Anxiety is a normal response to situations that make us worried, concerned, and stressed – and this can come from a wide range of things. Being a normal occurrence, it’s widely believed that a lot of people develop their own ways to manage their anxiety, and this much is true. Unfortunately, there’s still a lot of people who experience anxiety in such a way that it can greatly affect the way they live their lives – and if this becomes unresolved, it can potentially cripple their way of life. In order to help people with anxiety, however, we must first have an idea of what it is and how it can affect others.

It’s perhaps important to understand that when we talk of “anxiety,” it doesn’t automatically mean you have to get checked immediately. In fact, anxiety is a normal thing for people to feel. Rather, it’s when these feelings of anxiety persist that you may be dealing with an anxiety-related disorder.

• For instance, it’s normal to feel anxious about events ranging from major (buying a home, taking a test, conceiving a child) to practical issues (health, money). It’s also normal to feel afraid, apprehensive, or anxious in the presence of large animals or large insects, and to be anxious if you’ve forgotten if you left the stove on.
• However, it is worrisome if you don’t leave your room or house for prolonged periods of time, and if you’re afraid of crowds because of a previous traumatic experience. These can be considered anxiety-related disorders.

It’s important to understand that while there are different kinds of anxiety-related disorders, they’re generally characterized by excessive and ongoing fear, nervousness, and worry to the point of having negative effects to someone’s life and their capabilities to function as individuals.

There are generally three kinds of anxiety-related disorders:

• Anxiety disorders are normally described as a feature of excessive anxiety or fear that can have negative repercussions on one’s emotions and behaviours. This is an excessive worry about a future threat (anxiety) or to a perceived threat (fear).
• Obsessive-compulsive disorders and its related conditions are characterised by thoughts that are intrusive and obsessive that trigger certain compulsive behaviors. These behaviors are done in order to “alleviate” the said anxiety. For instance, some people with OCD tend to do excessive exercise in order to alleviate their worry about their size.
• Stressor-and trauma-related disorders are anxiety connected to the experience of a trauma, such as an accident or a loss, or a stressor, such as going to college or moving.

Anxiety is something everyone has felt at some point in their lives, and as such we may have developed our own ways of coping with our personal fears and worries throughout the years. Unfortunately, sometimes these “strategies” don’t work, and anxiety can feel too overpowering to manage. If it ever comes to a point that anxiety is becoming too intense or overwhelming, it’s important you try to seek help. Please don’t hesitate in contacting ACT of Living and seeking help from our psychologists, as they’re equipped with the kind of training and experience that may help you find better solutions for your anxiety woes.