This article may be helpful for those:
- Looking to manage anxiety more effectively
- Looking for professional support to manage anxiety.
Anxiety can be a normal part of life, but when it becomes excessive and interferes with your ability to function, it’s time to act. Unfortunately, there’s no one-size-fits-all solution for managing anxiety. Each person has different triggers and experiences a unique combination of physical, cognitive, behavioural, and emotional responses to stressors.
According to The Banyans latest data, there’s been a 74% increase in anxiety enquiries compared to last year. Anxiety is one of Australia’s most common mental health disorders – with an estimated 34% of females and 23% of males experiencing an Anxiety disorder in their lifetime.
Many people with an anxiety disorder aren’t diagnosed or treated because they tend to avoid seeking help for their condition out of shame or not realising what they are experiencing is a mental health disorder. In a survey by the Australian Government and NPS MedicineWise, only about 28 per cent of those who suffer from an anxiety disorder seek treatment in the first year of experiencing symptoms. They also found that, on average, it takes approximately eight years of living with symptoms before people ask for help. The Banyans Senior Psychologist, Peter Hayton, explains, “We find that it can often take up to ten years for people suffering from anxiety to seek professional treatment. This is because of the stigma around seeking help, and because it can also take people a long time to realise or acknowledge that they are experiencing anxiety”.
“We find people take far too long to seek professional treatment – it’s such a shame to hear about their continued suffering before they reach out for help. This is because there can often be a barrier due to stigma around seeking help, or sometimes people are too fearful”.
PETER HAYTON
SENIOR PSYCHOLOGIST AT THE BANYANS
For some people, anxiety makes them feel like they’re on the verge of panic or having a heart attack; for others, anxiety just means feeling tense and nervous all the time. It can cause physical symptoms like sweating and dizziness or make it difficult to concentrate or perform everyday tasks. Regardless of what kind of anxiety you experience, it’s essential to know how to manage it, so it doesn’t take over your life.
Do I Need to Manage Anxiety?
The signs and symptoms of anxiety present themselves differently from person to person. These are some common signs that you may need to consider strategies to manage anxiety.
• A constant sense of nervousness
• Feeling restless
• A sense of tension
• A regular sense of panic, doom or imminent danger
• Increases in heart rates
• Hyperventilation
• Increased sweating
• Trembling
• Weariness or fatigue
• Challenges in concentration
• Insomnia or sleep challenges
• Digestion and gastrointestinal issues
• An inability to control or manage worry or concern
• The desire to avoid things, situations or people that may trigger anxiety
While not everyone will experience every symptom mentioned here, if more than one or two of these sounds familiar, it could be a clear sign that you need some strategies to manage anxiety.
Anxiety may result from a mix of genetic and environmental factors that can increase an individual’s risk, arising as early as childhood, or appearing both slowly or suddenly throughout adulthood.
Manage Anxiety with 5 Powerful Strategies
Ways to manage anxiety will be different for everyone, and it’s okay if you try some things that aren’t quite right for you – keep giving things a go until you find what works for you.
There are our five top anxiety management techniques that our professional team recommends starting with:
Understand what you’re dealing with: Spend time understanding what anxiety looks like in your life, how it feels, and how it shows up. You can’t manage what you don’t fully understand, so this is a vital first step towards better anxiety management.
Identify your triggers: Whether you tend to become fixated on something someone said or consume too much caffeine – identify the key triggers of anxiety in your life. You can better prepare yourself emotionally and mentally by identifying your triggers to manage these anxiety points.
Take care of yourself daily: From eating healthy, exercising, getting enough sleep and simply making sure you give yourself a break, the daily habits you put in place to look after yourself are essential to manage anxiety.
Build your support team: You don’t have to manage anxiety alone – many professional individuals can help you with the above points and help you plan how to stay on top of anxiety as you navigate daily life and challenges.
Participate in a management program: Sometimes, no matter how many anxiety management techniques we’ve tried, we need time and space to get a handle on things. This is where a management program can come in. The Banyans Anxiety Management Day Program offers you everything you need to understand stress, identify your triggers, and build the unique anxiety management toolbox you need to handle anxiety now – and well into the future.
Anxiety is a natural part of life, but it doesn’t have to be something you endure without taking steps to manage and reduce it. When you practice these strategies consistently over time, they will help you cope with the stressors in life that cause anxiety.
Download our stress and anxiety management e-book
Developed by qualified psychologists, this e-book goes through 5 actionable strategies you can implement to manage the stress and anxiety in your life.
Download the free e-book today.
Manage Anxiety Sooner Rather Than Later
By not addressing anxiety in your life, it will only worsen. However, anxiety can be effectively managed with the right strategies, resources, tools, and support.
The Banyans can help you at any stage of your anxiety management journey.
The Banyans Anxiety Management Day Program supports you in tackling anxiety in your life and putting in place coping techniques. Offering the flexibility of attending 1 day per week (for up to 6 weeks), our program allows guests to prioritise their mental health while balancing life’s demands.
The Banyans Residential Programs at our luxury accommodation, nestled in Brisbane’s serene hinterland, range from 2–12 weeks. The programs accommodate ten guests with one-on-one sessions providing an ideal space for intensive, focused rehabilitation.
The Banyans Online Programs are for those with circumstances that make it difficult to travel to our luxury Brisbane facilities. Gain access to The Banyans industry-leading health practitioners from anywhere in the world.
The Banyans is available 24/7 to help you begin your journey towards managing anxiety management. Call our expert team anytime for a confidential discussion on 1300 229 926, or submit an online enquiry below to learn how we can help you rediscover the fullness of life.
