Step Out

Picture it :

You are 26 years old and you happen to be at the wrong place at the wrong time and you get slapped with a crime that you were certain you did not commit but some drunken person says he saw you do it  and you are  thrown in the slammer . 

Fast forward 14 years . You are now 40 . You are sitting in your jail cell and you hear footsteps . The door opens and 3 men in suits come in and  tell you : " We have completed new DNA testing and you can go " 

How would you feel ? 

Either happy because you are a free person now or angry because you wasted 16 years of your productive life span 

As such, when it comes to anxiety , our self inflicted impression of day to day situations can become prison bars around us - every fear, every panic every worry 

With a new year ahead, this is a great time to stop building bars around yourself and step out of your cell . It's  a great time to embrace a new way of being , of thinking and doing. 

Taking the steps to manage chronic anxiety is also a major step in helping yourself avoid a whole host of medical issues that prolonged anxiety can  inflict on the body . 

When you experience long term anxiety , your brain releases hormones to help you deal with the feeling .  Prolonged exposure to these hormones can lead to weight gain.  High blood pressure , nausea, diarrhea, a whole host of digestive issues along with a weakened immune system can also manifest due to years of exposure to anxiety.   Your day to day life can also be effected by muscle tension, headaches, depression and insomnia .  Often times, prolonged anxiety can worsen physical issues that may have already been present independent of the anxiety 

Whether it be proper medication , yoga, meditation, stress management or behavioral therapy , there are so many tools that can be your guideposts to a more relaxed, grounded you . 

Take a deep breath . Focus your mind on the peace you can have letting go of worries . Every day is a new beginning. 

Author

Dr. Ben Kermani