Many people have experienced anxiety at some points in their lives, I have and I’m sure most of you have. It keeps us alert and helps us deal with any stressful events that we may encounter. Anxiety can sometimes interfere with our daily life activities. If we worry, we often can’t concentrate on the things we do, but if we look on the brighter side of anxiety it can help us handle a situation and can also be used to our advantage. For example, in an exam, because of fear of not getting the score you aimed you tend to give it your best shot and the result could be higher than you expect, therefore anxiety sometimes can be of big help.

Understanding anxiety and fear

Fear, panic, worry, anxiety are all controllable, understanding what they are will help in their daily management. Anxiety and fear causes crisis, being afraid and anxious, begin when we are “or feel” vulnerable. We experience uneasiness and concern which frightens and makes us fearful. This causes timidity, and timidity gives rise to a state of alarm which sometimes involves such hesitation that shrinks us from dealing with a matter or situation that needs to be resolved. The pain and emotion, the tension and stress of anxiety is accompanied by a feeling of helplessness which is negative thought which affects the functioning of the nervous system in dealing with fear and anxiety.

For instance when fear is felt the mind signals a threat, danger, or emergency physically (e.g. a hand raised in anger) or psychologically (e.g. distrust); the sympathetic nervous system immediately comes into action to help protect or defend ourselves to our best possible advantage. Suddenly “automatically” we breath more oxygen which, with cyclic biochemical reactions energizes our ‘electron transport chain’ and synthesizes with other substances in our body, upon that fear signal. This synthesizing of our fear signal quickly turns on electrical impulses which fire from cell to cell at very high speeds communicating that fear to the control center in the brain.

In our anxiety, the brain instantly issues commands to the organs to take action, our organs immediately divert and concentrate energies from other organs to those relevant to our anxiety. The pupils of our eyes grow bigger to see better, the blood vessels expand to more and faster supply, to enable our muscles to react. In aid of that the body produces adrenaline to enhance alertness and our actions for ‘flight’ or ‘fight’, as our values dictate, and as we feel directed by our anxiety.

Anxiety in children

Adult anxiety is usually due to domestic problems; e.g., worry over debt, disapproval, separation, failure. Children have no adult problems; child anxiety can for instance leave a child feeling anxious about the unknown. Child anxiety can often be controlled by ensuring that the child has a feeling of being “protected”. For instance a child’s fear of the dark, a dim light can help ease that fear, but the child needs assurance that you are nearby and can protect or defend them. If the child fears the unknown, maybe over a new environment, accompany the child until it is realized that there is nothing to fear.

Coping with anxiety

Anxiety often results from failure to clearly identify a problem, overcoming anxiety begins with realizing that problems can be resolved and that bad consequences are avoidable. Problem solving involves rational though, for instance if you feel panicky, take a deep breath, hold it to the count of three, exhale slowly; this is regarded as regulating oxygen intake and avoiding body functions and chemical reactions which substitute normal body and mind functions. You will feel less rushed, less panicky and less likely to suffer your fear.

You can learn to control your anxiety by understanding what it is you fear and ultimately why? What part of the problem is causing you the worry, think of what exactly it is your anxious over and “know your enemy” to easier mange anxiety and overcome fear.

Medication

Anxiety can not be cured by medication, it is generally agreed by experts that if we know how to we can better control and manage anxiety.