Dealing with Anxiety in Today’s Turbulent World – Besides the normal day to day hustle and immense stress of daily living in the modern world, we now have a pandemic to contend with.
Unfortunately, dealing with anxiety has become somewhat of a normal part of life for many individuals in the world today. Although this problem is not necessarily a new phenomenon, there are certain aspects of modern times that have served to exacerbate the issue.
Due to our world being so connected through the internet, social media and other forms of media, people today are not only exposed to the issues in their immediate environment. Instead, we are shown all of the bad things taking place across the entire globe. Furthermore, we are expected to juggle so many more responsibilities at one time, all while being as productive as possible.
Although anxiety certainly varies in intensity and frequency from person to person, there are a few ways to deal with the problem that is beneficial for anyone experiencing this issue.
We discuss a few of these techniques in order to alleviate some of your anxiety, hopefully improving your overall quality of life:
Live in The Moment
Although it may seem obvious when stated, the only point in time in which you will EVER exist is right now. Ironically, most of us dedicate the bulk of our mental energy into the past or future. Anxiety is great at causing us to replay past mistakes in our head and constantly worry about things that have yet to occur.
A big part of dealing with anxiety is to live in the moment. This means focusing all of your physical and mental energy on what is going on right now. Not only does this simplify life, but it also allows you to get the most out of your limited time.
Trying to deal with your entire past and future on a constant basis makes it virtually impossible to appreciate what is right in front of you.
Control What You Can Control
The truth is, many of the issues causing anxiety in your life are beyond your control. This includes global and community issues as well as problems in your personal life.
What you need to realise is that the weight of the world is NOT on your shoulders, even though it can certainly seem like it at times. Anxiety tells you that you should be worried about solving problems that are way out of your hands.
In reality, focusing on the issues that you actually have the ability to resolve is a much healthier response to a problem-filled world.
It’s Okay to Not Feel Okay
Another side effect of anxiety is a feeling of isolation. People experiencing anxiety on a routine basis tend to feel like they are the only ones dealing with this issue.
Because of this perspective, we often feel like everyone else is much happier than we are like we won’t be accepted if anyone else knew the extent of our anxiety. It is so important to realise that this is far from the truth.
Everyone around you is experiencing some degree of anxiety or mental hang up. You are far from alone. Don’t feel like you have to go through life acting as if everything is okay when it isn’t.
Get Help If You Need It
Finally, if your anxiety is something you are having trouble dealing with on your own, then don’t! There is absolutely nothing wrong with seeking professional help for this issue. Ironically, our society welcomes getting help for even minor physical ailments but acts as if doing the same for a serious mental issue is taboo.
Consider this, if you had the flu, you would seek the appropriate doctor to take care of it. Why would you not seek a doctor that is medically trained in alleviating mental health issues if you are dealing with anxiety? There is help out there, get it if you need it!
Jayne Bennett
Aromatherapist, Alternative Health Practitioner