Contributed by Jason Goldsmith, Hats of Wisdom
What is a normal amount of anxiety for a person? Am I crazy? Is anxiety a mental health issue? There are often times in our lives where we may feel the need to ask ourselves if what we are feeling is normal. And normal can be a fairly subjective term since some of us feel the keen edge of anxiety more than others. This doesn’t make us crazy.
Like any other ability, skill or talent, our ability to withstand stress and anxiety differs from those around us. Some people have a higher tolerance than others or may have more experience in handling stress. So, how do we measure if we are having a problem. Counselors have a nifty little tool to use to help individuals gauge how much stress and anxiety a person is feeling and how difficult it is for that individual. It boils down to just a few things. Do we feel anxious, worried or fearful more often than not? Do we have difficulty relaxing or sleeping more often than not? Do we find ourselves thinking of all the worst-case scenarios more often than not? Are we feeling overwhelmed by our current circumstances? Are our friends and family asking why we are so irritated?
If we answer yes to many of these, even if this is our normal, we may want to talk to a counselor in order to learn some new skills to help us gain some much-needed self-care. Living under the constant pressure of stress and anxiety is exhausting for anyone and we are not alone in feeling this way. Stress and anxiety are becoming more common in society and asking for a helping hand does not make us weak or crazy.
Living under heavy stress and anxiety can cause a variety of health issues beyond being a little irritable with those closest to us. It can disrupt our sleep which can lead to depression. It can cause stomach upset to the point we develop ulcers. We can develop severe tension head aches stretching down our back or even migraines. Sweating, shakiness, eye strain and racing heart rate can all be symptoms. Long term stress and anxiety can lead to heart disease and a lowered immune system.
Here at HOW we would like to make ourselves available to you in answering some of your questions and concerns. Please contact us and we will reply in the next edition, or directly, while keeping you anonymous. We look forward to hearing from you.