Many of you would know that I previously struggled with anxiety. I got to the point where it was affecting my life in so many negative ways.
Anxiety can have a negative affect on your immune system. Continuous stress and anxiety puts your body in constant fight or flight mode, so you are always on edge and unable to relax. These high cortisol levels affect your body in a number of ways, including your immune system. You might notice that you feel really run down and exhausted and you might get sick often. I know when I was in the midst of anxiety, I was sick so often. I would get a cold, then just get over it and a few days or a week later, I would get something else. It was exhausting!
Your relationships can be affected by anxiety. You might notice that you tend to withdraw from social and personal interaction when you are feeling anxious. You might become more snappy with your partner or children, and more irritable in general.
Anxiety can have a big affect on your self esteem. You might notice that voice in your head putting you down and telling you how you can’t do that, who do you think you are, and how hopeless you are. You might notice your confidence start to decline. You might feel weird or different from everyone else, and it can be easy to feel that you are alone. I remember when my anxiety first started, I felt so alone, like I was the only one around who felt like this. That was until I started opening up slowly to a few friends, and they told me that they, too experienced similar.
Your social life can be affected negatively by anxiety. You might withdraw from social outings and from going out in public. You might have fear of looking silly if you start getting really anxious while you are out. You might become quite non social and decline invitations to go out.
You are not alone. In 2019, Beyond Blue published a statistic that said that 1 in 4 people experience anxiety! That is a lot of people. I would be surprised if that number hasn’t increased since then.
One of my favourite sayings, especially when it comes to anxiety is “What if I fall …. Oh my darling, but what if you fly”.
If you are noticing the negative affects of anxiety in your life, then please reach out for support. I offer one on one consultations, or programs to help support you through stress, overwhelm and anxiety. You can find these on my website. Learn to quiet the negative voice in your head, rather switching it to a positive, encouraging one. Remember that you are not alone. Start to rebuild your confidence, self esteem and social skills. Strengthen your immune system. Eat the foods that are right for your own body. Identify what your triggers and causes behind your anxiety are and address these so that you can stop the exhaustion, switch off your stress response and be calm again.