We all have daily human experiences that expose us to a level of anxiety, and even when we may not like to admit it, we all feel a level of normal anxiety. Have you ever thought about what you felt when you had to move away from home for the first time, or how it felt to take that final exam or all those times you had to do something for the first time? It’s absolutely normal to feel anxious in those moments. However, there’s a thin line between beneficial anxiety and when it becomes a problem for you.
What makes the difference between the two levels of anxiety is where it comes from and the intensity of which you feel it.
Normal anxiety comes as a result of our human experiences. No one is invincible, so no one expects you to go through tough or unexpected situations like it’s nothing. It’s normal to get anxious when you’re about to take a huge step. It’s normal to feel a level of anxiety when you’re facing life-changing or defining events. In fact, no one’s going to beat you up for feeling anxious as you walk down an unknown street, lost without any contact. So, it is completely appropriate to feel anxious. Don’t be scared about experiencing anxiety and some level of stress in your life. You can go about your normal life while feeling this normal level of anxiety from time to time. As long as you are able to come to a place of ease of calmness after the event has passed, you are experiencing a healthy level of anxiety.
When your life is filled with stress, it’s usually not farfetched to develop a generalized anxiety disorder. It occurs as a result of excessive and ongoing anxiety that’s present in your life. The main difference between normal anxiety and generalized anxiety disorder is that the latter is a long-term problem. At that point where you begin to realize that the same issue is circulating in your mind with worries for a long time, then there’s a chance you’re experiencing an anxiety disorder; the kind of anxiety that you need treatment or therapy for.
No matter what the genesis of the anxiety you’re feeling is, we can get to the root of it together and steadily overcome it.
Are you the kind of person that loathes going to places with lots of engagements with others? Or the idea of interacting with people makes you anxious? There’s a chance you have a social phobia. Whenever you have to interact with other people in social situations, do you make a million reasons why you’d like to avoid it or create several scenarios in your head on how it can go bad? Well, if this goes on for a while longer than regular (because in reality, there are certain times we need to avoid public scenes), then you may be looking at a social anxiety problem.
Understandably, we have different character traits, but overcoming the phobia of interacting with people is important, no matter where we’re from. Thriving in social settings is an important life skill that we can help you develop.
Anxiety attacks and panic attacks are quite common with people who suffer from a generalized anxiety disorder. Even though they both are different ailments, they usually occur alongside each other. They are characterized by a sudden and intense feeling of fear. While panic attacks can happen to you even when you aren’t on an anxiety streak, anxiety attacks will usually happen due to an underlying anxiety problem. Panic and anxiety attacks are usually triggered by (prolonged) stress.
You’re at risk of experiencing these attacks if you’ve had a history of anxiety or a similar mental health problem. These attacks, if not properly managed, can leave you with life-changing effects. When panic and anxiety attacks are due to your prolonged feeling of stress, you should attempt to look into it.
While it’s not always easy to connect anxiety to something, phobias usually stem from a specific fear, like the fear of heights, enclosed spaces, certain animals, and so on. Overcoming these different phobias can be difficult, but it’s not impossible. Getting the right treatment can help you learn how to manage your fears and live a more fulfilling and productive life.
The constant worry of doing your relationship the right way, or if the person is the right person for you, or if they are who they claim to be, can be exhausting. Yes, it’s totally normal for you to have these worries, especially at the start of the relationship. However, you begin to question the relevance of a relationship that leaves you worrying and anxious with every given opportunity. There are a lot of negative effects that relationship anxiety can cause for you and your relationships. It’s not the best of feelings. But thankfully, it’s something we can help manage and allow you to experience the beauty of your relationships.
We can all agree that perfectionism can have its positive tell-tale signs on our lives. Sometimes, it’s the motivation we need to thrive in life. Other times it’s the only reason we seek to get better. However, when things don’t go our way, it can really go south. What happens when those high standards you set for yourself haven’t or can’t be met? Do you stop trying, or do you quiver in anxiety and negativity?
Having unrealized or unrealistic expectations can quickly push you in the way of anxiety, which will most likely compound your problems. Learning to cope with your perfectionism is sometimes the first step in the right direction of overcoming anxiety. From learning to deal with negativity, reducing stress, and improving self-esteem, we can help you develop a tough skin against your perfectionism and reduce the negative effect anxiety has on your mental health.
Learn more about our anxiety therapy and meet our anxiety therapists in Los Angeles and New York City at Yellow Chair Collective to schedule an anxiety therapy appointment.
Relevant Resources
Yellow Chair Collective: The Podcast | Small Steps, Big Impact: The Simple Path to Starting a Meditation Practice – Jonathan Ly & Yellow Chair Collective
https://open.spotify.com/episode/39HSlyJ2CWXnqe2lBpBht6?si=cQDH7ImRQ-6YdJTncJyG4A
Yellow Chair Collective: The Podcast | Mental Health Basics: How to Keep Yourself Healthy
https://open.spotify.com/episode/6ZaTDsDBQOBMd8eoNd47D4?si=PsDJZDmhTCOhiiRjuGcJUg
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