Kat from Changing Tide Counseling and Mental Wellness shares insights into anxiety, especially in today’s world. This article explores what anxiety is, how it looks for different people, the impact of modern life on anxiety, and ways to manage it.
Introduction
Kat is a counselor based in Jervis Bay, New South Wales. She conducts many of her sessions outdoors, believing that nature helps people relax and feel calm. She finds the sound of water, particularly at the beach, very soothing. Kat believes that if nature works for her, it can work for others too.
What is Anxiety?
Anxiety is the feeling of worry about the future based on something negative that happened in the past. When our brain experiences something scary, it remembers the details and tries to protect us from it happening again. For example, if someone is bitten by a spider while reaching into a letterbox, their brain might start to associate letterboxes with danger. This can lead to fear and worry whenever they see a letterbox, even if there’s no spider.
How Anxiety Looks in Different People
Anxiety can look different for everyone. Here are a few ways it might appear:
- Overindulging: Some people may eat too much, spend too much money, or work too much as a way to cope with anxiety.
- People-Pleasing: Others might say yes to everything and try to make everyone happy to avoid conflict and worry.
- Difficulty Sleeping: Anxiety can cause racing thoughts, making it hard to fall asleep or stay asleep.
- Obsessive Cleaning: Some people might clean excessively when they feel stressed or anxious, trying to gain control over their environment.
- Distraction: People might distract themselves from anxiety by procrastinating or spending time on their phone or computer instead of facing their tasks.
Anxiety in the Modern World
Today, people play many different roles. In the past, roles were more defined, like mums staying at home and dads working. Now, one person might be a parent, a worker, a student, and more, all at the same time. This adds a lot of pressure.
The Impact of Social Media
Social media shows the best parts of people’s lives, like vacations and happy moments. We rarely see the hard times, like struggles with anxiety. This can make people feel like they don’t measure up and increase their anxiety.
Access to Information
The internet provides a lot of information, which can be overwhelming. There are many opinions on how to be successful, how to raise children, and more. This can create pressure and anxiety because it’s hard to know what’s right.
Anxiety and Coronavirus
The COVID-19 pandemic has caused a lot of anxiety. People worry about their jobs, health, and keeping their families safe. Watching the news about people getting sick and dying adds to the fear. This kind of constant worry can be very stressful.
Managing Anxiety
While we can’t get rid of anxiety completely, we can learn to manage it. Here are some ways to help:
- Grounding Techniques: Grounding brings your mind back to the present. Using your senses can help. For example, notice five things you can see, four things you can hear, three things you can smell, two things you can touch, and one thing you can taste.
- Breathing Exercises: Deep, slow breaths can help calm your heart rate and tell your body that you are safe.
- Talking About It: Sharing your fears with someone can help you challenge your anxious thoughts and get support.
Kat offers free 30-minute consultations to help create a personalised anxiety management plan. She also has a free online community group on Facebook where people can join and share their experiences.
Conclusion
Anxiety is a common experience, but it can be managed. By understanding anxiety and using techniques like grounding, breathing exercises, and talking about it, people can learn to cope better. Kat encourages anyone struggling with anxiety to seek help and support.