How to Manage Your Anxiety

Living your Best Life Series

by JODY BERNAT, MA, Certified Wellness Coach

Are you experiencing anxiety regularly? Does it interfere with your daily life?

If you ask a group of people that question today, you will most likely hear a resounding yes from some, if not all of them. From early ages to late adulthood, more and more we hear about the prevalence of anxiety. Whether it emanates from social situations, political discourse or family drama, anxiety can be difficult to manage. Some describe their symptoms as a feeling of dread or nervous worry that can be debilitating. Others experience extreme fear of outcomes that may or may not be based in the realm of possibility. Understanding the triggers and having a plan of action can provide relief from the symptoms. Finding a good treatment professional is key to getting symptoms under control.

DEFINING ANXIETY. 
According to the Mayo Clinic, "experiencing occasional anxiety is a normal part of life. However, people with anxiety disorders frequently have intense, excessive and persistent worry and fear about everyday situations. Often, anxiety disorders involve repeated episodes of sudden feelings of intense anxiety and fear or terror that reach a peak within minutes (panic attacks).These feelings of anxiety and panic interfere with daily activities, are difficult to control, are out of proportion to the actual danger and can last a long time."

Anxiety disorders are the most common mental health concern in the United States. An estimated 40 million adults in the U.S., or 18%, have an anxiety disorder. Approximately 8% of children and teenagers experience the negative impact of an anxiety disorder at school and at home, according to NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness).

Scientists believe that many factors combine to cause anxiety disorders:

• Genetics. Some families will have a higher than average numbers of members experiencing anxiety issues, and studies support the evidence that anxiety disorders run in families. This can be a factor in someone developing an anxiety disorder.
• Stress. A stressful or traumatic situation such as abuse, death of a loved one, violence or prolonged illness is often linked to the development of an anxiety disorder.

SYMPTOMS. 
Symptoms of anxiety may include feelings of extreme worry, concern, fearfulness and overall nervousness. These symptoms can be uncomfortable and overwhelming for some and may or may not interfere with daily life. However, anxiety will typically affect mood, productivity and overall well-being. Symptoms may also include looping thoughts, sweating, shaking, crying and feeling depressed. Learning to recognize and manage these symptoms is important, particularly if the anxiety symptoms are interfering with activities, work or relationships. Some experience such crippling effects that they are unable to function or are limited in their abilities. This can lead to other health concerns that may have additional negative impacts. Anxiety attacks can elevate blood pressure, cause heart palpitations and may induce other stress related illnesses. Relationships can also be greatly impacted leading to break-ups, misunderstandings, loss of employment and subsequent loss of income. Realizing that anxiety is very real and is an important issue to address can be a first step in seeking help.It's important to identify what you're experiencing, how often it occurs and then determine how much it's interfering with your well-being. Treatment may be essential if your anxiety is chronic and has become disordered in order to live a more productive and peaceful life.

SUPPORT. 
Seeking professional help can provide relief from the effects. Support is available from professional mental health workers—therapists, psychologists, psychiatrists and life/wellness coaches--in addition to connecting to your personal network of family and friends. In some cases, medication may be prescribed by a medical professional. Whether anxiety is occasional or frequent, the symptoms can be addressed and lessened with proper guidance. There are a variety of ways to find mental health professionals, including getting a referral from your physician or a friend, or by researching online. You can also search for therapists online through local and state psychological associations. 

As a wellness coach, most of my clients come to me by referral from other clients and by professionals in the mental health and medical field. Finding a good fit with someone trustworthy who understands your situation can give you the support you need to work together on finding solutions. When choosing a professional practitioner you may also want to consider what methods they use, if there’s a physical location or online support, and how they charge for their services. Some clients prefer the convenience of remote sessions, while others are more comfortable in person. 

TREATMENTS. 
Therapy and Coaching are effective methods of addressing anxiety, and may include Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Reframing with neuroplasticity, in addition to a variety of other modalities.

CBT TREATMENT.
Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is an evidence-based treatment that’s grounded in theory and skill-based dialogue and is an effective form of psychotherapy for anxiety disorders. It provides a supportive, nonjudgmental and safe environment that allows you to talk openly with a mental health professional. It is a structured, goal-oriented type of talk therapy. It is based on several core principles, including:

• Issues are partly based on problematic or unhelpful patterns of thinking.
• Issues are partly based on learned patterns of unhelpful behavior.
• Issues are partly based on problematic core beliefs, including central ideas about yourself and the world.
• People can learn better ways of coping with their issues and help relieve their symptoms and improve their mental and emotional health.

Be sure to seek qualified practitioners if you would like to explore CBT as treatment.

NEUROPLASTICITY.
If you are struggling with anxiety and possibly co occurring other mental health concerns, you are not alone. Seeking help is a good sign of self-care and self-love. Building emotional and mental strength is similar to building muscle in the gym. Through repeated exercises, you can learn to manage your anxiety and strengthen your coping skills. Neuro-scientists have proven that we lay neuro pathways in the brain that are deepened by continuously building the pathways. At the same time, pathways that don’t serve us that we’ve built and strengthened, can be lessened through new patterns and thought processes. Thanks to neuroplasticity—the brain’s ability to create and reorganize neural connections—people can find relief from anxiety, depression, substance abuse, obsessive-compulsive disorder and everyday mental health challenges, says Jeffrey Schwartz, MD, a research psychiatrist with the UCLA Department of Psychiatry. Dr. Schwartz proposes a four step process: 1. Relabling: telling the brain to be an observer, your label is not who you are 2. Reframing: assessing and discerning whether to act on the brain messages or not. This also requires mindful awareness, which “helps you make choices and activates a part of you that I like to call the wise advocate,” Dr. Schwartz says, “your inner loving guide that helps you make good choices and helps you refrain from things that lead to problems for you.” 3. Refocus: training ourselves to act on these insights—consciously deciding how to respond to bothersome thoughts.To refocus is “making a choice to direct your attention by focusing your attention on something else that is productive and wholesome,” Dr. Schwartz says. “Do another wholesome behavior.” It should be an enjoyable and familiar behavior, he adds, such as gardening, listening to music or playing a musical instrument.
4. Revalue: The first three steps automatically lead to the fourth: revalue. This is the process of learning not to take thoughts and urges at face value and instead applying awareness and discernment. “You realize (the thoughts) are simply sensations caused by deceptive brain messages, and then the experience itself changes. The meaning of the feeling changes. It’s no longer something that grabs your attention in the same way, because you become adept at dismissing it,” says Dr. Schwartz. Repetition of these four steps changes the brain over time.

WELLNESS COACHING.
Wellness/Life Coaches offer a team effort that begins with awareness and includes setting measurable goals for change. Some of the tools and techniques I find useful to assist clients to counter anxiety attacks include: breath work, change of physical location, mindfulness, grounding, exercise, proper nourishment, meditation, self-care, listening to uplifting music and podcasts, reading, journaling, resetting thoughts (cognitive shuffle, eye movement, breathing techniques), and connecting with family, friends and support groups. Having a Coach is similar to an athletic coach. The primary focus in my practice is: “what do you want” and “how do you get it.” Clients meet regularly and have clear directives on how to counter triggers, how to reframe thoughts and recognition for achieving milestones. We dig into when this occurs and then set a plan for how to counter the negative experience. Having regular sessions serves as a reminder to employ the techniques set forth and keeps clients accountable. Together we practice various methods. For example, when one of my clients presented with recurring looping anxiety attacks at work, we began our session by bringing awareness to the occurrences, what triggers set off the symptoms and then developed a tool chest of "go to" actions. Typically, we start with a safe space, slow and deliberate breathing and recognizing the positives in that moment. In time, clients typically have a solid understanding of what to do, which tools to use and how to manage their symptoms on their own.

EMPOWERING SELF.
I have seen a lot of success in working with individuals who struggle with anxiety as one of their primary issues. Knowing you can do something about it is is not only empowering, but it can give relief from suffering. Through awareness, skills, tools and support, those who struggle can dramatically improve their well-being and live their best lives.

You can be in control of your anxiety--instead of letting it control you—and that can be a game changer. 

JODY BERNAT IS A CERTIFIED WELLNESS COACH, HOLDS A MASTER'S IN ADDICTIVE DISORDERS AND IS A CERTIFIED ATHLETIC COACH. SHE HAS PRODUCED AND FILMED THREE DOCUMENTARIES, IS PUBLISHED IN PROFESSIONAL JOURNALS, AND CAN BE REACHED TO SET UP SESSIONS AT: [email protected].