are there recommended ways to cope with anxiety that has now become physical?

Hello T, 

 

I am sorry to hear that you are experiencing anxiety with physical symptoms. Feelings of malaise, pressure, or panic attack, anxiety is characterized by the appearance of a pronounced malaise that can become chronic and affect your daily life. Anxiety is mainly caused by chronic stress, especially in professional activity and personal, after an event such as losing a loved one, illness, a move, or a divorce. Anxiety can also appear at specific essential periods of life; however, in your case, it seems that you have been struggling with it for a long time. 

 

Can you pinpoint when you started feeling anxious? Are you aware of your triggers? You mentioned that you are experiencing physical symptoms (shaking.) Anxiety symptoms are characterized by powerful worry, sometimes felt throughout the day, affecting daily life and activities. You may feel a feeling of fatigue, irritability, concentration, or memory problems related to too many thoughts or sleep disorders. Sometimes, anxiety also leads to bodily manifestations such as muscle tension or pain in the back or neck, a lump in the stomach, or even heart rhythm disorders.

 

Let me share with you some ways to address your symptoms. Anxiety can be appeased when it becomes too prominent in your life. You can then try to put in place certain reflexes that will help you to manage it better and lower your the level of stress gradually, to regain calm and serenity slowly:

• I encourage you to stay away from social networks and distance yourself from the news because it leads to feeling anxious. Moving away from all negatives can also help you feel better and focus on the positive to cure anxiety. It would help if you got away from TV news and social networks because it can lead to depression and anxiety. I recommend instead that you occupy your mind with more relaxing or positive activities, such as sports or meditation.
• When you are stressed and anxious, your breathing changes to become jerkier. Taking the time to practice more conscious breathing, with cardiac coherence, for example, or so-called abdominal breathing can help you relax almost instantly in a crisis. You can also opt for moon breathing, a new relaxation technique to find sleep faster! You must practice it daily to the point where it becomes automatic so that when you experience anxiety, you can access that skill more quickly. 
• Do you journal? Journaling is another technique to fight against anxiety. Practicing daily writing can be an effective way to soothe the manifestations of anxiety by writing down your thoughts and worries of the moment on paper or a computer. 
• I recommend that you go out for fresh air and walk in nature, for a hike, or simply around your neighborhood because being outside is one of the best anti-anxiety treatments to stop the flood of negative thoughts that can invade your daily life. 
• Do you exercise? Do you like to play sports? Exercise is one of the best cures against anxiety as it will boost your metabolism. I recommend that you practice physical activity three to five times per week. Through the secretion of endorphin and dopamine, sport helps you increase your level of well-being and release accumulated pressure. For a double-action, favor outdoor sports activities to benefit from natural light and a breath of fresh air!
• The biological rhythm is often disturbed when the anxiety lasts several days, weeks, or months. Sleep disorders may appear, and eating behaviors favor excess sugar. So try as much as possible to facilitate restful sleep by listening to podcasts for good sleep, for example, and selecting foods rich in vitamins and minerals.

 

I wish you well in addressing your symptoms and reducing your anxiety. I recommend that you start working with a psychotherapist either on BetterHelp or in the community. Psychotherapy (talk counseling) will help you alleviate your symptoms and learn valuable tools that can be used when you experience stress and negative emotions.

 

I am open to taking new clients, and I would love to work with you if you are available for it.