No one understands your anxiety? Decode anxiety and master psychological self-help skills!

Author: Shen Daoyin Guangzhou Shengquan Hospital

Reviewer: Sun Lu, Chief Physician of Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chairman of the Psychosomatic Medicine Committee of Guangdong Provincial Association of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Vice Chairman of the Pain and Depression-related Diseases Committee of Guangdong Acupuncture Association

In today's fast-paced society, anxiety has become an unavoidable problem in the daily lives of many people. Whether it is heavy work pressure, academic burden, or tense interpersonal relationships, anxiety seems to be everywhere, affecting everyone's mental health and quality of life. However, when facing anxiety, many people may not be aware of it, or know that they are anxious but don't know how to deal with it. Today, we will explore the identification methods, causes and treatment strategies of anxiety to help everyone better understand and manage this emotion.

1. “Insight” into anxiety: Tips for identifying emotional signals

1. Common symptoms

Anxiety is not without traces. It is usually accompanied by a series of physical and psychological symptoms. Physically, anxiety may manifest as accelerated heartbeat, shortness of breath, sweating, muscle tension, headache, stomachache, lack of concentration, sleep disorders (such as insomnia or hypersomnia), etc. Psychologically, it may manifest as excessive worry, fear, irritability, despair or helplessness about the future, etc. When these symptoms occur frequently and affect daily life and work, you need to be alert that anxiety may be at work.

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2. Situational Analysis

Anxiety is often associated with specific situations or events. For example, when facing an upcoming exam, public speaking, or important decision, people may feel particularly nervous and uneasy. However, if this nervousness is beyond the normal range, persists, and is difficult to adjust, then further assessment is needed to determine whether there is an anxiety problem.

3. Functional impairment

If anxiety is severe enough to interfere with a person's interpersonal relationships, work performance, academic achievement, or ability to take care of daily life, then this is likely a sign that the anxiety symptoms have caused significant impairment in the individual's functioning.

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2. “Unveiling” the source of anxiety: in-depth analysis of the causes

The causes of anxiety are complex and diverse, and may involve the combined effects of genetic, environmental, psychological, and socio-cultural factors.

1. Genetic factors

Studies have shown that anxiety has a certain genetic tendency[1]. People with a family history of anxiety disorders have a relatively higher risk of developing the disease.

2. Environmental factors

Being in a high-pressure environment for a long time, experiencing traumatic events (such as the death of a loved one, divorce, unemployment, etc.), social isolation or poor family relationships may all become triggers of anxiety.

3. Psychological factors

Anxiety levels can also be affected by an individual's cognitive style, emotional regulation ability, and coping strategies. Excessive worry about the future, negative self-evaluation, lack of self-confidence, and lack of effective coping mechanisms can all exacerbate anxiety.

4. Socio-cultural factors

Social and cultural factors such as social competition pressure, excessive pursuit of success, and media exaggeration of anxiety have also contributed to the prevalence of anxiety to a certain extent.

3. “Mastering” Anxiety: Treatment Strategies and Practices

1. Psychotherapy

(1) Cognitive behavioral therapy: By changing bad thinking patterns and behavioral habits, it can enhance patients' understanding of anxiety and their ability to cope with it, help them relax physically and mentally, and guide them to use rational and positive cognition to replace wrong and negative cognition, so that they can learn to look at problems more rationally and reduce unnecessary worries and fears.

(2) Psychological education: Use simple and easy-to-understand language to educate patients about relevant knowledge about anxiety and the complications that may result, help patients establish correct life concepts, improve self-cognition, and enhance their confidence and ability to cope with anxiety.

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(3) Relaxation training: Patients must not keep negative emotions in their hearts. They should vent their negative emotions in a reasonable and correct way, such as releasing inner pressure through meditation, deep breathing, progressive muscle relaxation, etc., which helps to relieve physical tension and reduce anxiety.

2. Medication

On the basis of psychotherapy, doctors may prescribe anti-anxiety drugs or antidepressants according to the patient's specific situation. These drugs can help patients quickly relieve the symptoms of anxiety, but they must be used under the guidance of a doctor to avoid abuse and dependence.

3. Lifestyle Adjustments

(1) Good sleep: Good sleeping habits can help stabilize emotions and reduce anxiety. It is recommended to ensure a comfortable and quiet sleeping environment and try to avoid consuming caffeine and alcohol within 6 hours before bedtime. You can do some relaxing activities before bedtime, such as listening to light music or meditating, and avoid using electronic devices that affect sleep.

(2) Healthy diet: A balanced diet helps maintain physical health and improves psychological resilience. Increasing the intake of citrus fruits, tomatoes and other vegetables and low-fat dairy products, and reducing the intake of high-fat dairy products and desserts can reduce the risk of anxiety and depression.

(3) Moderate exercise: Exercise can relieve stress and promote physical and mental health. You can choose to do exercises that can relax your muscles and calm your mind, such as jogging, yoga, Tai Chi, swimming, etc.

(4) Cultivate interests and hobbies: Participating in activities that interest you, such as reading, calligraphy, photography, fishing, painting, etc., can divert your attention, build self-confidence, and increase the fun and satisfaction of life.

4. Social Support

Establishing and maintaining good interpersonal relationships and seeking support and understanding from family, friends or professionals are essential to alleviating anxiety.

Anxiety is one of the most common emotional problems in modern people, but through scientific identification, in-depth cause analysis and effective treatment strategies, we are fully capable of managing and overcoming it. More importantly, when facing anxiety, we must have the courage to face our emotional state and actively seek help and support.

【References】

[1] Zhang Hongyan. Correlation analysis between generalized anxiety disorder and genetic and environmental factors in adolescents[J]. Marriage, Reproduction and Health, 2022, 28(16): 113-115.