitive thoughts, behaviours or urges.

 

·      Panic Disorder This is when you have panic attacks with an unknown cause. If you have this disorder, then you may live in fear of having another panic attack which in itself can trigger another panic attack.

 

It is possible to experience a combination of anxiety disorders and anxiety can also be experienced alongside other mental health issues such as depression and suicidal thoughts. Experiencing any form of anxiety can be very uncomfortable especially if these feelings are intense. It may be possible through self-care to overcome mild forms of anxiety, however, if you are experiencing intense anxiety then you should seek support from a doctor or mental health care professional who will be able to diagnose and help you find the right treatment for you.

Here is a 10 minute Breathing Guided Meditation for Anxiety and Depression, you can download it here in high quality.