Anxiety || All consuming

Have you ever felt like you are running a race without even leaving your seat? Well that's what anxiety can feel like, I am by nature a fairly anxious person, but I don't have an anxiety disorder. I worry about things a fair amount of the time, but it is not all consuming, it can peek and trough you know, good days and bad days! Interestingly there is a link between Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS, the condition I have) and anxiety. I first found this out when I read an excellent book by Izzy Judd called Dare to Dream, if you suffer with PCOS I highly recommend it. She tackles the anxiety and PCOS link really well.

Firstly I want to say anxiety is an emotion, it is not in itself a disorder, it can become a disorder, but in its broadest form it is an emotion. It is something we all feel and need and the hormones that are released when we feel anxious (adrenaline and cortisol) are vitally important. They keep us safe and are, our bodies way of saying this isn't right...get out. If we lose feeling anxious we may find ourselves unable to read situations safely. If you work with young people around anxiety I can highly recommend a game called #Whatif? By a youth charity called Youthscape, you can buy it here

Excessive worry

I worry excessively when I fly, I can't help it, I am all consumed by the prospect of not making the flight, being late, not getting through security, hitting turbulence or something going wrong with the aircraft. I worry about worrying when flying. Excessive worry can for some people be all consuming. I try to think of the sentence "calm starts with me", in my head over and over like a mantra. It helps me to re-focus my mind and the rhythm can be calming in itself.

Social anxiety

This is becoming more common, as we see a generation that don't have to be in social situations to see or spend time with their friends. I think if we don't try to help young people continue to be sociable we will end up with a generation that can't walk into a room, look someone in the eye and say "Hi, I'm here for the interview." A good tip for social anxiety can be journalling, thinking about and writing down why you are anxious about the upcoming event or social situation. Try and think about other times you have been anxious and note down if everything was okay, it is likely everything will be okay this time too.

This video explains anxiety really well! (Sorry for the swear word!)

Remember anxiety is an emotion, we need it, it keeps us safe

Ruth x

#anxiety #PCOS #worrying #Socialanxiety #Daretodream