Coping with Anxiety

People having Anxiety Disorders are under a constant state of nervousness and anxiety, resulting in unreasonable or excessive fear and worries which differ from regular ones.

Research indicated that 4-6% of the world population suffers from Anxiety Disorders. In China, it is postulated that 4.1% of the population may develop Anxiety Disorders once in his/her lifetime. If the illness is not handled properly, 40% to 50% of these patients will develop Depression and some of them will have intention of committing suicide.

People with Anxiety Disorders usually develop an intense feeling of anxiety that is disproportionate to the degree of real life danger. The anxiety seriously affects their work, daily living, leisure and interpersonal relationship, and incapacitates an individual's problem solving ability, thus rendering them feeling helpless.

It is therefore essential to relieve our anxiety by different coping methods:
a.

Look for evidence
Try to look for evidence when you are feeling anxious excessively. Usually most anxiety and worries are imaginary cause, and sometimes we tend to enlarge and exaggerate our negative emotions.
b.

Handling "uncertainty"
"Uncertainty" is the main cause for anxiety. "Assumptions" keep us hyper-alert and under tension. One of the ways to handle uncertainties is to make prompt decisions rationally. Once you make up your mind, you feel relieved.

c.

Divert you attention
Try to orientate your attention to other areas. Whenever a negative thought comes up, try practise saying "stop" to the intrusive thought.
d.

Arrange "worry time"
If you really worry but you don't want your life to be interrupted, designate 20-30 minutes everyday as the "worry time". Put aside your list of worries and handle them during the allotted time.
e.

Think positively
It is not unusual that we feel anxious when we face challenges. However these challenges will also bring along excitement and satisfaction to us, so try to enjoy these experiences positively.
f.

Practise breathing exercise
When we are anxious or fearful, we hyperventilate (i.e. we breath shallow and fast). You may try the followings:
i. Breathe out
ii. Breathe in slowly and count 1,2,3 until 4
iii. Your tummy will fill up with air
iv. Breathe out and count 1,2,3…until 8
g.

Practise relaxation
Practise relaxation or meditation exercise 15-30 minutes every day to allow space for recuperation.

h.

Turn worries into action
Through helping or serving others, you will be able to appreciate your own uniqueness and strengths by worrying less.

Contributed by New Life Psychiatric Rehabilitation Association
June 2004

應付焦慮情緒

焦慮症（Anxiety Disorders）令患者長期處於緊張和焦慮狀態，產生不合理或過份的害怕和憂慮，這與一般的擔心和害怕有別。

研究顯示焦慮症患者佔全球人口約4-6%。中國的調查發現，約4.1%的人在其一生中會患上焦慮症。若問題處理不當，40-50%的病人可能會演變成抑鬱症，甚至出現自殺的念頭。

患有焦慮症的人有強烈的焦慮感覺，但與真正的危險程度不成比例；焦慮嚴重妨礙工作、日常生活、娛樂和其他人際的正常相處；焦慮亦會減低個人解決問題的能力，令人停滯不前。

故此學習應付焦慮情緒十分重要，可嘗試以下方法：
1.

查證事實
以較客觀的角度看待焦慮，並自問自己的恐懼有否根據。負面情緒如焦慮是容易擴大的，我們想像的可怕事件，大部分都沒有發生。
2.

應付『不確定』的事
『不確定』是形成焦慮的最大因素，令人心煩的「假設問題」將你一直處於警戒狀態。所以，減少『不確定』的其中一個方法就是『做決定』。一旦你決定了，心事就可放低，因為你知道下一部要做什麼。
3.

分散注意力
把注意力重新導向別的地方。負面的想法出現時，你可以練習細聲說「停」，往往就會奏效。
4.

安排憂慮時間
訂定一段特別的時間來應付令人擔憂的想法，把焦慮先放在一邊以免影響正常生活。安排每天20-30分鐘作為「憂慮時間」，一旦憂慮進入你心，把它寫下來，告訴自己你會在「憂慮時間」裡處理。
5.

正面思想
在面對新挑戰時，緊張是正常的。往往令我們最緊張的事也是令人最興奮和滿足的事，所以不妨把這種情緒重新正面歸類為「興奮」或「期待」等。
6.

練習呼吸運動
當你焦慮或驚慌時，呼吸會變得太淺或太快(過度換氣)。試重覆用數數字的方法來放慢呼吸速度，讓自己平靜下來。例如：
•先完全呼氣
•慢慢吸氣，同時數1, 2, 3 到 4
•肚子膨漲到充滿空氣
•同時數1, 2, 3 到 8, 慢慢把氣呼出
7.

學習放鬆
每天定時15-30分鐘練習各種放鬆肌肉或平靜心靈的運動，讓自己平靜下來。

8.

化擔憂為行動
透過幫助別人令你不但能欣賞自己的特質和長處，更減少花在擔心自己的時間上。

資料由新生精神康復會提供
二○○四年六月