Almost every second client who comes to me for a consultation, listing the reasons for coming, talks about anxiety. Sometimes he himself identifies it, sometimes he calls it another word or describes his condition so vividly that it becomes immediately clear what he means. Perhaps, it’s true that anxiety, which absolutely all people face at certain points in their lives, is often one of the main reasons for turning to a psychologist. Specifically, a prolonged state of anxiety or an increased level of anxiety. What this condition threatens and how you can work with it will be discussed in this article.
What is anxiety
Anxiety in psychological science is an emotional state that has a negative connotation. A person in a state of anxiety tends to expect something bad, for example, an unfavorable outcome of events or negative consequences. Anxiety is often confused with fear, but there is one clear difference between them: fear always has an object and is of a specific nature (for example, fear of spiders or heights), and anxiety is always pointless, often its nature is not clear even to the person himself, it always has vague causes .
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Anxiety in psychology is a person’s ability to experience a state of anxiety associated with the occurrence of experiences in various situations. Every person has a certain, so-called normal level of anxiety, which is temporary and which a person can easily cope with if desired. However, if the state of anxiety is long-lasting, a person cannot cope with it on his own, and it has a disorganizing effect on life, then they speak of a state of increased anxiety. An increased level of anxiety accompanies the occurrence of various diseases and a significant decrease in the quality of life.
Why does anxiety occur?
Anxiety is influenced by a wide range of different causes. Most psychologists and neuroscientists agree that a combination of factors often plays a decisive role here, namely the combination of the innate characteristics of the functioning of the human nervous system with the influence of social and psychological factors. Here are just a few of the reasons that lead to an increase in a person’s anxiety level:
- heredity, characteristics (weakness) of the nervous system;
- improper upbringing, dysfunctional family environment surrounding a person in childhood;
- negative life experiences, numerous stresses, consequences of psychological and physical trauma;
- somatic diseases that manifest themselves in humans for a long time;
- chronic fatigue;
- low self-esteem;
- various problems and conflict situations in interpersonal relationships;
- insufficient amount (or complete absence) of physical activity and proper rest;
- abuse of alcoholic beverages, etc.
It is important to understand that if the reasons that caused increased anxiety are not related to the presence of a mental illness in a person, then it is advisable to consult a psychologist with this problem!
Types of anxiety
Depending on the reasons influencing its development, it happens:
Personality anxiety
This is anxiety that is not interconnected with the surrounding stop and current events. With excessively expressed personal anxiety, the surrounding world is perceived as threatening and dangerous.
Situational or reactive anxiety
Anxiety, which is a reaction to some event or situation in a person’s life. For example, it is considered completely normal to be slightly anxious before an exam at college or a job interview. These experiences are common to all people. They have a mobilizing function, stimulating preparation for an upcoming event, thus reducing the risk of failure.
Depending on the area of occurrence, anxiety can be:
- Educational – arising in the learning process;
- Interpersonal – caused by conflicts and difficulties in communication;
- Social – appears due to the understanding of the need to interact with people around us: the process of acquaintance, direct communication, etc.;
- Anxiety caused by self-image – inflated claims (expectations) and low self-esteem, discrepancy between “I want” and “I can”;
- Anxiety caused by a choice situation is unpleasant feelings that arise during the decision-making process and are associated with the need to make a choice .
By impact on human volitional processes:
- Mobilizing anxiety - encourages a person to take actions that reduce the adverse consequences of the situation and the risk of failure by activating thinking, volitional processes and increasing physical activity.
- Inhibitory anxiety paralyzes a person’s will, complicates decision-making, inhibits thought processes and the implementation of active actions that could help get out of difficult situations.
According to the degree of adequacy of the situation:
- Adequate anxiety is a natural reaction to real-life difficulties and problems in various areas of life (family, work team, educational activities).
- Inappropriate anxiety - occurs in situations that are not potentially dangerous, but a person views them as posing a threat to his life, health, self-esteem, etc.
By severity:
- Reduced anxiety – characterized by the fact that a person does not tend to experience feelings of anxiety even in life-threatening situations. As a result, a person cannot adequately assess the degree of threat, is too calm, and does not anticipate the possibility of difficulties and the presence of risks.
- Optimal anxiety - has a moderate expression, does not interfere with the performance of functions, but rather mobilizes the body, improving mental activity and volitional abilities of a person. Also performs a protective and safety function in dangerous situations.
- Increased anxiety interferes with the normal functioning and life of a person, because it is an inadequate reaction to situations that do not carry threats or negative consequences.
Levels
The level of anxiety determines a person’s perception and reaction to life situations. The most popular way to determine the level is the Spielberg-Hanin test, which assesses the degree of situational and personal anxiety in specific situations.
More than 9,000 people have gotten rid of their psychological problems using this technique.
The types and levels of anxiety are not interrelated in any way: these are two separate classifications of the same disorder. Also, no connection has been established between them and the patient’s temperament.
In psychiatry, weak, medium, increased, and high levels are distinguished.
Weak
A weak level indicates that a person has problems adapting to change. He can be confident that the team will treat him well, while those around him try to avoid him.
Someone who has a low level of anxiety does not think about how to get rid of anxiety. But relaxation, inattention to detail, inability to concentrate, refusal to perceive differences between situations often play a cruel joke.
The level of anxiety can be inherited from parents: the human genome contains mechanisms that determine the body’s response to stimuli.
Average
The average level is typical for people with mature thinking. With it, a person perceives changes and reacts to them in a timely manner. This level of anxiety is enough to make optimal decisions for a particular situation and, if necessary, change them.
At the same time, difficulties are not perceived as a tragedy - the reaction to them is moderate. If problems lead to temporary stupor, then a little later, having gotten used to new conditions, a person will still mobilize his strength.
Elevated
Increased anxiety manifests itself only in specific situations. A person's emotional state is relatively stable, but under some circumstances he experiences inexplicable anxiety.
The attacks are usually easy to cope with. They are often of a compensable nature: fearing mistakes, a person checks the work several times or performs a given action, honing it to perfection. With proper self-help and psychotherapy, the degree of influence of negative factors will gradually decrease.
In some cases, the elevated level becomes high.
How to overcome anxiety?
So, what to do if you find yourself with increased anxiety that is preventing you from living a normal life? Below I will give a few recommendations that will help you somewhat reduce your anxiety level on your own.
Drug therapy
Medicines can only be prescribed by a doctor! Most often, for high anxiety, sedatives of varying degrees of effect are prescribed. Infusions of valerian or motherwort have the mildest effects. They can be taken independently. In more complex cases, medications are prescribed by a doctor, and they can only be purchased at a pharmacy with a prescription!
Introspection
You can try to independently analyze the reasons that make you anxious. To do this, you need to take a comfortable position and make sure that no one or nothing interferes with you. And the main thing is a reserve of time. Immerse yourself in your thoughts and experiences. Try to understand what is happening in your life now? What events, people, problems make you anxious? What ways are there to resolve these problems? Are there people in your life that you could turn to for help? Or maybe you are missing something to feel comfortable? How could this be achieved?
Change of life situation
If anxious experiences are associated with any specific area - work, family status, social circle, try to change something in this particular part of your life. Start small; you don’t have to quit your job or divorce your spouse right away. Consider what changes available to you will bring you comfort and greater satisfaction. And try to put them into practice.
Communication. Psychologists have confirmed the fact that having a wide circle of contacts and close social connections significantly reduces the level of anxiety.
Sports activities. Many articles have been written about the benefits of exercise. Regular training has a beneficial effect on the human body, helping to release accumulated tension and switch to a positive mood. A beautiful figure is a pleasant bonus, it increases self-esteem, improves mood and, as a result, anxiety decreases.
Rest and sleep mode. Overwork is one of the causes of increased anxiety, so it is extremely important to take a weekend off, get enough sleep and get proper rest.
Sometimes you can reduce anxiety on your own. However, most often, only a specialist can help to effectively and long-term correct a high level of anxiety. By turning to a psychologist for help, you can work together to understand the reasons that make you anxious and change your life situation in the way that is most suitable for you, making it as comfortable and safe as possible.
Stimulus material of the “Anxiety Scale” technique
Instructions
Situations that you often encountered in life are listed. Some of them may be unpleasant for you, causing excitement, worry, anxiety, and fear. Read each sentence carefully and circle one of the numbers: 0, 1, 2, 3, 4.
- If the situation does not seem unpleasant to you at all, circle the number - 0.
- If it worries you a little, circles the number - 1.
- If the situation is unpleasant enough and causes such anxiety that you would prefer to avoid it, circle the number - 2.
- If it is very unpleasant for you and causes severe concern, anxiety, fear, circle the number - 3.
- If the situation is extremely unpleasant for you, if you cannot bear it and it causes you very strong anxiety, very strong fear, circle the number - 4.
Your task is to imagine each situation as clearly as possible and circle the number that indicates to what extent this situation may cause you fear, anxiety, anxiety.
Questions of methodology
- Answer at the board
- Go to a stranger's house
- Participate in competitions, competitions, olympiads
- Talk to the school principal
- Think about your future
- The teacher looks at the magazine, who should I ask?
- They criticize you, reproach you for something
- They look at you when you do something (they watch you while working, solving a problem)
- Writing a test
- After the test, the teacher calls out the grades
- They don't pay attention to you
- Something's not working out for you
- Waiting for your parents from the parent meeting
- You are in danger of failure, failure
- You hear laughter behind you
- Taking exams at school
- They are angry with you (it is not clear why)
- Perform in front of a large audience
- An important, decisive matter lies ahead
- You don't understand the teacher's explanations
- They don’t agree with you, they contradict you
- Comparing yourself with others
- Your abilities are tested
- They look at you like you're small
- During class, the teacher unexpectedly asks you a question.
- Silenced when you approached (approached)
- Your work is evaluated
- Thinking about your own affairs
- You need to make a decision for yourself
- Can't do your homework
