It is a discomfort that is felt in the body, more commonly known as anxiety, takes by surprise, squeezes the chest and almost all of us have already been confronted with it.
One calls “anguish”, the discomfort which occurs without warning and which causes a more or less intense feeling of discomfort. It can be a simple tightness in the stomach or more violent, it can turn into an anxiety attack (difficulty in breathing, palpitations, sweating …). We tend to confuse anxiety and stress, which are however different. The stress is due to a particular cause (an exam, a meeting …) external to the subject while the anxiety arises without apparent cause but the subject is afraid for his own survival.
Where does the anxiety come from?
It can find its source in several causes: traumatic family events, exacerbated guilt or by contagion, when one is surrounded by anxious peoples.
How to recognize it?
Anxiety leads to complexes (I don’t think I’m pretty, I can’t stand having my picture taken), psycho-rigidity (it can prevent one from moving forward) and sometimes, taken to the extreme, phobias. It is expressed in different ways in individuals: a drive to seduce (wanting to please at all costs), hyperactivity, or aggression (especially with relatives).
The effects may be insomnia, anorexia, or enactment paralysis (anxiety may prevent it from acting in some cases).
How to manage your anxiety?
If understood and analyzed, anxiety can be a good way forward. Anguish is a fundamental experience for man; it allows him to understand the meaning of his existence in the face of death. It can become a real driving force, and when it is overcome, it is a blessing that allows you to surpass yourself. But how to live with it, overcome it, and transform it into a springboard?
Here are some ideas:
It is about getting to know anxiety. You have probably already felt bad or have gloomy thoughts, without knowing why. You have to understand the body’s signals and pay attention to them. Recognizing anxiety as such is essential. Differentiate it from stress; knowing that such and such an event or that triggered this feeling in us is the first thing to do. Once the anxiety is spotted, you have to name it and dare to look back to understand the impact of negative emotions from the past (when I go out to a nightclub, I am anxious when my friends drink alcohol / I have had an alcoholic father).
Knowing how to question on self is an integral part of the process of overcoming anxiety
It is important not to always blame the outside world, bad luck. Knowing how to question yourself is an integral part of the process of overcoming anxiety. Analyzing some of his actions that can transcribe real fears or real desires is an essential step. It can take time, but by arming yourself with patience and willpower, it is possible.
Finally, once it’s spotted and analyzed, the angst is ready to be tamed.
Some people don’t even realize they are anxious. How then to manage your anxiety and use it to move forward? Admitting your anxiety (to yourself and to others) is a good place to start. Listening to your body and its sensations is very important. From the moment we admit that there is a discomfort, it is easier to find the means to get it through.
Openness to others and socialization are also factors that can liberate and really act on anxiety. Talking to someone can be lifesaving. Be careful not to suffocate the others … and yes, it is always about dosage!
Relax and unwind
Yoga, Ayurvedic massage, therapeutic massage is all ways to relax, to calm down. These activities are the link between body and mind, and allow you to relax and regain self-awareness. It is in-depth work.
In addition, we too often forget to take the time. Our lives are full, going 100 miles an hour, and taking time for yourself has almost become frowned upon! You have to know how to say stop, and return a little to the cult of slowness. Everything (almost) that we do deserves that we take the time to do it. When you’re with someone, really listen to them, without thinking about the groceries you have to do for dinner or the letter you forgot to post.
Rediscover the pleasure, the desire
One of the first consequences of anxiety is to lose the desire, the pleasure. We stop doing things that used to do us good before, the desire gradually crumbles. Stop! We find our creativity again; we make it walk again and we get back to activities that do us good. The fact of creating means that we trust each other, that we think we can do beautiful things. So we take our tools, pen, brushes or scissors back and we get to work!
Work on yourself
Taming your anxiety requires real work on yourself. The goal is to choose his life instead of undergoing it. No longer be afraid to live, no longer let yourself be crushed by anguish (of illness, death, failure) but to act to take care of yourself and give meaning to your life.
Questioning yourself, delving into your past surpassing yourself. Taming your anxiety requires great personal involvement. This introspection can be long and painful, but it is necessary. A therapist can help with this work on you.