Voix Anxiety handout

What is Anxiety?  

Anxiety is … a part of life. It is a natural reaction to many events in our everyday experiences.  

You’ve heard about the “fight or flight” response. Let’s make sure we’re clear on the definition. It’s necessary to understand because anxiety triggers your body's “fight or flight” response. 

The “fight or flight” response is a series of changes in the body that activate to deal with danger. They are behaviours that make it easier to fight or run. These responses were necessary for us as hunter-gatherers in a dangerous land. For example, your senses are made better, and you are faster to react. Remember how you felt before your first running race or if you were ever physically threatened… these old feelings stir. You are ready to rumble or run for your life.  

Historically, the danger has been associated with stress. Yet, in your world today, many events create stress that is not dangerous in the way they were thousands of years ago when we developed the “fight or flight” response. From your final exams to a social situation, everyday events may make you anxious, and your body will tell the story with these ancient signs. You’re on edge, and you hear your heartbeat. 

When does it go too far? 

These “dangerous” situations are frequent, and it is human to experience anxiety when it comes to difficult times. When does this natural response go too far? When anxious feelings don't go away, happen without any specific reason, and make it hard to cope with daily life, you may have an anxiety disorder. In these situations, the “flight or fight” reactions are activated when there is no real danger/threat. 

There are signs to consider that anxiety has gone too far: 

• It happens more days than not 
• It stops us from being involved in activities everyone else does 
• It causes a great deal of distress 

This is a really common experience. At least 1 in 10 young people experience anxiety that impacts their life! This often starts in early childhood; have your parents ever remarked you were always “worried” or “shy”? This is not always the case; those who were well as kids may develop a debilitating anxiety disorder as teens.  

This may lead to different mental health issues, from depression to substance abuse. After all, many start drinking or taking drugs to deal with their anxiety; this is a well-known behaviour, and you may have seen it begin among a few of your friends or those you know. We must say that anxiety is in the shadow of disorders such as eating disorders and ADHD; it may creep into your life unnoticed. 

You must recognise that the evidence is that anxiety disorders respond very well to treatments like CBT: cognitive behavioural therapy. The delivery of these treatments when you’re a teenager, can make an enormous change. After all, anxiety leads to many adverse outcomes; if you are working through an anxiety disorder, you may become less productive at work and take less from the different things life offers. However, it must be noted: the earlier the treatment, the better. Allowed to go unchecked, anxiety can create havoc well into adulthood. 

Do you have these types of anxiety? 

Social anxiety disorder:   

This happens when you have to be the focus of everyone’s attention. This may be in a small group or a significant crowd. You might always be thinking:  

• “I will do something embarrassing” 
• “Everyone hates me” 
• “I need to act in various ways to make sure they don’t see who I am; if they see that, they will dislike me” 

This sort of thought leads to issues. You may find it difficult to talk to others and answer questions. This may make it hard to make friends. Don’t forget. There are also physical signs this is happening: stomach aches, nausea, blushing, and trembling. 

Generalised Anxiety:  

This is when you are anxious about many things simultaneously, and everything seems to be against you. After all, life is many things: school, sports, exams, health, getting in trouble, money, safety, world events, and more.  

A key sign you struggle with this “generalised anxiety” is that you ask a lot for assurance and repeat this a lot. These may sound like “what if” questions.  

It’s easy to miss seeing generalised anxiety in others and even yourself. Those who experience this may work very hard, and as a result, they glide under cover of doing well at school and seeming well-adjusted. Yet these results may follow from too much worry all the time, and they can find a better way. 

Separation anxiety disorder: 

Do you remember when, as a child, it was hard to be away from your parent or caregiver, especially for long periods? There are exceptions, of course, as there are exceptions to everything. Yet many did feel this way when they were growing up. This natural connection to your parents can evolve into a disorder where you excessively think and worry that something will happen to your parents or yourself during the separation. As a result, you may fear being away from them. There are signs of this: avoiding school, sleeping in the same bed as a parent, and avoiding sleepovers or schools camps. 

Panic disorder  

Have you ever experienced a panic attack? Let’s find out. Here are the signs:  

• A sudden rush of fear 
• Racing heart 
• Breathlessness 
• Tightness in the throat or chest 
• Sweating 
• Lightheadedness 
• Tingling 

There are disastrous thoughts now, and you can believe you are dying. You will remember this as a truly terrifying experience. If you have several panic attacks, you begin to name them a disorder when they happen randomly and are not connected to another fear and your situation. It is so bad that you will worry in future about having more panic attacks. This may lead to avoiding situations challenging to escape from if you have a panic attack: public transport, school assemblies, or exam settings. 

How to spot anxiety in yourself and others 

Here are many behaviours that should cause concern! Not that it is right to become too worried about anxiety. That wouldn’t help. See these things should motivate you to find out more. 

• Skipping school 
• Not doing what you used to like 
• Not trying new things 
• Asking for reassurance, again and again  
• Avoiding eye contact when talking to others 
• Blushing, shaking, or mumbling answers in social situations 
• Becoming sick right before an event or test  
• Being on high alert for danger 
• Always thinking the worst 
• Experiencing distress when the predictable routine is changed  
• Avoiding certain people, places and situations 

How to talk about anxiety 

It’s hard these days to talk about anxiety. Maybe it was always hard; we have historically made fear and vulnerability out to be weaknesses and despised. Yet if you don’t find it within yourself to admit what has been affecting you, an act itself requiring courage, you may find it more challenging to walk further down the path of life. Many around you have the ability and the desire to help you, should you find it within yourself to admit anxiety. For this reason, it is essential to create a space where people feel safe and won’t be judged for talking about their anxiety. 

Early intervention is essential.  

• We need to be brave in discussing our worries and fears! 
• Do it gradually with those you trust 
• Share with people who will encourage your independent approach to your problems. 
• It is better to take a lesson from experience than rush in and make someone else solve the problem for you. 
• Finding the right person may lead you to a counsellor. Their job is to provide a safe environment to share your thoughts.  
• In a terrifying, extreme situation, you may benefit from medication that reduces your thoughts enough to work through them.