Dealing With Anxiety
It is essential to know that everyone experiences anxiety, which is a good thing because it allows us to prepare for important events or react to dangerous situations. Dealing with anxiety is hard for us, as students, because we are faced with so many various tasks. Anxiety is more than being stressed out, and it can interfere with our daily activities. As students, we learn about anxiety through our own experiences and witness our friends and family deal with their anxiety. It is suitable for us to know what anxiety is but also how anxiety presents within our bodies. Anxiety comes in many various forms and hits each of us differently. It is essential to know the different types of anxieties that we, as students, face on a daily basis.
Anxiety can cause panic attacks, which can look like a heart attack with shortness of breath, chest pains, dizziness, and sweating. Although it lasts for a short time, it can be not very comforting because we may not understand what is going on within us. We need to assess our anxiety; it is good to know and understand how we have been feeling over the past two to four weeks through a couple of questions and anxiety signs. When looking for these signs of anxiety, it is good to know that tense muscles, tiredness, trouble concentrating, and nail-biting are part of anxiety.
Ways of Dealing with Anxiety
Getting enough sleep
It is a good idea for you to get enough sleep, your body needs to rest, and anxiety can get in the way of you having a good night’s sleep. You must keep schoolwork and anything stressful away from where you sleep. Read a book before bed and try some relaxation apps like Calm or Headspace.
Yoga and Breathing Exercises
Yoga can be an excellent way to destress, but it is also beneficial when dealing with anxiety. Doing yoga, meditations and breathing exercises to help with anxiety can feel calm and centred. When you are feeling anxious, it is good to find a place where you’re able to practice yoga or breathing exercises and allow yourself to get comfortable and focus on your breathing. Do this exercise for a couple of minutes till you feel calm.
Being honest with yourself
It is a good thing to be honest with yourself and how you feel, especially with others. Being able to talk to others about your worries and fears can relieve a lot of anxiety. It is essential to know that it is more likely that anxiety will grow even more if you avoid uncomfortable situations. Talking is always the first step to allowing yourself time to heal.
Being Proactive
Exercise is a good thing, allowing you to feel better, both physically and mentally. Going for a walk outside for 30 minutes can be very refreshing, allowing you to clear all the anxious tension. Sometimes you must drag yourself off the couch and exercise your body and mind, which can only be achieved through actual exercise or a good book.
Don’t be a hermit
Reaching out to others who care about you is essential; take some time to see your friends. Go out while following the guidelines for COVID-19. These relationships that you have can help when it comes to controlling your anxiety.
Treating anxiety can come in different ways, from self-help guides to seeing your doctor and asking for help. There is nothing wrong with asking for help, and when we ask for help, it eliminates the stigma around anxiety, giving us and other more of a chance to speak out about anxiety. We, as students, must learn how can we help our friends who may have anxiety. It is good to pay attention to them, watch for signs, listen to them and reassure them, be there to guide them and watch for more severe problems if they do arise.
Don’t forget to check out the new CUE Wellness website to access resources, learn more about the team and participate in any workshops coming up this semester.
https://sites.google.com/concordia.ab.ca/cue-wellness/home?authuser=0
Written by: Deborah Olawale
