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[ahmarieyoung]

Anxiety: DO's and Don'ts

Maybe you are not the one dealing with anxiety but you know somebody who is currently struggling and you want to be of help. Today we’re going to talk about to do’s and don’ts of helping someone currently living with anxiety. DO inform this person that they can be open and comfortable speaking to you without fear of judgement. When dealing with someone who has anxiety, DON’T get frustrated. Sometimes it is difficult to use logic when dealing with anxiety, so don’t get frustrated if someone with anxiety isn’t using it in the moment to control their anxiety. DO be forgiving because sometimes people with anxiety can be irritable (coming from someone who has anxiety). Lastly, DON’T guilt trip. For example don’t push them too hard or too fast out of their bubble because they may withdraw further from you. 

[ahmarieyoung]

Holistic Approaches

When it comes to mental illnesses, medicine may not be for everybody. Some negative side effects of anxiety medicine include insomnia, rashes, headaches, stomach upset and diarrhea however there are holistic ways to manage your anxiety. An holistic approach means to provide support that looks at the whole person, not just their mental health needs. Examples of holistic approaches to dealing with anxiety include nutritional therapy, massage therapy, and exercise therapy. Through nutritional therapy a persons’ body can in take the proper nutrition to over addition. Through exercise therapy it is said that daily exercise can reduce stress and provide physical and emotional benefits. When dealing with anxiety, it is important to remember that what works for someone else might not work for you and vice versa. The key is to find what helps you manage it so that you can be your best self. :)

[ahmarieyoung]

Practicing Mindfulness

Anxiety can be increased through high levels of stress. Today’s topic is how meditation or practicing mindfulness can help with not only anxiety but to reduce stress as well. Mindfulness is the human ability to be fully present and not be overly reactive or overwhelmed of the things that’s going on around us. When you create space between yourself and what you’re experiencing your anxiety can soften. Mindfulness can also allow you to explore underlying causes of your stress. Ways you can accomplish this is to focus on the breath and bring attention to your body. Although mindfulness does not work for everyone, this is a great way to be grounded and really take some time to be one on one with you and your feelings/emotions.

[ahmarieyoung]

Finding the right fit for you :)

Finding a therapist can sometimes be very overwhelming. It is mainly a game of trial and error. However, there are some tips and tricks to make your life a little easier when it comes to scoping out the right therapist for you. The first is to ask a friend or anybody that you trust. Although a referral from a friend or even a doctor you trust is a way to find a therapist, it is important to remember that your needs and goals might be different the person who referred you. Therefore, it is worth a shot but don’t get discouraged if it doesn’t work out. Adding onto referrals, you can also use an online database such as the American Psychological Association as well as the American Association of Marriage and Family therapist. These databases contain searchable licensed therapist. When on the website, you just enter in your zip code and it will bring up a list of counselors in the area. Your first session can be a little overwhelming, and you might not know what to expect. To ensure that you have the information to make the best decision possible, some questions you could ask your therapist during your first session are, “Are you a licensed psychologist in this state?”, “What do you consider to be your speciality or area of expertise?”, and lastly, “Are you apart of my insurance network?”. While you are attending your first session, make sure to look out for any possible red flags such as if the room or the therapist is making you uncomfortable. If you have been searching and searching and still have not found the right therapist for you then an online therapy app may be the right fit for you. Although it can be a long and tricky process, in order for therapy to work, it is important that you find a therapist that is best suited for you so you can get the most out of it.

[ahmarieyoung]

Therapy: Don't Knock It Till' You Try It

Why does therapy work? 

Many people think of therapy as a quick-fix to life’s dilemma’s however therapy is about working through problems to fine long-term effective solutions. Therapy can provide you with many benefits, the first being self-awareness. By digging deep into your long-standing issues and you can start to uncover the source of your anxiety or depression and learn why somethings are the way that they are. Adding on to self-awareness, therapy builds healthy habits. For example in the last post cognitive therapy was mentioned. A healthy habit that you can learn from therapy involves being able to turn negative thought patters into healthy and productive ones. Lastly but most importantly is learning how to cope with onset symptoms in the healthies way that works best for you. Although therapy is not for everybody, it can be very beneficial to any ongoing mental health issues that one faces to be on the path to a healthy lifestyle. 

[ahmarieyoung]

CBT

In the previous post I mentioned how an article by the American Psychology Association had created a list of healthy ways to handle stress. Among the list was a bullet point that stated “reframe your thinking.” This point was about cognitive behavioral therapy, which in short is an understanding that our thoughts are the roots of our emotions that influence our behaviors. Some examples of cognitive behavioral therapy include facing one’s fears instead of avoiding them and learning to calm one’s mind and relax one’s body. Strategies of CBT include learning to recognize one’s distortions in thinking that create problems, using problem solving skills, and learning confidence in one’s own abilities. The emphasis of CBT is to teach a person to be their own “therapists”

[ahmarieyoung]

Stress No More

I’m not sure about you guys but this week was stress packed. Between the long hours at work on top of sports as well, this past week felt like 3 weeks packed into one. A key to managing anxiety is to know how to navigate stress. There are a lot of ways to deal with stress, however the most common ones are usually unhealthy. An article by the American psychological association lists various ways to handle stressors. Some key takeaways from the article include seeking good nutrition, meditating, and participating in physical activity. An honorable mention stated by the APA is to reframe your thinking by practicing cognitive behavioral therapy, which can help with both stress and anxiety as well. These methods are easy to incorporate in your day to day life and even helped me get through this past week. I will share the link below if you guys wanted to read further. 

[ahmarieyoung]

Dig Deep

The cause of anxiety varies from person to person. However, a common cause of anxiety is past or childhood experiences. According to an article by mind.org.uk, experiences such as physical or emotional abuse, neglect, losing a parent and racism can all be triggers to anxiety. A trigger is a stimulus that elicits a reaction, which usually worsens symptoms. It is important when dealing with anxiety to discover the trigger(s) to better manage it. Some examples of anxiety triggers can be health issues, medications, caffeine and stress. Identifying triggers can be difficult, however healthline.com shared 2 big tips to help. The first is starting a journal. This strategy includes writing down when your anxiety is present and then recording what you think might have led to the trigger. The second is working with a therapist to have the help of a specialist. 

The key to managing anxiety as well as helping with the triggers is being honest with yourself and patient enough to explore your past. Anxiety is also distinct from person to person so my advice is to do what works for you. At the end of the day the only person who has to live with you is you.  

[ahmarieyoung]

Anxiety:0...Ahmarie:1

I was diagnosed with anxiety from a very young age. Although I have had anxiety for a while, to this day, I still currently struggle with how to healthily deal with my anxiety. I'd like to share my insights as well the knowledge that I learn along the way to being able to maintain my anxiety and the road to improving my well-being.

To start, it is important to know the definition of anxiety. Anxiety is a mental health disorder characterized by feelings of worry that interfere with our daily activities. Everybody experiences anxiety differently, however some common symptoms include excessive worry, intrusive thoughts, and fatigue. Some symptoms I experience when I have anxiety are a feeling of tightening around my chest, increased heart beat as well as excessive worry. There are many ways to cope with anxiety, from keeping a diary to even modifying your diet. Over the next couple of months I plan to learn more about my anxiety as well as share what has worked for me as well as my experiences to hopefully be helpful to someone else. :)