Anxiety: it is not your enemy, it is your ally

Anxiety is a silent messenger that we don't always understand, which starts out soft, but not perceiving it, increases his voice.

This, more than an enemy, is a companion that will warn when something is not right, and taking it as an ally will make life a little easier.

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What is anxiety?

Basically, anxiety is an emotion that seeks to protect the person who suffers from it, prompting her to put aside dangerous situations, or otherwise to face the situation. Although it is generally uncomfortable, this is what has allowed the human being to survive throughout history. Anxiety, being an innate response, can present or be detected through different types of symptoms, such as:

• Nausea and tremors.
• Increase in blood pressure.
• sweating

This symptomatology appears in order to be able to react to the apparent threat. Being another way of noticing the presence of anxiety, through recurrent thoughts about the uncertain future. In most cases these anxious episodes are avoided because they are unpleasant and uncontrollable. And although it is understandable that it is uncomfortable and you want to leave it for later, it is not always the best choice.

Notably when anxiety appears these experiences are often called "episodes", since these last a certain time. Although these episodes will not last forever, postponing them can prolong them and make them stronger and stronger.

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When can anxiety be your enemy?

It's all a matter of perception; Although it is true that anxiety can paralyze and cause uncomfortable reactions or situations, it is worth asking ourselves what is really happening with it and why it is alerting us in this way. Keep in mind that Saying that anxiety is your enemy is like saying that you are your own enemy..

It could be said that anxiety is that misunderstood and annoying part, which is present to take care of us sometimes. And it is that, although this generates fear and on some occasions can cause panic, it seeks to protect us.

However, anxiety can start to be our enemy when we lose control, and we let the voice of anxiety grow. Making even though you are doing other activities, you can't learn to deal with it, making it look like a monster.

In any case, you should know that the main function of anxiety is adaptive. In other words, the ideal in its presence would be to make it adjust to the environment to take advantage of it.

An example would be a dismissal, where at first we would not know what to do, but if we focus the anxiety that this can generate in us, it is most likely that we will end up heading towards getting a new worked.

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How to deal with anxiety?

As mentioned before, anxiety is a natural reaction of the body. However, there are some techniques that can help you learn how to handle it. It is important to note that the above is not a substitute for therapy, so psychologists are an excellent option to help you learn how to cope in the best way.

Clarifying the above, some of the 'tips' that you can take into account to better face anxiety on your own, are the following.

1. make lists

Write down the things that worry you, along with the times when this concern is presentIt is more useful than you think. This technique will allow you to get to know yourself better. In addition, it may give you a clue as to what you were missing, and it will help you see the reason for your worries.

It will also help you to be clear about what you want to talk about with the psychologist in an organized way, and will allow you to make notable progress in therapy.

2. Practice mindful breathing

One of the biggest problems is controlling our breathing, especially when we are suffering from an anxiety attack, or when we find ourselves in a situation that upsets us. By paying attention to the way you breathe, you will be able to regulate the rhythm with which you do it, and you will proceed to calm the mind, as well as the physical symptoms that you are experiencing during the anxious episodes.

You can use the method of taking a deep breath for 7 seconds, holding it for 3 seconds and exhaling for 6 seconds. The ideal is to repeat the process as many times as you consider necessary.

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3. go to psychotherapy

In therapy, tools are sought for what we do not know how to fix, and in the case of anxiety, this does not appear for no apparent reason, since it usually has a reason for being. Understanding and dealing with anxiety is not something we have to do alone.

In these cases, psychologists can accompany you and make the process faster and more pleasant to solve. It is only a matter of trusting and looking for which of them will generate the most confidence in you to start the process..

• Related article: "The 10 benefits of going to psychological therapy"

4. Watch your health

Another important thing is to take care of healthy habits, which means taking into account diet, sleep schedules and exercise. This is essential, because good habits guarantee the segregation of those hormones that the brain requires to carry out its cleaning and maintenance, allowing you to generate what you need to be happy and not generate these annoying thoughts.

5. Practice Mindfulness

Contrary to popular belief, it is a simple practice, which It consists of keeping the mind in the "here and now". This can be achieved by paying attention to your thoughts constantly, you can also find different groups and books where they can show you how to do it. Similarly, your psychologist can show you exercises to achieve this.

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What to do if I suffer from anxiety?

The first thing is to have patience, and rely on professionals. On the other hand, it is important to remember that anxiety is a normal emotion, part of human nature.

Keep in mind that understanding anxiety will decrease symptoms. In addition, you will have tools to face it when it is presented through its "episodes".