Annihilate Anxiety: NEW SCIENCE SHOWS WAYS OF OVERCOMING ANXIETY & HEALING YOUR BODY & MIND

By Peter Francis

Annihilate Anxiety: NEW SCIENCE SHOWS WAYS OF OVERCOMING ANXIETY & HEALING YOUR BODY & MIND

Have you ever felt overwhelmed by the things that you do daily? You have been doing them for quite some

• Language: English
• Publisher: Blue Sails Publishing ltd
• Release date: Nov 17, 2021
• ISBN: 9781777920227

Peter Francis

Peter Francis lives in Brighton, UK, where he spent a number of years as an illustrator for children’s television before turning to books. When not painting in his studio, he enjoys long coastal walks, exploring local history, and growing vegetables.

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Table of Contents

Introduction

Chapter 1: Common Causes and Types of Anxiety

Causes of Anxiety Disorders

Medical Conditions

Stress

Lifestyle Issues

Types of Anxiety Disorders

GAD (Generalized Anxiety Disorder)

Emotional and Cognitive Symptoms of GAD:

Physical symptoms of GAD:

Behavioral Symptoms of GAD:

Social Anxiety Disorder

Symptoms of Social Anxiety:

Panic Attacks

Symptoms of Anxiety Attacks:

Agoraphobia

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder

Symptoms of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder:

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)

Symptoms of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder:

Checking Things Often

Pollution Fears

Impertinent Thoughts

Hoarding and Counting

Orderliness and symmetry

Components of OCD

Obsessions

Compulsions

Causes of OCD

Biological

Learned Behaviors

Chapter 2: The Science of Anxiety

The Effect of Anxiety on the Brain

Stress Hormones Flood Your Brain

Hypersensitivity to Threats

Difficulty in Making Rational Decisions

Holding on to Negativity

The Impact of COVID-19 on Anxiety

Chapter 3: Habits

Happy Body, Happy Mind

Chamomile Tea

Nuts

Dark Chocolate

Green Tea

Foods that Trigger Anxiety

Alcohol

Caffeine

Sugary Foods

Chapter 4: Self Care

Take Time for Yourself

Breathe

Limit Social Media

Fear of Missing Out (FOMO)

Feelings of Inadequacy About Your Life or Looks.

Isolation

Keep a Journal

Adopt a Pet

More Exercise

Companionship

Reduce Anxiety

Exercise

Limit Your Coffee

Have a Support System

Manage Your Anxiety Effectively

Notice How You Feel

Own It

Breathe

Take a Look at Yourself Again

Put Your Negative Thoughts to Trial

Get Back to Work

The 54321 Approach

The 3-3-3 Rule

Chapter 5: Manage Your Finances

Know Your Earnings

Know What You Spend Regularly.

Write It Out

Budgeting

What Is the 50-20-30 Rule, and How Does It Work?

The Envelope System

The 80-20 Rule

Create a Plan That Suits You

How Does Financial Stress Impact Your Health?

Talk to Someone

Keep an Honest Budget

Make a Plan and Stick To It

Identify Your Financial Problem

Create a Solution

Execute Your Plan

Observe Your Progress

Setbacks Are Okay

Treat Yourself

Manage Your Stress

Get Some Exercise and Meditate.

Don't Sacrifice Sleep.

Work on Your Self-Esteem

Practice Gratitude for Everything You Have

Eat Healthily

Chapter 6: S.M.A.R.T Goals

Specific

Measurable

Achievable

Relevant

Time-Bound

Ways to Achieve SMART Goals

Start Small

Write It Down

Examine It Regularly

Don't Be Scared of Falling

Embrace the Connection

Pat Your Shoulder for the Smallest of Achievements

Chapter 7: Hobbies

Cooking

Writing

Making Art

Reading

Photography

Capture the Memories You Make

Express Yourself

Connect With a Whole New World

Go Out More Often

Develop More Skills

Make Someone's Day

Gardening

Mental Health Benefits of Gardening

Enhances Mood

Enhances Self-Esteem

Improves Attention Span

Physical Activity

Encourages Social Relationships

Reduces Stress

Music

When It's Time to Get Ready in the Morning

During a Journey

While Cooking

Cleaning

Community Service

Decreases Anxiety

Avoid Isolation

Gives a Sense of Meaning and Purpose

Chapter 8: Importance of Routine

They Help Mitigate Anxiety

They Promote Healthy Habits

They Fight Burnout

The Mental Health Benefits of Having a Daily Routine

Reduce Stress

Build Time for Important Things

Begin Your Day With a Bang

Make Decisions With Ease

Sleep Better

Spend Meaningful Time With Family and Friends

Make More Time for the Things You Enjoy

Chapter 9: Sleep

Importance of Sleep

Weight Gain

Consume Lesser Calories

Improve Concentration

Athletic Performance

Boosts Immunity

Lower Inflammation

Good Mood

Sharper Brain

Healthy Heart

Uniform Blood Sugar

How to Sleep Better

Stick To a Time

Keep a Watch on What You Consume

Create a Calm Environment

Say No to Naps

Stress Management

Indulge in Physical Activity

Effects of Sleep Deprivation

How Sleep Helps Boost Your Mental Health

Chapter 10: Therapy Techniques and Meditation

Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

Techniques

Identifying Negative Thoughts

Practicing New Skills

Goal Setting

Problem-Solving

Self Monitoring

Benefits of CBT

Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT)

The ABC of REBT

Exposure Therapy

Talking to a Therapist

Benefits of Therapy

Learn More About Yourself

Achieve Your Objectives

Have Satisfying Relationships

Improve Your Overall Health

Find Your Answers

Meditation

Types of Meditation

Guided Meditation

Mindfulness Meditation

Conclusion

References

Introduction

Emotions, thinking, communication, learning, resilience, and self-esteem are all built on a foundation of mental health. Relationships, personal and emotional well-being, and contributing to the community or society all require good mental health.

Many people who suffer from anxiety disorders are apprehensive about discussing their condition. Mental disease, on the other hand, is not something to be embarrassed about! It is, like heart disease or diabetes, a medical condition. Mental illnesses, on the other hand, are treatable. Treatments are available to help people successfully manage mental health disorders, and our understanding of how the human brain works is constantly expanding.

Anxiety disorders have no age, gender, geography, money, social status, background, or other components of cultural identification; it can impact anyone. While mental illness can strike at any age, three-quarters of all cases begin before 24 years. Anxiety disorders come in various forms. Some, like certain phobias, are moderate and only have a minor impact on daily life (abnormal fears). Other mental health issues are so extreme that they may necessitate hospitalization.

It is natural for everyone to experience bouts of sadness and negative thinking from time to time. However, if you often find yourself feeling overwhelmed by your thoughts, it's time to closely examine your thoughts and how they are impacting your mental well-being. Thoughts occur and are an integral and natural part of mental mapping. It is because of your thoughts that you can remember the smallest of things—your best friend’s birthday, your colleague’s dog’s name, your sister’s favorite color, your grocery list, your anniversary, and everything else in between. Your thoughts take you places, puts you in guilt when you forget to turn off the fan before leaving your house, shames you when you don’t remember your mom’s birthday, makes you anxious about the forest fires, and pats you on the shoulder when you do the right things all day every day.

Some thoughts are trivial while some are too intense, you can control some, and some you can only hear but do nothing about. These thoughts are often negative and keep you away from the joy that the present brings. It is responsible for constantly distracting you from what is happening around you because you are still over-analyzing and overthinking. It is crucial to know that sadness does not equate to anxiety but, it is anxiety that leads you to sadness and despair. The more you wallow in your sadness, the more despondent you become. If you are often restless, feel empty, and disturbed at the slightest inconvenience, there are chances that you have anxiety, you just don’t know about it yet.

Remember that there is a massive difference between being anxious for a short while and facing anxiety issues that remain with you for a prolonged period. You could confuse short-term anxiety with anxiety disorder, which is substantially more serious than the former. Let us first understand what anxiety is and how you can identify whether you are just anxious or have anxiety.

Anxiety is your brain’s natural response to stress and is mostly short-lived. It is an indicator of fear and excessive stress. Anxiety is normal in stressful situations, like public speaking, a first day at school, a new workplace, or taking an exam. The fear in these situations is not intense and tends to go away as soon as you are comfortable with what you were dreading some time back. Your body also responds to anxiety in a certain way; sweating, trembling, and feeling dizzy are some of the most common ways your body shows you are anxious. Mostly, anxiety grows from issues such as a childhood incident shoved under the carpet and pent-up emotions related around it, a traumatic incident like the death of a loved one, a breakup, etc. If these issues are not addressed in time, they tend to grow and become emotionally problematic in the long run. People with anxiety have a hard time doing the basic things and putting in the bare minimum effort. Anxiety affects their life and communication skills, which, in turn, puts more weight in your brain. It’s a vicious cycle unless treated.

It's natural to experience some anxiety about certain things. If you have to deal with an issue at work, take a test, or make a decision, you may feel anxious or nervous. Anxiety can also be good a lot of times; it aids us in recognizing harmful circumstances and focusing our consciousness, allowing us to remain safe. An anxiety disorder, on the other hand, goes beyond the normal worry and fear that you experience quite significantly. The physical signs of anxiety, such as sweating, pounding of heart, etc., can make getting through the day challenging. Anxiety disorders occur when:

● Anxiety challenges your ability to function.

● When something triggers your emotions, you tend to overreact frequently.

● You have little control over how you react to things.

So, how does one know if they have anxiety? It’s not like every other physical ailment that shows visible signs of illness, which are also the same for everyone a lot of times. For instance, you’ll know you have a viral infection if you are down with a fever, body ache, nausea, etc. But, it is difficult to know you have anxiety because the symptoms often differ from person to person. It might be a cluster of symptoms for person