It’s 2K19 and anxiety is upon us. What was once a taboo or in some cases even considered fictional, is now a common denominator among many of us. According to The Anxiety and Depression Association of America, anxiety is twice as likely to affect women between your teens and your 50’s.

What we do not talk about enough, however, is how serious of a matter anxiety can be. Low-key, our generation likes to keep it light, but the burden of anxiety can be heavy. Often we don’t want to kill the vibe (sorry, Kendrick) but the reality of the situation is that 264 million people worldwide suffer from anxiety related symptoms.

Healthline defines anxiety as “your body’s natural response to stress. It is a feeling of fear and apprehension about what’s to come.” I.E freaking out when going on a first date or first anything, getting sweaty palms and elevator panic attacks on the way into a job interview or quivering like Jell-O when it’s time to make a speech. We often chalk it all down to confidence or nerves, we’ve all been anxious at some point in our lives and it is completely normal. 

Meet Your Anxiety

So how do we know if we suffer from anxiety?

If your feelings of anxiety are extreme or last for longer than six months and are interfering with your functionality/life, it’s worth being checked for an anxiety disorder. Not everyone is cut from the same cloth, which is what makes life different and beautiful #selflove #ghandigirl and that is okay. Anxiety is a normal ailment and is more common than you think, so we say it’s time to shut the stigma down. #mentalhealthisimportant

Get to Know Your Triggers

Often our minds create maps to help us navigate life, and these maps have roads and signs that help us retain knowledge through a memory of sound, smell, visuals and even feelings. Helpful as these signs may be, they also enable our psyche to create triggers. Emotional triggers are small memories or moments that take you back to trauma. Bear in mind, not all trauma is drastic and not all emotional scars have a prerequisite of a large traumatic experience. It is also important to remember that not all of these signs and roads lead somewhere, sometimes our subconscious maintains partial memories – leaving us unsure of what the trauma that causes stress even is.

Own Your Mind

Like all parts of the body, our health can be helped through diet and exercise. So, what are some ways you can control your triggers? The first step would be accepting you have anxiety and acknowledging that there are certain habits you can implement to help yourself. Do your best to understand what your triggers are and start off with a simple listing of them to help own yourself understand what you are dealing with.

Research studied methods on how to deal with anxiety and trial safe tests on what works for you – such as meditation and breathing techniques. Mental health is different for every individual so don’t be discouraged if you don’t feel results with the first method. Many have said that ASMR videos have helped them in coping with and reducing their anxiety. 

If simple methods online do not work, it may be time to break the piggy bank and see a professional. In most fields of medicine, the standard practice is to seek help, if you remain unable to help yourself. That applies across the board – even with mental health. In the same way that getting a cold does not mean that your nose is broken, anxiety does not mean that there is anything wrong with who you are. You just need a little help and we’re here for it.

There are also a few items you can add to your room to help you reduce your feelings of stress and anxiousness.