Anxiety definition:

Anxiety is also referred to as worry and is an emotional state which is described by its emotional and behavioral factors.

It is the unsettling feeling of panic and worry. Anxiety can either be mild or severe, with the latter even being debilitating.

Causes of anxiety:

Anxiety is a condition which comes about as a result of stress within our lives. People are different since some will be more susceptible to anxiety than others.

With this said, it is important to note that people suffering from anxiety can effectively learn how to manage it. One common cause of anxiety is speaking negative about yourself, this is a pattern of behavior where a person learns to only think of how bad things will get.

Recognizing anxiety:

Other than that feeling of being worried and fearful, you will also experience a number of changes which will affect you physically. Some of these physical symptoms include:

• Tense muscles
• Quivering
• Churning stomach
• Unsettles stomach
• Diarrhea
• Mild or severe headache
• Backache
• Palpitations of the heart
• Numbness of the hands or legs
• Hot flushes

In most cases people often mistake the physical symptoms of anxiety and think of it to be signs of a physical ailment. Some even go as far as thinking that they might experience a heart attack or even a stroke. This then brings in the factor of negative thinking which only leads to worsening the state of anxiety.

Everyone gets anxious once in a while, however it becomes an issue when it starts to take control of your life without any real threat or continues to affect you even after the threat has been done away with.

Some people are also in the habit of avoiding anxious situations, this is only a temporary solution as the problem always finds a way to get back into your life and begin to affect different areas in your life. By avoiding anxious situations, it will end up significantly affecting your life as you will find it difficult to even go to shopping mall, for lectures or crowded places.

In most cases, by avoiding a situation the chances are that:

• You will begin to worry about what will happen in the future
• Each time you avoid a situation it will become more difficult for you to face it anytime it comes again
• As time goes by you will slowly get into a habit of avoiding things

How to manage anxiety:

There are various things you can do to help yourself feel better and they include:

• Learning how to handle stressful situations in your life. Deal with issues which may be a source of stress if left unattended and always spare some time from your busy schedule for relaxation.
• Make use of different relaxation techniques. This can either be physical or meditation techniques which come in quite handy.
• Find ways to move away from negative thoughts about yourself to refreshing  and positive thoughts.
• There are various breathing exercises which will help you relax and get rid of the stress.