Before I started seeing patients in primary care I had no idea how many people are affected by anxiety. I define this problematic emotion as a feeling of uncertainty, worry, concern or unease. WHAT IS IT? It is not the rational fear of a physical threat in front of us right now. It’s more vague, not necessarily based on a current threat. When the anxiety takes over it causes physical changes in our bodies. We tend to hunch over, The shoulders roll forward and inwards, moving towards a fetal position. The heart starts to beat faster and harder increasing blood pressure. Breathing speeds up and we can feel shortness of breath. The eyes quickly dart around the room, looking for danger. Anxiety can cause muscle tension, sweating, shaking, nausea, and headaches. The emotional and physical changes feedback on each other and can cause everything to spiral out of control into a full blown panic attack.

HOW DO WE COPE? There are lots of techniques to cope with anxiety and take back control of your life. You might start with a simple change in your posture or a few moments of deep breathing. These deliberate changes to your physical body send messages to your brain that you are not in danger. Progressive muscle relaxation, guided imagery and meditation work on similar principles. Taking a walk outside, weather permitting, even looking at photos and videos of nature help relax the human body. That translates to feelings of improved wellbeing, calmness and peacefulness. Engage in hobbies, work out, dance, journal, ask for a hug, organize something. These are all things YOU can do to manage anxiety and stress. The Therapist AId website has great worksheets with instructions on some of these coping skills. I particularly like their worksheet with strategies to cope with anxiety.

There are more powerful techniques that a therapist can guide you through like challenging irrational thoughts. I found my recent therapist (everyone should try it) using the Psychology Today website find a therapist tool. Here’s who’s listed in Phoenix.