There is no doubt that for some issues, a “push it button,” to make them disappear would be very welcome. Certainly the state of depression would fall into that category. Some people might say that pushing a button to eliminate anxiety would be wonderful. However “basic anxiety,” has been part of our lives since the dawn of time. It was necessary to have a certain acceptable level of anxiety for our ancestors, as they hunted and then gathered fruit to survive.
This is where the term, “fight or flight,” came from. A person who did not have basic anxiety would not be watching and even smelling the air for danger, as they worked to gather food. It would have led to more of the tribal members being consumed by large predators.
In today’s world we need basic anxiety to keep us safe as we walk the streets, or even take trips into the woods for camping or hiking. Humans are not immune to different types of predators, whether they are animals or other humans with bad intent.
Everyone has different levels of anxiety and performance anxiety is a normal feeling. It can be used to motivate ourselves to do better at sports, speaking engagements or in certain job situations. Anxiety has its role but that role must be controlled by the individual person. If necessary, getting professional help is always recommended. There have been many scientific studies done that confirm the need to control anxiety.
When anxiety becomes an issue even if there is no apparent danger, it then starts to play havoc with our health. A person with anxiety may develop more serious mental health issues or even physical problems.
Constant anxiety can cause blood pressure problems, which in turn if not treated, may lead to a stroke or heart issues.
People with anxiety or depression often report that they have chronic fatigue and muscle weakness in different areas of the body. It is also important to remember that if a person does not originally suffer from depression, their chronic anxiety can induce it.
Alongside severe fatigue and muscles issues, a person may start to suffer from regular headaches of varying degrees.
Anxiety often makes breathing difficult. The first signs are taking in too much oxygen at once, due to hyperventilation. If the anxiety is not addressed and reduced, the long term effect on breathing can become problematic.
Breathing in normal, even breaths means getting the proper oxygen and dispelling unused oxygen and carbon dioxide from the foods we eat. Improper breathing disrupts this in and out process, and this hinders the proper amount of oxygen for all the different organs in the body.
To highlight how important proper breathing is, look at the patient coming out of anesthesia after an operation. Frequently patients experience breathing patterns which are off and instead of waiting for the patient to be fully conscious…the medical professionals will immediately put the patient on oxygen to get the breathing back in the right sequence.
Have you seen those commercials for “upset stomach and diarrhea?” They are quite amusing, yet actual symptoms like these are no joke. With anxiety a person may find that they are irritable and in time, that translates to stomach pain and those frequent long trips to the bathroom.
In this article we have covered the role that anxiety plays in disrupting our physical and mental health. It is very important to remember how it also negatively impacts our relationships. It becomes difficult to retain friends because anxiety makes you want to stay home and hide from the world.
Having a significant other and perhaps children is always a blessing. The role anxiety takes upon itself, is to negatively impact the way you interact with your family. It can cause frequent fights and in some cases lead to severe depression. When your loved ones see that you are struggling physically and emotionally, they begin to suffer as well.
It is important to get your anxiety under control, using research to find strategies just right for you or seeking professional help without delay.
