Yes, the future is uncertain… But we must say goodbye to fear!
But that doesn’t mean you have to be afraid of it! Unfortunately, if you suffer from anxiety (the author of these lines knows this all too well), it is often difficult not to worry about the future. It is actually a form of this condition called anticipatory anxiety. We imagine the worst possible and unimaginable scenarios in our heads… Which generally doesn’t do much to improve our mental health.
Psychiatrist Dr. Sasha Hamdani illustrates this behavior by saying that it’s like bleeding before you even get a cut… And if you suffer from anticipatory anxiety, you often lack self-confidence. Yes, by only imagining negative possibilities or never succeeding in achieving our goals… We are constantly belittling ourselves.
We can feel overwhelmed by panicbut also other negative emotions such as disgust, shame, anger, regret, humiliation… If you recognize yourself in these lines, here are other signals that can help you situate yourself:
- We soon feel at the end of our rope, at the edge of the razor…
- May we have difficulty concentrating or feeling like your mind is completely blank.
- We often are irritable.
- Over there fatigue is also a big symptom because you have trouble sleeping.
How to regulate anticipatory anxiety?
Maybe you’ve gotten used to living like this. And because I suffered from anxiety for years, I often thought it was ‘just like that’ and that it would never change. But please, for sanity’s sake… It’s not great. And not for physical health either. Anxiety disrupts hormones such as cortisol (the stress hormone) and can cause weight problems, sleep problems and illness because the immune system is weakened. Here are the expert’s strategies to regulate anxiety:
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Make your sleep a priority
Sleep and anxiety… It’s a real vicious circle. If you’re anxious, you won’t sleep very well. And the less we sleep, the more we increase our anxiety. In order to sleep like a baby, we avoid caffeine and search a relaxation method that suits us. From yoga to meditation to nutritional supplements rich in melatonin… We’re sure you can do it!
The expert advises 15 to 30 minutes per day, because by performing a physical activity (even a simple walk) we secrete dopamine in the brain. And this helps immensely in regulating the symptoms of anxiety.
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Do things mindfully to reduce anxiety
Anticipatory anxiety is constantly thinking about the future. So for anchor yourself in the present moment, nothing beats mindfulness activities. Meditation, breathing exercises or even manual activities… You will have to test and find the exercises that suit you best.
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Distract yourself with planned things
When we suffer from anxiety, we usually are very organized. Use this quality wisely and plan activities, outings or even trips that will make you look forward to the future. This will help you stop being afraid of it!
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Be kind to yourself
Even if you feel like your brain is playing tricks on you… Treat yourself like you would with one of your best friends. To eliminate negative thoughts, you need to ask yourself the right questions. “What scares me? », “What positive scenario can I think of? »…Positive affirmations are also a great way to get out of a negative spiral.
Finally, if despite all your efforts you continue to suffer from chronic anxiety, we can only recommend it contact a healthcare provider. A psychologist, psychiatrist or even hypnotist can help you enormously!