How to Allay Anticipatory Anxiety
Worrying about the future and how an event might go is a common practice as people have many responsibilities and duties they are expected to fulfill. It is normal to feel this way. In fact, it may even be beneficial. Feeling worried can inspire you to make a short, simple plan to achieve your goals. In addition, controlled amounts of anticipatory stress can improve the recovery of cortisol and blood pressure after a stressful event. However, sometimes this worry becomes extreme and you grow concerned with potentially improbable situations, failing at performing a task, and being embarrassed in front of others. This is the general essence of anticipatory anxiety.
So, what causes it and what does it look like? Any definite or potential future occurrences can set it in motion. Specific causes include generalized anxiety disorder (continuous anxiety about life), social anxiety disorder (anxiety and self-consciousness in social situations), phobias (excess fear of something), panic disorder (losing control in uncontrollable fits of fear), genetics, trauma, other medical conditions, and medication (as a side effect). Knowing the cause and what to address can help in potentially preventing and mitigating the symptoms. Common symptoms are constant tenseness, restlessness, racing thoughts, accelerated heart beat, difficulty focusing, and increased perspiration. One or a combination of multiple indicators can adversely affect daily life.
While it is important to plan for the future, it is also crucial to focus on the present. First, thinking of the future too much can make you oblivious to current opportunities that you did not expect. Second, living in the present can raise your self-esteem since preparing yourself for the future is dismaying due to the immeasurable number of factors, both known and unknown, that can influence what happens. Finally, dwelling on the contemporary situation can increase your appreciation for life since you can only experience things once.
There are many techniques you can use to prevent or mitigate anticipatory anxiety. First, make sure to get enough sleep (for teenagers that is at least eight hours and preferrably more) since it is when your body and brain develop and rest. Meditation and breathing exercises can aid in falling asleep if you are feeling overwhelmed as they focus your mind on things you find calming. Second, limiting your intake of caffeine can reduce stress since caffeine is a stimulant, which means it intensifies brain activity. Third, keeping a journal can help you express what exactly is burdening you and keep track of the intensity and symptoms. Releasing your repressed feelings can increase your self-appreciation. Another method of freeing your emotions is to talk to someone you trust since they can relate to and give advice on how to solve whatever is stressing you. This can be a parent or guardian, friend, teacher, extended family member, or somebody else. Finally, if your anxiety worsens and it becomes impossible to focus on things you are doing, then you can get help from a counselor or calling the appropriate hotline listed in the first source (scroll down).
In closing, thinking of the future is essential and can be nerve-racking, but living in the present can be equally as important as life is unpredictable and being stressed about what lies ahead can make you blind to the occasions only available to you currently. Eckhart Tolle, a German teacher and self-help author, stated, “Stress is caused by being here but wanting to be there, or being in the present but wanting to be in the future. It’s a split that tears you apart inside.”
Sources:
https://neuronup.us/psychology/work-stress-definition-types-causes-and-consequences-for-health/ (Cover Image)
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