Anxiety is one of the biggest issues affecting people worldwide. Sally and I discuss all aspects of this crippling emotion and how it affects all ages.
It is so common, almost every text on my bookshelf contains a section on anxiety. I see many families so engulfed in stress that none of them realise that feeling anxious has become a normal state for them.
Is anxiety something you grapple with on a daily or weekly basis? Let us know your thoughts on this important topic.
What is Anxiety?
It is a normal physical response to fear which we all feel from time to time. However, if you often feel anxious then this may be an anxiety disorder. This could include feeling nervous, fearful, apprehensive or worrying. Chronic worry is undesirable because this will flood your system with adrenaline and cortisol undermine your long-term health and wellbeing.
Symptoms include [4]:
- racing heart
- rapid breathing
- sweaty palms
- butterflies in your stomach
- ‘burst’ of energy
How can I check if I am anxious?
Both Sally and I commonly see clients with chronic anxiety and a common symptom is really stiff muscles around the waist and up to the shoulders. The anxiety gets locked into this muscle tension and this restricts your flexibility physically and emotionally. So sit on the floor and get someone to rock you from side to side and they will be able to feel if you are too tense. This chronic tension locks you up between the shoulders and the hips and neither natural nor useful. But it is a good indicator of chronic stress. As Sally says “Relax Max”, if you can and if you can’t then try solutions below until you find one that works for you.
Anxiety disorders
According to the World health Organisation, anxiety disorders are the most common mental disorders. Affect 7% men, 12% women Anxiety disorder affects one third of the population. [1] These disorders include
- General anxiety
- Social anxiety
- Separation anxiety
- Panic
- OCD
- PTSD
- Phobias
Causes
- Maternal anxiety during pregnancy or post natal depression
- Significant childhood illness
- Adverse Childhood Experiences – i.e. trauma, abuse, neglect, witnessing a traumatic event, parental conflict, early separation from mum. I see so many adult clients with an ACE. [If as an adult with you wish to move towards high level wellness then it worthwhile to unravel the tangles in your limbic system from childhood trauma.]
- Social isolation
- Substance abuse
- Over-protection in childhood
- Learning Difficulty
- Underlying Stress also raises the risk of high blood pressure, depression, addiction and obesity. [5]
Risk factors for Anxiety
- Female gender
- Low socioeconomic status
- Anxious childhood
- Anxious personality
- Low socioeconomic status
- Leaning, speech or communication difficulty
Anxiety raises the risk of
- Suicide
- Premature mortality
- Cardiovascular disease
- Solutions
- Neurofeedback [3]
- Listening and music Therapy
- Cognitive Behavioural therapy CBT
- hypnotherapy
- meditation
- Exercise, dance, yoga
- Singing
- Someone to talk to in a safe space
- Slow breathing
- Creativity
- Sunlight
- Acupuncture
- reduce or eliminate smoking, caffeine alcohol intake
- Supplement with fish oil, magnesium, multivitamin
8 Vitamins and Minerals to lift mood [6]
- Vitamin D – sunshine exposure
- Omega 3
- Magnesium – Dark chocolate, Avocados, Almonds or cashews, Flax seeds or chia seeds, Whole grains and Bananas
- Zinc supplement
- Vitamin B12 – important to supplement if you are vegetarian or vegan
- Folic acid supplement
- Vitamin C supplement
- Potassium – eat adequate fruits, vegetables, legumes, and nuts
- Iron – sources include: Liver, Red meat, Poultry, Fish, Beans and Fortified cereals
Harry’s top tips to move from Anxiety to JOY
- Build an AWARENESS of your anxiety and its symptoms
- Dig deep and APPROVE the reason
- ADDRESS the cause(s) and de-stress
Sally’s top tip’s to move towards living in the NOW
- Focus on the now
- Free yourself from things that cause your anxiety
- Forget about past experiences and old patterns
If you would like to take the next step with Harry Armytage, complete the listening scorecard here
To find out more about what Sally Estlin does, head here
Further reading
- 1: Bandelow B, Michaelis S. Epidemiology of anxiety disorders in the 21st century. Dialogues Clin Neurosci. 2015;17(3):327–335.
- 2 Kotsirilos et al, A guide to evidence-based integrative and Complementary medicine
- 3: Norman Doidge, The brain’s way of healing. Appendix 3
- 4: Reachout, What is Anxiety?
- 5: Harvard Medical School, Understanding the stress response
- 6: Best brain Possible, Eight Vitamins and Minerals that Can Ease Depression and Anxiety
Photo by Aarón Blanco Tejedor on Unsplash