Ways of overcoming fear and anxiety

What is anxiety?

Usual reflexes to stressful moments may lead to the development of worries and anxiety. This is crucial for our survival and being on point with every situation. Adrenaline, the flight or fight hormone, activates our energy reserves in order to tackle dangerous moments.

Adrenaline enabled survival of our predecessors to escape from stressful circumstances. Back then it might have been a wild animal. Today, we face even more complex sources of stress which are overcome by the help of adrenaline. Anxiety is only a problem when it is magnified beyond what it really is.

Managing anxiety or curing it?

Managing and curing anxiety are two completely distinct concepts. Managing anxiety is where you provide solutions in the spur of a moment to cure the origin of stress. This may be medication, meditation or finding a way through it.

Curing anxiety is the surest way of overcoming anxiety in the absence of any anxiety related disorders.

Who is affected by anxiety?

People respond in a myriad of ways to anxiety. Some remain calm while others are made completely incapable of anything. Understanding why you are suffering from anxiety can help put the problem behind you and make necessary changes.

Traumatising events can be extrapolated to show the origin of certain psychological problems. However, life events don’t need to be stressful to cause anxiety. Any shift in life can adjust how you adapt to certain changes that are required to be made. Childhood trauma can also influence the way in which you respond to future situations.

Some psychological tendencies can create a false feeling of anxiety, which increases the risk of developing similar problems. Also, moods can alter our perception and we may not notice how wrong our mental capacities are.

Guidelines on how to overcome anxiety

Anxiety is best alleviated by seeking the necessary treatment. Overcoming anxiety should be a mantra and not something done rashly and put off until you are affected again; in that case, the next attacks of anxiety can be severe.

When healing anxiety, do not try to get rid of the feelings arising from it, rather work towards bettering your coping mechanisms when you feel anxious. Coping with anxious thoughts is a sure way of conquering it.

Some forms of therapy prove to be very helpful including behavioral and talk therapies. Nonetheless, the following are non-medical tips on how to overcome anxiety:

Exercise

Even though it has become a cliché, there is something good about exercising to cope with anxiety:

• It causes a surge of neurotransmitters which uplift the mood.
• Prevents anxiety symptoms by tiring the muscles.
• Gets rid of stress hormones that could lead to anxiety.

Exercising is the best way to relieve anxiety and should be included in your daily routine. The results of exercising also cover many fields and not just curing anxiety alone.

Breathing exercises

Some people tend to hyperventilate when faced with anxiety. This is common for people riddled with panic attacks, which also cause other accompanying symptoms that are severe and can worsen anxiety.

So if you want to stop anxiety before it happens, practice breathing exercises to soothe the body and prevent any likelihood of getting panic attacks.

Facing your fears

Running away from your fears only makes them worse. You will not avoid them forever and you should take them by the horns as soon as possible.

Visualise a happy place

Take a moment, close your eyes and imagine something that makes you happy. It could be childhood memories, food or being with someone you love. Let the good feeling fill you with positivity and calm your nerves until you get relaxed.

Go back to the basics

Find ways that help you to relax like getting a good rest, an activity that you enjoy, a walk in the park, meeting up with a friend or maybe just having some “me time”.

Sell yourself on a positive outcome

Have a positive outlook while evaluating all the possible outcomes for every good decision that you choose to make. Imagine how good relationships would be if you didn’t panic. When calm, you are inclined to make sound decisions often.

Don’t turn it into a disaster

Do not exaggerate any situation. This will scare you and you will cause everything to be a catastrophe. Always see things for what they are and not anything else.

Meditate or pray

Have something to comfort you when anxious. Be at peace with yourself and anything around you. When faced with negativity, repeat a positive mantra or pray to yourself. Focus on this and anxiety will vanish.

Visit a therapist

If your anxiety is bubbling over and it seems uncontrollable, there is no harm in seeking professional help.