Stress and anxiety are closely interconnected and are the undeniable facts in many young people’s lives. However, having such an abundance of information about the impact of emotions and stressful situations on people’s health and productivity, with many theories either resembling one another or being drastically different, it is easy to become puzzled.
What we know about anxiety is, anyway, limited. We rely on the studies conducted by scientists, watch movies, trust the BBC or some documentaries, or simply know it from our own life experience. So, today we are going to talk about what is true for experiencing the feeling of anxiety and how to teach yourself to avoid it or endure it well. Let us start!
Some Curious Facts About Anxiety
Defined by a group of Chinese psychologists as the ‘anticipation of the future threat’, ‘an emotion that concerns uncertainty about what to do in the face of a potential threat or challenge’ and the ‘emotion characterized by feelings of tension, worried thoughts and physical changes like increased blood pressure’, anxiety might have various reasons. Still, at university or college, this worry is often linked to the academic sphere, – the fear of dropping out, not meeting the expectations and hopes put on you, or lagging behind the group. These fears make students decide on getting additional professional writing help online, like the assistance of a fast essay writing service, which makes the symptoms of anxiety weaker. The team of experts has come to the conclusion that the cases of anxiety and panic attacks have largely grown over the last years. Indeed, – there is hardly a person who has never felt that unpleasant emotion under the same or different circumstances. According to professional investigators, anxiety has got many negative effects on the human body and mind due to these facts.
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Experiencing harsh anxiety makes empathic abilities weaker.
Interpreting facial expressions, reading emotions and desires, recognizing lies, – all of this is the innate ability of a healthy person, widely known as ‘empathy’; when you see that somebody feels bad, you show compassion, when you see the joy on somebody’s face, you join their delight. This is a natural response of an individual. Only people with psychiatric issues fail at this. However, a recent study proved that what has for years been linked to psychiatric disorders now is more likely to be caused by… yes, the usual anxiety.
The results of the experiments, conducted with over 40 participants with various tendencies toward worry, made known to the publicity by the professor of biological psychology at the University of Bristol revealed that feeling anxiety regularly significantly reduced the ability to recognize emotions. The problem with this emotion is that it ‘takes away’ a certain type of human cognitive resources.
However, the results are ambiguous and are not so easy to interpret as anxiety is also believed to hinder other processes and activities as well, according to the Guardian magazine.
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Anxiety can have the character of ‘even’.
One more complex study has opened the door to solving the conundrum of whether the feeling of anxiety is connected to repetitive situations and events in the lives of people. This phenomenon, known as the ‘memory bias’, makes people’s memory foreground certain situations (like failing at the exam or college sports competition) and give out practically the same response. However, this new research is still being argued about, since it can be driven by the innate predisposition
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It hinders the cardiovascular, respiratory, and immune systems.
Unlike the new psychological studies we have enlisted above, the effects of anxiety on a physical body are already hundred times proven. Relying on the data given by the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), a too stressful life can lead to generalized and social anxiety disorders, extending negative emotions into phobias and panic attacks.
Feeling nervous, uncertain about today (or tomorrow) can also be dangerous for the excretory system since, under the ‘weight’ of oppressive emotions, the body stimulates the brain to release cortisol or the stress hormone which can increase the frequency of splitting headaches, feeling dizzy, and lead to depressions.
What is more, worry and stress are bad for your heart because they are guilty of the sudden increase in blood pressure. The immune system is also a target for this hazardous bad guy known as anxiety – repeated stressful situations make your organism more vulnerable to infections, viruses, and weaken you during the recovery process.
What to Do and How to Tackle the Issue?
Providing effective solutions and insights into how to defeat anxiety in university life, we have turned to the UK Mental Health Foundation to enlighten the ways out that really work. Here are some of the expert advice on overcoming stress.
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Face your fears. The best way to get rid of all your inhibition or stress during particular situations is to get right to the core of the problem; if you know that it’s a childhood trauma or a teenage ‘wound’, consult experts and come to the problem face to face.
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Take pauses and relax. Hard work can also be the reason for panic. Don’t make a run-too-much horse out of yourself, – take breaks, find a reliable essay writing service, invite a friend to study together. Just don’t remain alone in it.
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Pray or meditate. You are not a creature to endure this life and then go into the blue forever. You’re more than this, so be sure that your spirit and soul are at peace. And, learn to value yourself!
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Exercise. This advice is great as it improves the ability to focus longer, can fasten your metabolism and take your mind off your fears.
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Eat healthily. High amounts of caffeine can boost anxiety attacks so be sure you don’t overuse these drinks.
Overcoming stress and anxiety is possible, so we want to encourage you to accept this advice, become a winner in this battle with anxiety, and never let it take the rein in your emotional wellbeing