What is anxiety?
Anxiety is a natural response to stress that can be beneficial in certain circumstances. It can warn us of impending threats and assist us in planning and paying attention. Anxiety disorders are marked by excessive fear or anxiety, as opposed to normal emotions of apprehension or anxiety. Anxiety disorders are the most common mental illnesses, afflicting about one-third of all adults at some point in their lives.
Anxiety disorders, on the other hand, are curable, and there are a variety of effective treatments. The numbers of individuals who receive treatment are able to live regular and meaningful lives.
People with anxiety disorders may try to avoid circumstances that trigger or intensify their symptoms. Job performance, academic work, and personal relationships may all be impacted. In order to be diagnosed with anxiety disorder, a person's fear or anxiety must:
Be out of proportion to the situation
His/her symptoms are seriously impacting life
Interfere with your ability to perform normally.
More examples of anxiety are; generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder, particular phobias, agoraphobia, social anxiety disorder, and separation anxiety disorder are all examples of anxiety disorders.
What are the main symptoms of anxiety?
Almost everyone experiences anxiety; it's tough to say when it's time to be diagnosed with an anxiety disorder. If your feelings of anxiety and dread become incapacitating over time, you should seek help from a mental health expert. Anxiety disorders come in a variety of forms; however the following are the most prevalent symptoms:
Heart rate rises and breathing becomes strained.
Higher muscle tension.
A feeling of tightness in the chest
Unfounded and rising concerns, as well as restlessness
Obsessing over trivial matters might lead to compulsive behaviour.
Restlessness
Trouble Concentrating
Difficulty Falling Asleep
What Causes anxiety? Which factors may contribute
The following are the most common causes of anxiety disorders:
Family history: People with a family history of mental health concerns are more likely to struggle with anxiety. OCD, for example, can be passed down across generations.
Life traumatic events: Anxiety symptoms might be triggered by employment stress, the death of a loved one, or difficult relationships.
Physical health issues: Thyroid abnormalities, asthma, diabetes, and heart disease are all examples of illnesses that really can create anxiety. Anxiety disorders can manifest itself in people who are depressed. Someone who has been depressed for a long time, for example, can begin to perform poorly at work. This could contribute to employment stress, which can subsequently lead to anxiety.
Drug dependency: When the effects of drugs, alcohol, and other substances wear off, those who are heavy users experience anxiety difficulties (as withdrawal symptoms).
Personality factors: Other factors like personality traits anxiety-related concerns might also arise in persons who have specific personality qualities, such as perfectionists or people who like to be in charge.
How can I manage this? Is it normal to have anxiety returning to the workplace after being locked down for COVID?
For many people, the COVID-19 outbreak is extremely draining, drastically altering their daily lives. All members of society, including employers and employees, should play a part in protecting themselves and each other and preventing the disease from spreading further.
Many well-known Consultant Psychiatrists and post-COVID researchers have examined ‘return to work anxiety,' and have compiled guidance and information for those who are anxious about returning to work as certain restrictions begin to lessen following the coronavirus lockdown. Some of them are
Be generous to yourself
It's normal to be unsure and worried. Everyone is gone through a difficult period. Many of us have had to adjust to a new normal that has included spending the majority of our time at home, and the prospect of returning to work might cause anxiety since our brain has been alerted to a new possible risk in front of us. So be generous to yourself and accept that it's natural to experience this way. You'll need to get back into a new rhythm, which can take a little time to adapt to. To avoid becoming overwhelmed, keep stuff basic at beginning. Change is hard for us as humans, so you aren't alone in feeling stressed about returning to work after the lockdown.
Acquire positive coping strategies
When you get really worried, your breathing may increase, causing your heart beat faster and leaving you getting dizzy, disoriented, and much more apprehensive than before. Learning a few breathing methods that allow you to focus on your breath during these periods will help you relax, focus, and relax your muscles and mind.
Another anxiety strategy is to prepare a set of mantras or affirmations, since positive self-talk might allow you to move over any unpleasant or nervous thoughts you might have about the returning to work. Consider the negative things you tell yourself when creating your mantras, and make sure your mantras are the polar opposite of those. The following are a few to consider:
(I am capable of accomplishing this because I am strong and can persevere in the face of adversity. It's alright to feel this way; it won't break me. This self-talk can assist you in overcoming bad emotions and recognizing your positive strengths, all of which will assist you in returning to work)
Interact with other employees with social distancing protocols
When people are concerned, it is usually about unknowns or uncertainties. Many people returning to work are concerned about contracting coronavirus or transmitting it to their family and friends if they become infected at work. Many firms are currently doing risk assessments and taking concrete efforts to ensure that their workplaces are safe. So go to your boss or bosses and learn everything and how the workstation would be changed and also how people will move around inside it.
Sustain healthy everyday routine
When everything seems to be changing all the time, try to have a decent routine and a constructive structure to your day. Scheduling moments of happiness and appreciating the wonderful things in our lives can always be beneficial to our mental wellbeing as well as a pleasant break from our worries.
Seek professional’s help if needed
If your anxiety symptoms are having a significant impact on your life or seem to be getting worsen over time, it is important that you get professional help and assistance. It's quite acceptable for some of us to require additional assistance in controlling our symptoms.
So must speak with your professional mentor who will be able to provide you assistance. Assessments and counseling are still available via Priory Connect, different online counseling service providers, and residential treatment programs are still available at private healthcare hospitals, where different approaches have been modified so that it could be helpful to provide mental healthcare securely. Face-to-face counseling has also been reinstated in certain of hospitals and health centers.