When anxiety goes overboard.

Excessive anxiety causes shortness of breath, restlessness, palpitation. more frequent symptoms in psychological and medical offices.

Most people who strongly feel these symptoms, seek medical emergency in search of an answer to the question: "What's happening to me? ". But despite the physical symptoms, not always this response appears in health examinations.

Anxiety and stress have a positive role to put your body on alert to confront or flee from a threatening situation. But today we live constantly in the expectation that something bad can happen in and therefore the need for caution always. This means that we put our biological alert mechanism in action all the time, regardless of a real threat to be happening. The result is an increasing number of people who can not disconnect, relax, sleep properly and feel exhausted most of the time.

Which brings us to this state?

There are several external and internal factors which, combined, can lead us to an unbalanced condition. One factor contributing to this constant alertness is the amount of information we consume daily. We are always reading news and quick texts, whether in the social network on television, in magazines, etc. Much of this information in pass problematic situations and the message of how we need to be alert not to be assaulted, to avoid accidents with us and whom we love, to secure employment and the desired promotion, etc. Of course, the information can help us, but absorb all these messages without question, it reinforces the idea that we need to be alert and in control at all times to guarantee the safety and our success in what we want.

In addition, some psychological aspects may reinforce the behavior that is important to always be alert, so it's important to think about how we were learning to deal with threats for life. From small we go through challenging situations, and, repeatedly, we felt unprotected by our parents or caregivers, that the marked and helped to form a subconscious idea that we need to keep alert constantly to ensure our safety and the safety of people we love.

Undoubtedly, these behaviors have helped us in many situations, and that is why we have internalized so strongly, but it is important to ask the question: what about today? This helps me actually or hinder me? These crystallized beliefs lifelong end up leaving unsafe and giving the false idea that if we control everything we can finally guarantee tranquility and rest. What happens, though, it is that our mind is just not programming for it can work, but only for everything that can go wrong in order to prepare for possible difficulties. We calculate everything, "and if the traffic is bad and I'm late for the meeting? ". "And if I can not say anything in my presentation? ". "And if the plane did not take off? ". There are so many negative possibilities, which we connect only with problems and our body reacts in an attempt to alert and help us to better balance the thoughts and feelings.

How to handle it?

There are several ways to deal better with stressful situations, and all pass through self-knowledge. Knowing what triggers stress in us is part of the solution. Psychotherapy associated with relaxation and meditation activities is a great way.

Also, we need to deconstruct some ideas crystallized in us, how to learn to trust in life and accept that it will take its course, whether we are in full control or not. This means that it is essential to do our part, but it is not full guarantee of success, other factors may interfere with our plans and change the course of life, and it is important to think about, accept and understand if there is something to learn thereby. Another important change is to look again at what also works well and often in an unexpected way, recognizing the small things that happen every day. A kindness for someone unknown, a call from a distant friend, a compliment, little things that can make our day more enjoyable. Recognizing that the daily also has its good side, makes the lighter life and help us to trust and rest a little of our anguish, renewing faith and our well-being.