What is Anxiety?
The word anxiety means “a state of being uneasy, apprehensive, or worried about what may happen.” It is also described as a “feeling of being powerless and unable to cope with threatening events . . . [characterized] by physical tension.” Though this is a dictionary definition, it certainly fits the way that many women feel about their lives today. The frequency with which women feel anxiety is reflected in my medical practice: My patients complain about anxiety and other emotional symptoms more than anything else. This is true whether they are seeking help for primarily psychological or physical ailments. The Emotions of Anxiety Anxiety for most of us is an inevitable part of life. We all encounter everyday, real-life situations to which anxiety is a reasonable response. These situations can be as major as a death, divorce, or job loss, or as seemingly minor as going to the doctor or meeting new people at a social event. Although anxiety is a very common emotional response, its expres
Anxiety is a common experience that people may feel in different ways. Some people may feel apprehensive, nervous, or even fearful. Anxiety is probably a very adaptive, good part of our ability to cope with the world. For example if we have a test coming up and we feel anxious, or a big project at work, that anxiety may spur us to study harder or to prepare more for our test.
Anxiety affects our whole being. It affects how we feel, how we behave and has very real physical symptoms. It feels a bit like fear but whereas we know what we are frightened of, we often don’t know what we are anxious about. Mild anxiety is vague and unsettling – severe anxiety can be extremely debilitating. What causes anxiety? Anxiety is often triggered by stress in our lives. Some of us are more vulnerable to anxiety than others, but even those who become anxious easily can learn to manage it well. We can also make ourselves anxious with “negative self-talk” – a habit of always telling ourselves the worst will happen. How will I recognize anxiety? As well as feeling apprehensive and worried (possibly without knowing why), you may experience some of the following physical symptoms: • Tense muscles • Trembling • Churning stomach • Nausea • Diarrhoea • Headache • Backache • Heart palpitations • Numbness or “pins and needles” in arms, hands or legs • Sweating/flushing It is easy to mi
Anxiety can be a normal “alarm system” alerting you to danger. Imagine coming home and finding a burglar in your living room. Your heart beats fast. Your palms get sweaty. Your mind races. In this situation, anxiety can provide an extra spark to help you get out of danger. In more normal but busy situations, anxiety can give you the energy to get things done. But sometimes anxiety can be out of control, giving you a sense of dread and fear for no apparent reason. This kind of anxiety can disrupt your life.
