What is Anxiety?

“You have the power to bring your own peace” - Unknown

Anxiety is a natural response to something real or imagined (something you think) is dangerous. When you think of anxiety as a natural response, we can start to demystify it. To some degree, anyone may experience a level of anxiety at any point in their life regardless of it is “clinically diagnosable” by a mental health professional.

How do I know anxiety is negatively impacting me?

Anxiety from stressful situations is different from anxiety disorders which are intense, excessive & constant. Anxiety diagnosed by a mental health professional can be a set of symptoms at a specific point in time. Symptoms of anxiety can increase or decrease based on past and present stress and other individual factors.

3 Tips to begin to manage anxiety

1.  Name it. Being able to name an emotion or feeling can provide powerful relief. Often times, we may feel something and not have the words to identify what it is. By simply bringing awareness to a feeling and naming it you are on your way to being able to manage it.

2. Reflect. Check in with yourself. What do you have going on in your life currently? How are those things affecting you? Are you taking on more than you can handle? If so, who or what can help you?

3.  Seek Support. Talking with friends, family or others that you are in community with can be helpful. If you feel like anxiety is interfering in your ability to do things day to day, I would encourage you to reach out to a licensed professional for additional support.

In a past blog post, I wrote about How to calm anxiety using your 5 senses. Click here, if you're interested in reading it. 

Anxiety is a natural response that anyone can experience at any point in their life. Anxiety can come from a number of situations or be influenced by situations that you have personally experienced. Anxiety that is beyond what you can cope with on a daily basis is treatable. If you are struggling with anxiety and would like relief, reach out to me today to see how we may be able to help lower anxiety’s impact in your life.

Be Well,

Ebony Skinner, PhD, LPC-S

Disclaimer: This blog post is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be or substitute treatment by a Licensed Professional Counselor.