In the previous delivery of Sue’s struggle with stress and anxiety, we saw that Sue’s life is subject to a deadly routine that leaves her exhausted even before she starts her work day as a teacher. Sue’s life, so it seemed to her was falling apart. Steve’s approach, telling her not to “worry so much” deepened her cognitive and emotional turmoil. One Saturday morning she could not get out of bed. She felt paralyzed; and awoke with a severe headache; her body and her mind and all her emotions rebelled against her situation. This particular event triggered her and Steve’s concern. They immediately realized that something was wrong.
Sue sought help from her medical practitioner, who gave her a prescription, and suggested she make an appointment with a psychologist, therapist, or life coach.
Sue and Steve decided to browse the Web searching for insight that could shed more light on her situation. They eventually accessed Empowerment & Resilience Coaching where they discovered a “SIMPLIFIED SELF-EVALUATION ANXIETY ASSESSMENT”. (click here for the assessment)
WHY IS THIS HAPPENING?
“Prolonged stress can lead to anxiety as it keeps our bodies in a constant state of alertness, which eventually wears down our mental and physical well-being, and slowly erodes our ability to cope, creating a fertile environment for anxiety to flourish” (Healthline, April Cordero Maskiewicz, Ph.D.)
The constant activation of the body’s stress response can overwhelm the brain’s neural circuits, particularly those in the amygdala and hippocampus, which are involved in processing emotions and memory. This chronic stress can cause the brain to remain in a heightened state of alert, resulting in sustained feelings of fear, worry, and tension—all characteristics of anxiety.
Neuroscience reveals that stress and anxiety share common neural circuits, particularly within the amygdala and hippocampus4. The amygdala, responsible for processing emotions, plays a crucial role in both stress and anxiety responses. When stressed, the hypothalamus triggers the release of corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH), which activates the adrenal glands to release cortisol. This hormone prepares the body for a fight-or-flight response. In anxiety, the same neural circuits can remain activated, causing prolonged fear and worry.
WHAT CAN BE DONE TO ALLEVIATE SUE’S ANXIETY
Sue decided that she was going to follow a two-pronged approach.
She is taking medication, but she decided that a Life Coach could help her mentally and emotionally manage her high-stress levels that culminated in a series of anxiety “symptoms” (as indicated in the cheat sheet)
She made an appointment through the empowerresilience website.
Stay tuned: NEXT TIME: WHAT CAN BE DONE ABOUT Sue’s SITUATION
THE COACHING APPROACH BASED ON mBIT (Multiple brain integration Technique)
SIMPLIFIED SELF-EVALUATION ANXIETY CHEAT SHEET
Likert-type Response Scale
For each symptom, respondents will rate the frequency or intensity on a 5-point scale:
- Never (1)
- Rarely (2)
- Sometimes (3)
- Often (4)
- Always (5)
Cut-off Points for Anxiety Symptoms
To determine the prevalence of symptoms, we can calculate the total score for each category. Here are the cut-off points:
- Mild Anxiety: Total score of 1-10
- Moderate Anxiety: Total score of 11-20
- Severe Anxiety: Total score of 21-30
- Very Severe Anxiety: Total score of 31-40
The total score will help indicate the severity of anxiety symptoms based on the cut-off points provided.
Would this structure work for you, or do you have any specific adjustments in mind? Let me know if you need further details or clarification.
Discuss each of the categories of the table in easy-to-understand English and provide a reference list
Sure! Let’s break down the categories of anxiety symptoms in easy-to-understand language:
Physical Symptoms
These symptoms affect how your body feels:
- Rapid heartbeat: This feels like your heart is pounding or fluttering.
- Shortness of breath: You might feel like you can’t catch your breath or are breathing very quickly.
- Sweating: You could sweat a lot, even when you’re not hot.
- Trembling or shaking: Your hands, legs, or even your whole body might shake uncontrollably.
- Headaches: Anxiety can cause tension headaches or even migraines.
Emotional Symptoms
These symptoms affect how you feel emotionally:
- Nervousness, restlessness: You might feel very nervous or have a hard time sitting still.
- Feelings of impending doom: This means you often worry that something bad is about to happen.
- Panic attacks: These are sudden episodes of intense fear with physical symptoms like chest pain and dizziness.
- Irritability: You might get annoyed or angry more easily than usual.
Cognitive Symptoms
These symptoms affect how you think:
- Difficulty concentrating: You might have trouble focusing on tasks or remembering things.
- Racing thoughts: Your mind might feel like it’s going a million miles an hour with lots of different thoughts.
- Indecisiveness: It can be very hard to make decisions, even simple ones.
- Negative thinking: You might regularly think the worst about situations or yourself.
Behavioral Symptoms
These symptoms affect how you act:
- Avoidance of triggers: You might avoid places, people, or activities that cause you anxiety.
- Compulsive behaviors: You might repeat certain actions to reduce anxiety, like in Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD).
- Social withdrawal: You might start isolating yourself from friends, family, and social situations.
- Disrupted sleep patterns: This includes trouble falling asleep, staying asleep, or waking up frequently.
References:
- Healthline: Effects on Body
- Medanta: Effects of Anxiety on the Body
- Medical News Today: Anxiety Symptoms Feel free to ask if you have any specific questions about these symptoms or need more information!