Anticipating some of life’s events can trigger stress and anxiety. When the stress and anxiety triggered by the anticipation of a future event negatively consume our lives, then we have fallen victim to a condition called anticipatory anxiety.
Participating in an adult therapy program can help alleviate the symptoms and even eliminate anticipatory anxiety. Some of the symptoms affect us physically, while other symptoms have an adverse impact on our mental health. Living with a high level of stress and anxiety significantly increases blood pressure, as well as prevents us from maintaining a clear thought process.
What Types of Events Trigger Anticipatory Anxiety?
High levels of anxiety define anticipatory anxiety, but what are the most common events that trigger the serious issue? If you have even given a presentation at work or school, awaiting the day of the presentation might have produced emotional distress. Preparing for a job interview is another common cause of anticipatory anxiety.
When someone is getting cold feet before a wedding, that person might be experiencing an incredibly high level of anxiety. Getting help through couples therapy can alleviate the negative thoughts that cause anticipatory anxiety.
How to Cope
One of the most important steps to take for mitigating the negative impact of anticipatory anxiety involves focusing on your most fundamental needs. You should eliminate the source of the stress, such as staying away from a negative person. Consuming a healthy diet, as well as reducing the intake of sugar and caffeine is an effective way to reduce anxiety. Perhaps the best strategy for taking care of your basic needs involves exercising daily.
Follow Relaxation Techniques
Relaxation represents a powerful weapon to fight back against anticipatory anxiety. Simply breathing deeply several times over a few minutes should lower your blood pressure. Relaxing your muscles and listening to calming music also do a great job of reducing anxiety. Experts that teach relaxation techniques offer hundreds of apps and online videos that help you learn how to relax.
Seek Professional Help
Undergoing therapy can help you confront the negative physical, mental, and emotional consequences of anticipatory anxiety. Family therapy prepares family members to handle future events, without suffering from the adverse consequences of acute anxiety symptoms. If a future serious event such as dealing with a pending natural disaster sets off your internal alarm, getting advice from a professional like an emergency preparedness expert might mitigate your anticipatory anxiety.
Above all, you must be proactive to prevent normal anxiety levels from morphing into anticipatory anxiety. Understanding the warning signs should allow you to create a game plan to prevent acute anxiety from having a seriously negative influence on your life. Address negative thoughts when they pop up, as well learn how to treat yourself with compassion.