The life of a modern person is full of stress. Every day we are faced with many situations that cause anxiety: difficulties at work, health problems, family troubles, fear of public speaking. All kinds of stressful situations literally surround us at every step. However, our anxiety is especially noticeable when we are in sight in front of a large number of people.
Every time the participants of the show “The Weakest Link” on the “MIR” TV channel have to experience stress. Some even had to take sedatives!
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Fortunately, there are many ways to overcome your worries.
“MIR 24” is in a hurry to relieve you of stress and, together with experts, reveals secrets: how to get rid of anxiety and not get lost in important life situations?
Face the fear
The best way to overcome your fears is to face them. For example, you are afraid to ask for a promotion at work, so you constantly put off this conversation. But you don’t know for sure how this conversation will end. So take the first step yourself and conquer your fear.
Each of us periodically experiences excitement and even panic, but this can and should be fought. To make your life easier and learn to control your emotions, take the free online course “Stress Management”. In just 45 minutes you will learn really working techniques that will help you quickly cope with stress in the moment.
Cry more often
Another tip that seems simple only at first glance. The fact is that both panic attacks and severe anxiety often arise as the body’s response to prolonged suppression of feelings and emotions.
If nervousness or tension arises, this is a sure sign that something has accumulated inside us. The tension in the nervous system will only increase. And to prevent an explosion from happening, you need to give free rein to your tears, cry if tears well up from a sad melody or someone’s words, and not restrain yourself.
Get rid of children's complexes
We owe many complexes to our parents. Trying to instill in us such important qualities as responsibility and a sense of duty, they often made us worry and feel a strong sense of guilt for every mistake. Overcoming complexes developed in childhood is difficult, but possible. To get started, start following four simple rules:
- stop blaming yourself for mistakes;
- do not attach importance to fictitious problems;
- get rid of fears;
- be yourself.
Constantly convince yourself that you are right and that your actions are correct. Even if errors occur periodically, their consequences are usually not so critical.
Adrenal Fatigue: How to Avoid?
We all experience this condition - from time to time. But if this is your normal lifestyle, your body may be at risk of adrenal fatigue. “A high-sugar, low-protein diet triggers stress responses without us realizing it,” says best-selling author and nutritionist Julia Ross. Ironically, more than 70% of people eat the most unhealthy foods precisely to relieve emotional stress. We could all do with getting our stress hormones checked so we know exactly where on the adrenal fatigue spectrum we each currently fall.
Instead of struggling through the thorns of stress or anxiety (and then beating yourself up for it), it's worth learning as much as possible about your physiology. You can do a saliva test using a test sold at a pharmacy, or you can take a blood test at any health care facility that can help you interpret the results. Then, using the medications prescribed to you, you can restore normal hormone levels in the adrenal glands.
Many experts recommend starting with nutrition - making the necessary changes to your diet and observing the improvements. Start with small but consistent dietary changes (such as a diet high in protein and gluten-free vegetables), take natural vitamins and supplements (more B vitamins and omega-3 fish oil, for example), and try natural herbs (such as rhodiola for focus and balance; chamomile or passionflower to stimulate the “calming” parts of your brain).
Now I want to tell you some secret tricks that will instantly boost your self-confidence and reduce your anxiety levels.
Why are we worried?
External causes of the state of excitement: what is happening around us, what kind of world and under what circumstances we live. Internal reasons directly depend on individual characteristics, starting with physiological ones - the size of the amygdala and the number of neurotransmitters in the synapses of neurons - and ending with the developmental characteristics of each of us, for example: in what conditions we grew up and were brought up, how a reliable attachment to parents was formed, etc.
If a person has had a positive experience of trust, he will perceive the world around him as more stable. In the case of unreliable and rejecting parent-child relationships, he is seen as more dangerous and unpredictable than he actually is.
— Do natural phenomena affect the level of anxiety?
— There is a hypothesis that explains the occurrence of anxiety and depressive states by a deficiency of the neurotransmitter serotonin. If we consider the issue from this point of view, we can assume that a decrease in daylight hours will increase anxiety and depressive symptoms,” answers Polina Zenkevich. — As for the weather, I think natural disasters will definitely increase anxiety. This fear appeared in the process of human development. Those of our ancestors who hid from thunderstorms and hurricanes survived.
Photo studytoeu.com
— Is it normal to worry?
- Yes, anxiety is our natural adaptive reaction, and it can be called normal. We worry when faced with something new and unknown, because at this moment the brain evaluates the situation, adapts to it and insures itself just in case. This does not affect our health in any way,” the psychotherapist notes.
But prolonged, systematic worry will definitely not lead to anything good. The release of stress hormones has a serious impact on our body. Heart rate and breathing increase, blood sugar levels rise, and blood circulation changes. In general, such an “action” usually does no harm. But if it occurs frequently, it can lead to disruption of the heart.
— When I explain these mechanisms to people, I use the operation of an engine in a car as a metaphor. If we drive at high speeds, it helps to speed up somewhere and be on time somewhere, but it leads to rapid wear of the engine. Moderation and gradualism are important everywhere,” the interlocutor emphasizes.
— How does anxiety affect our health?
— In medicine there is the concept of “target organ”. This is the organ that can fail first,” continues Polina Rostislavovna. — The ICD (International Classification of Diseases) has separate sections for describing such diseases. There is a section “Somatoform disorders”. They cause physical symptoms that relate to different systems. Chest and abdominal pain, shortness of breath without exertion, impaired frequency of urination, pain in the limbs and joints, numbness, tingling. They can appear without changes in the organs and tissues of the body, that is, according to the results of a medical examination, the person is actually healthy. The stress he experiences is involved in the occurrence of many diseases. These include bronchial asthma, dermatitis, eczema, stomach ulcers, ulcerative colitis, and urticaria.
You may know someone who has a knot in their stomach, or you may even feel it yourself. This is a good example of how anxiety affects our health. As a result of the activation of “fight or flight,” the gastrointestinal tract finds itself in a state of temporary lack of blood supply, which means it receives fewer nutrients and gas exchange processes are worse. First, symptoms of gastrointestinal dysfunction appear (frequent stools, constipation), and over time, inflammation is likely to appear...
— How to cope with anxiety?
— My favorite way is breathing relaxation. You can use its simplest version: take a deep breath through the nose (for about 5 counts) and exhale deeply through the mouth (for 6–7 counts). We repeat this 10 times. We observe our breathing. We imagine how air enters the lungs through the nose and comes out again. It is important to focus on the process itself so that the exhalation is longer than the inhalation. It is necessary! - explains the doctor.
Another method, familiar to many from films where the hero panics, is to breathe into a paper bag. It's banal, but it works flawlessly. The air in the bag from breathing is filled with carbon dioxide, its inhalation leads to hypercapnia - an increase in the level of carbon dioxide in the blood.
Photo is for illustrative purposes only, pixabay.com
How to overcome anxiety?
One day I happened to sit at a very boring conference. Or rather, the conference itself could be very interesting. But it was carried out in an organization with a rigid vertical structure, which means that even interesting undertakings quickly became formalized and devoid of any creativity.
So, towards the end of the second hour, when two-thirds of the hall was already openly dozing, a new speaker came out. Her whole body showed that she was very worried - an uneven gait, small fussy movements, red spots on her cheeks... She began her report like this: “Excuse me, I’m very worried, so I can get lost and confused.” In addition, she giggled after these words.
And you know, it broke the pattern so much that the whole audience instantly woke up and “exhaled.” It became clear what monstrous tension the majority of those present were experiencing. It was as if a breeze swept through the hall - people moved, changed positions to more comfortable ones, someone unbuttoned, someone began to talk with their neighbors. It was enough for one person to be alive, and it turned out that everyone else was not made of wood either.
The speaker was really confused about her numbers and indicators. In the middle of the speech, she suddenly stopped, looked up from her papers and tore off the template completely: “Can I just tell you how it happened? How did we do all this?
And the report, which could have become as boring as the dozen previous ones, turned into a lively conversation. Questions started pouring in from the audience, someone shouted from the seat, “We did it too, and we had these results!”, a discussion ensued, people exchanged experiences. The speaker was greeted with a storm of applause. And you can be sure that no one was interested in her crimson ears. Although they really were crimson.
What conclusion can be drawn from this case? – The speaker didn’t think about how to overcome her anxiety. She didn't intend to fight him at all, she let him be! And even the seemingly very formal audience greeted her warmly and supported her. It was as if by simple recognition of her human weakness she allowed everyone present to also be just people.
So, to summarize, here are some tips on how to avoid anxiety before a performance:
- Discount the situation as much as possible. Reduce its importance to yourself. And also the significance of your possible failure. Imagine the worst thing that could happen and think about what you will do next.
- But your victories and successful performances cannot be devalued! Keep a “piggy bank” of your successes, this is very important for growing self-confidence.
- Don't accumulate tension in your body, release it regularly. In modern life, with its rhythm and constant stress, physical activity is simply necessary.
- Before an important performance, shake your whole body vigorously, as if you were experiencing real tremors. Do this until your palms become at least a little warmer.
- During your speech, don’t stand still, find a way to move at least a little. Walk around the audience, look somewhere to the side from time to time - out the window, at the end of the hall, behind the scenes. “Carelessly” twirl some object in your hands - a pointer, a pencil, your own glasses. Just try to keep all movements smooth, like on hinges.
- If you are interrupted, asked an unexpected question, or you get confused, calmly give yourself a break. You don't have to know everything, you don't have to remember every detail. Remember the magic “you need to think about it.”
- And most importantly, give yourself the right to be just a person who is worried, afraid, and cowardly. Don't fight the manifestations of your humanity, but accept them. Most people will meet your anxiety with understanding and acceptance.
Now you know how to overcome anxiety, and I wish you success in your performances!
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“How to overcome anxiety?”
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“How to overcome anxiety?”
Causes of unreasonable anxiety and worry
The onset of anxiety disorder is influenced by heredity. It has been discovered that certain brain structures and features of biological processes play an important role in the occurrence of fear and anxiety. Personality characteristics, physical health problems, lifestyle and various types of addictions also matter. Sometimes causeless anxiety and worry have no reason. Negative feelings usually have a trigger—an event or thought that triggers an anxious response. However, most people are unaware of their triggers and believe their emotions are unfounded. In this case, only a specialist will help you understand why anxiety occurs for no reason.
There are a number of diseases whose symptoms include constant anxiety. With unreasonable fear and anxiety, the reasons may be as follows:
- Generalized anxiety disorder: persistent nervousness and worry about small things that are usually visible to others and last for 6 months or more. Begins in adolescence and intensifies with age.
- Obsessive-compulsive disorder: obsessive thoughts and fears that are accompanied by compulsive actions that do not bring relief. There is obsessive-compulsive neurosis - a person is indomitably haunted by memories that reproduce a traumatic situation.
- Phobias: irrational fear of any, even mundane, things. Accompanied by uncontrollable panic and physical manifestations.
- A panic attack is a painful and sudden attack of panic, which is accompanied by a fear of death and vivid somatic symptoms. Regular occurrence of panic attacks means the development of panic disorder.
- Post-traumatic stress disorder: occurs after a severe traumatic situation and is accompanied by high levels of anxiety, avoidance and flashbacks.
These are the most common examples, but pathological anxiety can be a symptom of other disorders or a consequence of unsuccessful management of stress. If you want to understand why you feel anxious for no reason, you should consult a doctor. Without finding out the main factor and working on it, it is impossible to restore health and mental balance.
Focus on the present moment
Sometimes the cause of unnecessary anxiety is a well-developed imagination, which gives rise to unexpected options for the development of events. Many people tend to get hung up on coming up with negative scenarios. Often the basis for them is unpleasant events from the past, projected onto current circumstances.
Constantly rethinking your own actions, it is difficult to stop worrying, so such reflections are addictive. They require enormous mental resources and drain all mental energy, depriving us of the opportunity to work productively. Learn to concentrate on the current moment without tormenting yourself with unpleasant memories and without coming up with negative scenarios.
How to stop worrying: 10 consistent steps
There are many ways to overcome anxiety, but each person is individual, and must choose for himself what is right for him. In this article, we tried to select the most universal techniques that will effectively suit everyone, and if applied together, they will give amazing results. Well, are you ready? Then let's begin.
Count
This applies to those cases when you need to undergo an unpleasant procedure and you feel that your heart rate and breathing rates are going through the roof.
Julia Colanello suggests this technique: do not close your eyes (this will make you immerse yourself in the sensations even more), but literally grab your gaze at some object from the environment and hold on to it.
Or give yourself the task of counting what comes into your field of vision: tiles on the wall, flowers on the window. Or ask yourself the question: who does the doctor look like, who does his voice resemble?
We work against the “tunnel” vision
There is also bad news: it is unlikely that you will be able to find out how to overcome anxiety once and for all. Especially if you are basically an anxious person. But you can learn to cope with it, you can make sure that anxiety does not interfere with your life and work.
At the level of thoughts, reducing the significance of the situation - an upcoming speech, report, or important conversation - helps to overcome anxiety. We worry more in situations that have special meaning to us and less in others.
To do this, imagine that you have failed. That's it, you've already failed. You performed poorly, answered disgustingly in the exam, your voice trembled and gave out “roosters”, and the listeners of your report, every single one, saw your hands shaking and your ears filling with crimson paint. What's next?
Literally: what will you do next? What happens next? When a person is very worried, the terrible “movie” in his head ends at the moment of failure. Thinking turns off and does not prompt the further development of events.
But life won’t stop there. Something will happen after you mess up, hit the wrong note, get confused in the text, or objects fall out of your trembling hands. What exactly? Force your thinking to expand the picture further.
Turn to your own experience - after all, you yourself have seen someone’s unsuccessful speeches, heard boring reports. After that, no one died of shame, no one was booed or pelted with tomatoes. This is unlikely to happen to you either. Even in the worst case, your “drama” will simply be forgotten within a couple of hours.
And most importantly, think about what you will do if you fail. Try to come up with several options for each possible outcome. If you lack imagination or experience, ask others what they did in a similar situation.
Be prepared for anything
Often the cause of nervousness is an internal feeling of unpreparedness. It seems to a person that he is not good enough, has not understood everything, has not studied all the information, has not foreseen all possible risks. But procrastination usually does not improve the level of preparedness, but only makes us even more nervous.
Be prepared for anything. Try to anticipate possible stressors and don't view them as a failure. Calculate in advance how you will act if events do not go according to plan. Always think through several backup plans that provide for various errors and undesirable scenarios. By adopting this simple principle, you can stop worrying at any time and save a lot of nerve cells.
Plan the upcoming event, taking into account key points where deviations from the plan are possible. Think about what you will do in the event of unfavorable developments. It is necessary to identify several main blocks and provide for an unfavorable outcome for each. This will allow you to act with maximum efficiency, no matter how events develop.
Stress and the adrenal glands: how does it work?
Up to 70% of people who report stress actually suffer from some degree of adrenal imbalance (the organs that produce the hormones that control your response to stress). Under conditions of chronic stress, our body goes through three stages, which are characterized by varying degrees of adrenal imbalance and ultimately adrenal depletion.
In the first stage , we accumulate additional energy to cope with stressors. After the first surge of adrenaline, the adrenal glands begin to secrete cortisol, which initially - and in small quantities - is a source of strength and endurance for us. In the right amount, cortisol helps metabolize food, fight allergies, and reduce inflammation.
But if the state of excessive arousal continues, the adrenal glands begin to secrete too much adrenaline and cortisol, replacing them with our feel-good neurotransmitters, namely serotonin (the source of self-confidence and optimism) and dopamine (the source of pleasure). When cortisol chronically circulates in the body, it begins to stimulate inflammatory responses and can cause the very diseases it was originally intended to protect against. Accordingly, signs of disease or infection appear.
We no longer experience the “euphoria” associated with the adrenaline rush; instead, a bad mood or even depression appears . Too much or too little cortisol can lead to decreased concentration and a feeling of being overwhelmed. We resort to external stimulants - caffeine, salty or sweet foods. We exhaust ourselves even more by playing sports, or, conversely, we stop all physical activity. We begin to feel chronic fatigue and irritation.
In the final stages of adrenal imbalance, these organs are so damaged that they are no longer able to produce enough stress hormones. Every minor problem now seems like a global catastrophe. From now on, for example, when your son spills milk or your manager gives you a disapproving look, it is truly the end of the world for you.
How to understand what exactly you have
Essentially, the question should be: “Do I have anxiety that I can handle, or is the situation out of control?”
In fact, the border between these states is quite arbitrary. To find it, experts suggest Anxiety Disorders and Anxiety Attacks answer seven questions:
- Do you regularly find yourself worried, irritated, stressed, and this becomes your habitual state?
- Is anxiety preventing you from working, studying, communicating with people, or building relationships?
- Do you have an irrational fear (for example, are you afraid to go down the subway), but you can’t overcome it?
- Do you believe that if you don't do certain things right (like not putting your shoes away or doing a little ritual before starting your work day), something catastrophic can happen?
- Are there situations or activities that you regularly avoid because you're scared?
- Do you have sudden attacks of severe panic during which you cannot control yourself?
- Do you feel that the world is an unsafe place where all it takes is a little mistake to become a victim of scammers, get sick, lose money or lose close friends?
In principle, a single “yes” is enough to suspect anxiety or another mental disorder. If there is more than one answer, you need help.
Ask yourself an important question
Excitement and nervousness are always accompanied by the fact that a person has an endless conversation with himself and begins to worry about everything.
A method proposed by psychologist Karen Whitehead will help stop this internal dialogue. On a small sheet of paper, write just two (maximum three) words about what is bothering you. You can even arrange them in the form of a list with dots or circles. Look at them and ask yourself:
"It is a fact? Is this true or is it what I think?”
Very often it turns out that we are 100% sure of something that we didn’t even bother to check.
