How to gently tame your anxiety for better well-being

Though we might not become best friends, we have to stop viewing her as the adversary that needs to be vanquished.

Because anxiety is primarily a source of information about us, even though this may surprise individuals who experience it. What if our perspectives were somewhat different?

Christine, 45, has always shown poise and enthusiasm in juggling her work in communications, her family life with two teenagers, and her involvement to numerous causes. On the surface, anyway. "I once believed that I would pass away while shopping for groceries.

A massive wave of heat swept over me. I could feel the earth trembling under my feet. My heart pounded. I was pretty sure I was going to pass out right there. She continues, "I left my basket in the middle of a row and ran out," as though it were still a surreal moment.

But this panic crisis opened her eyes to something. She continues, "I realised that I had cornered my anxiousness and that I could no longer lie to myself: I wasn't doing so well.

If Christine uses the past tense when speaking, it's because she has given up on trying to ignore or get rid of her worry ever since. She's calmed things down. With gentleness. Gradually. In baby steps, like so many little triumphs that have restored her self-esteem.

In Quebec, about half of the population reports having anxiety, per a 2019 Léger survey. Furthermore, we might presume that these figures have been exaggerated by the epidemic, which was not even a factor at the time.

There are many different and nearly infinite causes of discomfort, such as chemical imbalances in the brain, traumatic or hereditary origins, etc.

When Sonia needs to speak in front of a group of people or even her employer, she gets nervous. In contrast to Suzanne, who feels her numerous responsibilities torment her from dawn to night, Samia experiences sleeplessness more often due to her fear of falling ill.

For her part, Juliette is always doubting herself and worries about making mistakes, tripping, and forgetting things.

"It's critical to distinguish between stress and anxiety," says My-Linh Diep, Continuum Health Management's mental health trainer and consultant. "A physical response to a genuine and immediate threat is stress.

When there is anxiety, the brain perceives the threat as real even after it is eliminated, which unnecessarily prolongs the uncomfortable state.

Anxiety disorders come in a variety of shapes and sizes. The symptoms of social anxiety include uneasiness in social situations and a persistent sense of being scrutinised or watched by others.

While generalised anxiety (also known as generalised anxiety disorder, or GAD) is characterised by excessive worry about a wide range of subjects or activities, performance anxiety is defined as an overwhelming fear of failure and a preoccupation with success.

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