Overcoming Anxiety

Your heart is racing, you’re starting to sweat, your mind is confused, you don’t know what to do or where to go…

Anyone relate to that?

The ‘A’ word has become much more talked about than it used to be. Where it was once more acceptable to suppress unwanted emotions and put on a brave face, today it’s becoming increasingly normal to admit, “You know what? I am anxious.” If you’ve experienced an anxiety attack, the racing heart, sweating and confusion above will be familiar. Anxiety can creep up on any of us, and it’s one of the most distressing experiences a person can go through. It’s common, possibly epidemic in its scale. It isn’t fun… but it is treatable.

This article isn’t exhaustive, and we’d always recommend talking to your GP, counsellor or social worker about what you’re experiencing.

What Is Anxiety, Really?

Anxiety as an emotion is actually natural, normal and necessary. If you’re about to jump off a cliff and feel nothing, something is wrong. If you drive too fast without a flicker of unease, there’s an issue. Anxiety exists for self-preservation – stand in front of a lion and the chemicals released in your brain and body will equip you to run faster. If you feel anxious about public speaking, join the club (it’s the number one fear for around 80% of people).

But if you’re anxious for no apparent reason, or a constant sense of dread hangs around like an unwelcome friend, that’s a different matter. Anxiety becomes a problem when it pops up at unexpected moments, blocks your goals, interrupts holidays, affects your health, limits your potential and steals your joy – whether that shows up as mild, background unease or as full, paralysing panic attacks.

Signs You May Be Struggling With Anxiety

• A constant sense of dread or ‘low-level anxiety’ that never quite lifts
• Panic attacks – racing heart, sweating, a confused or racing mind
• Not wanting to get out of bed because of how anxious you feel
• Anxiety that has become a normal part of your day-to-day emotional experience
• Avoiding people, places or opportunities because of how they make you feel

If any of that sounds familiar, know this: it’s common, there is help, and you are not alone. You can overcome it.

What Causes Anxiety?

Anxiety can develop for a number of reasons, including:

• Family-of-origin issues and dysfunction
• Lack of boundaries
• Lack of routine or structure
• Traumatic events
• Social isolation and relational disconnect
• Drug or alcohol use
• Genetic disposition
• Habitual worrying
• An underlying mental health condition
• Physical or medical conditions – such as high blood pressure or a thyroid issue – that mimic or amplify anxiety symptoms

Some of these factors are beyond your control (genetic disposition, for instance), but many are within it. A big key to overcoming anxiety is focusing energy on what you can control rather than what you can’t. In fact, the whole concept of control is central to anxiety – the more ‘in control’ you feel, the less anxious you’ll generally be.

A major contributor to anxiety in Western culture specifically is relational disconnect. Materialism, ‘getting ahead’ and stressful, driven living can push meaningful relationships out the door and leave a person feeling dissatisfied, lonely and eventually anxious. The antidote is reconsidering your priorities and living in a way that’s conducive to normal, healthy functioning. You’re not a machine – you’re a human being.

Practical Steps to Overcome Anxiety

Overcoming anxiety looks a little different for everyone – for one person it may be a purely neurological issue, for another it’s physical or medical, for another spiritual, and for another it’s relational disconnect. The steps below are general, but well worth applying.

Get the right support

• See your GP first. They can rule out physical causes (like high blood pressure) and discuss whether medication is appropriate – this should generally be a last resort, and always alongside counselling, not instead of it.
• Find a good counsellor and attend regularly, weekly if possible. Be open and honest with them.
• Talk to someone about it – a friend, family member, or support group. Online is good, but face to face is better.

Look after your body

• Prioritise sleep. Keep a consistent routine, and speak to your GP if you need short-term, non-addictive support to get there.
• Get regular exercise, particularly aerobic – it releases pent-up stress and anxiety.
• Review your diet: cut back on caffeine and sugar, and drink plenty of water.
• Get out in the sun for some vitamin D.

Build structure and routine

• Apply some routine to your life if it’s lacking – a set wake time, regular activities, sport or hobbies.
• Take regular breaks and holidays where possible.
• Learn and practise healthy boundaries – how to say no when necessary, set limits, and be assertive.

Reconnect and refocus your mind

• Be intentional about relationships. Move towards people, be authentic, and don’t let stress push connection out the door – love and connection drive out anxiety.
• Get involved in group activity, charity work or volunteering. Acts of kindness and connection help release chemicals that support healthy brain function.
• Practise mindfulness – it’s a ‘muscle’ that needs regular exercise – along with meditation, prayer or breathing techniques, whatever fits your beliefs.
• Feed your mind positive material. Read, watch and listen to encouraging, motivational content rather than doom-scrolling.
• Pursue laughter, on purpose.
• Explore your passions, gifts and creative side – make time for what you actually enjoy.
• Address any (false) guilt you’re carrying – it often sits underneath anxiety unnoticed.

When to Seek Professional Support

Self-help strategies matter, but they work best alongside professional support – not instead of it. It’s worth booking in with a counsellor if anxiety is showing up regularly rather than occasionally, interfering with work, sleep, relationships or daily routine, triggering panic attacks, or leading you to avoid people and situations you’d otherwise want to be part of. You don’t need to wait for a crisis to reach out – the earlier anxiety is addressed, the easier it generally is to work through.

How Breathe Counselling Perth Can Help

If anxiety is affecting your life, you don’t have to figure it out alone. Our anxiety counselling team works with individuals, couples and families across Perth to get to the root of what’s driving anxiety and build practical, personalised strategies to manage it – both in person and online. Book a session to get started.

Be at peace.

Nick