I have been seeing a client for a number of weeks seeing small changes in her levels of anxiety, but nothing major … until last week. It happens so often. I see small improvements and then all of a sudden there is a step change.
And the interesting thing was that she said to me, “I feel so calm now. I have realised that I have been through the whole of my life being stressed and anxious all the time. I didn’t realise that this was not normal.”
Is it normal to be stressed and anxious all the time? Of course not, but it is so easy to get used to it and accept it as normal. Our brains can get used to the constant levels of adrenaline and cortisol in our bodies.
Of course, a certain level of stress is important, because it helps us get through busy times. It helps us achieve more in a short period of time. And anxiety is important when we are in danger. It gets us to focus on the danger so that we can avoid it.
Our bodies were never designed to be under constant stress and anxiety, as this raises blood pressure and heart rate, as well as making many of our organs work less effectively.
You may like to consider – what is a normal level of stress and anxiety for you? Has it always been like this? Are you content with the level it is at now or would you like to change it? Some people are quite happy with higher levels of stress and anxiety – they may even enjoy it. However, if you are among those that do not, you may want to consider what you might do to change.
If you have problems getting your anxiety under control on your own, you might want to consider therapy. I help people with anxiety get their lives back under control and return to a state of normality. I use the power of hypnotherapy from my clinic here in Fleet, Hampshire. I also work online. Contact me if you would like a chat.
Photo courtesy of Mental Health Foundation / Adam Jaye