It has been estimated that around 284 million people in the world have experienced feelings of anxiety. A study performed in 2017 showed the range of anxiety among different countries; mostly among women. With all of this information in mind, it is not uncommon to feel anxious from time to time. It is the level of severity though, that can be troubling.
Anxiety is a feeling. It can be best categorized as a feeling of overwhelming fear, stress, or dread. These feelings can harbor physical distress (i.e. sweating, intense breathing, increased heart rate) as well as mental. Mental instability with anxiety is just as, if not more daunting than physical symptoms.
There are different kinds of anxiety. Some include:
These types of anxiety vary in severity but all still provide stress to the person undergoing it.
There is no shortage of symptoms that can arise from increased anxiety. Some to look out for though to protect others are:
If you notice that you or a loved one is having a number of these symptoms on a daily basis it could be beneficial to look into strategies to help calm anxiousness. Strategies as simple as taking a walk or practicing breathing techniques can begin to combat anxiety. Some even involve simply adding humor to your situations!
Reassurance is words or statements spoken to relieve assumptions or doubts. Ranging from clarification of feelings from one person to another, to questioning whether or not a task was accomplished (i.e locking doors in the house). Anxiety escalates the worries one has explaining why reassurance would be requested.
The issue with the continuation of reassurance is that it is a short-lived reliance. If a person continually seeks answers from others rather than trusting in themselves a cycle begins. If a person is not present to calm the nerves of another, then what are they to do from there? Reassurance is immediate relief rather than a solution.
That there lies the problem. The dwindling of confidence will come at a price in future decision-making. The faster the person sees that without reassurance it is possible to feel less anxious, the better off they will be long-term in dealing with their own problems.
There is hope when trying to help someone you care for break the cycle of reliance. Take it step by step but take note of the following suggestions. Also, understand that there is no time span on how long it will take to break free of these urges.
At the end of the day, it is normal to question yourself. You will not always be 100% correct in every situation, and it isn’t an issue to ask for advice from time to time. It is important though to simply remember that you cannot rely on others always. When you start to wean off of your cycle you will begin to realize you have all the capabilities of resolving your own problems.
Work on trust with yourself, not trusting others who may know you. No one knows what is best for you besides you.
It is not impossible to break this cycle. Begin to build confidence in yourself.