Get Over Your Crippling Anxiety 

While everyone may experience a bit of nervousness because of some life events, for others it becomes a case of crippling anxiety. For some, they feel the sense of overwhelming fear that they cannot move or do anything and this happens even when there is nothing to worry about. 

While it is normal to feel anxious when we don’t know what to anticipate, it is out of the ordinary to feel nervous and worried over the smallest of things that you do not need to think about. It becomes an issue when you feel anxiety on prolonged periods of time when normally, it should subside when the perceived threat passes. 

Signs Of Crippling Anxiety

Spotting an anxiety is a bit difficult because the outward signs are similar to that of normal feelings of nervousness or worry. The real battle of crippling anxiety and similar disorders are in the mind of those who suffer from them. Only they can tell what they actually feel. 

The symptoms that you see on the surface of those who suffer from anxiety disorders become more intense in those who suffer from crippling anxiety that they become panic attacks. They feel that sense of dread and fear losing control. They also have the fearful thoughts of dying. 

They start having erratic heart rates and palpitations and these may even progress to experiencing chest pains. You can see them trembling and sweating profusely. They also experience shortness of breath or feel as if someone is choking them. 

Others who suffer from crippling anxiety feel numbness and tingling sensations all over the body. Some even report that in some episodes of a panic/anxiety attack, they feel that their clothes are cutting into their bodies. The level of anxiety has risen to a point that they feel their fears and worries can no longer be contained.  

The bottom line is, they cannot function to their full potential because of what goes on in their heads. 

How To Manage The Condition

For those who are just coming to terms with the fact that they are suffering from crippling anxiety, it is very daunting to look for solutions. This is because most of those who suffer from this kind of anxiety often feel that nobody else but them suffer from their condition. It’s not like you have a cold where everyone knows you have it because of the outward symptoms. 

Unless they have themselves assessed, they would never know that their condition is similar to others. That is why it is important for everyone to take time to listen to what their bodies are telling them. If they are experiencing things that they think are out of the ordinary it would be best to tell their physician so necessary steps would be taken.  

It is also helpful for most people to know what anxiety disorder is actually affecting them. This is because it makes them aware that their condition is something that could happen to everybody else. They would feel reassured that what they have is known, that there are ways to help them cope, and that they are not alone.  

Other Ways To Help You Cope

You need to understand where the stress that causes your crippling anxiety is coming from. Your deeper understanding of what goes on in your body and how things affect you will make it easier for you to understand, accept, and know what to do to manage its negative effects. Your body is just reacting to real-life situations as if it is something that is life-threatening. 

You also need to recognize and accept that you do have that condition. Accepting the fact that you have an anxiety disorder would be the first step towards your recovery or better management of your disorder. Once recognize that you are having an anxiety attack, you need to accept that it is happening so you are able to find out how your body is actually reacting to it. You need not try to stop it from happening because it may make things worse. 

Once you have identified the things that you would need to work on and the triggers of your anxiety, you can now tell and condition your brain that these things are normal and there is no need for you to panic. 

When you know what is affecting you, you need to do something about it. You need to take action to face whatever is causing your stress and crippling anxiety. Do not just stay in your comfort zone because aside from admitting defeat from your anxiety, you take away your chance to live out your life to the fullest. If you keep going at it, the feeling of anxiety will become less stressful and you would be able to try new things as you get to manage your condition better. 

Be Positive

One of the things that people tell those who are feeling apprehensive is to be positive. Actually, you could even do positive reinforcement for yourself. You tell yourself that there is a world of good that can come out of your trying new things and you will strengthen your response or behavior towards it. 

Having a positive outlook on life motivates you to feel good about the choices that you make in relation to your anxiety. If you had an irrational fear of crowded spaces, you can motivate yourself to stay there for a few minutes at first. Once you achieve staying there for at least thirty minutes, you can give yourself a pat on the back for doing such a good job.  

Crippling anxiety is something that only a person who suffers from it truly knows what it is all about. He or she may be able to tell us about it and describe it in detail but we can never assume to know what they feel. We can tell them words of encouragement and give them moral support as they try to navigate their way around their condition.  

It’s okay if that person who has that anxiety feels overwhelmed. It is their bodies telling them that they are in a situation that their bodies do not like. It is just their way to call out for attention. They will learn to accept it with the support of their families and friends who truly care for them. They will feel safe knowing that they are not alone.