Anxiety

Anxiety can be characterized by a feeling of unease and fear, and like one is not strong enough to take part in activities.

Symptoms

• Decisions because of fear or worry
  
• Social anxiety  
  
• Avoiding specific tasks or daily routines
  
• Control every aspect of your life
  
• Excessive worry
  
• Sleep problems
  
• Irrational fears
  
• Muscle tension
  
• Chronic indigestion
  
• Panic flashbacks

The Fine Line

Often, people can confuse stress and nervousness with having anxiety. However, there is a fine line between the two which can be characterized by the following:

                                            Nervous or Stressed                         

                           Anxiety Disorder

• Feels uneasy for a specific reason
• ​Lasts for a short amount of time
  
• Can think about other things during the time of stress

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• Lack of sleep
• Irrational fears
• ​Panic Flashbacks
  
• Trembling and dizziness
• Constantly dwelling on one situation

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How to Handle Anxiety

If you feel that you or others might have anxiety, try the following tips to handle anxiety:

• Relax muscles
• Breathe deeply
• Make time for relaxation and fun
• Find emotional support
• Take care of your body with regular exercise and healthy eating
• Ask for help
• Stress management ​
• Perform mental exercises to train your brain to stay calm

*Medication and therapy can often help people with anxiety, so talk to your doctor about what treatment would be right for you. ​

How to Help a Friend During a Panic Attack

• Try to stay calm because if not it may worsen the situation
• Talk in a simple concise manner and remind them that they are safe
• If they have medication, offer it to them
• Have them completely simple breathing exercises 
• Make sure to stay with them throughout 
• After there may be irregular breathing that can develop into another attack