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Effects of Anxiety

Anxiety-related brain fog help is available. That's important because brain fog is a frustrating occurrence that can disrupt daily functioning and impact how we feel about the quality of our lives. An experience rather than a medical or mental health diagnosis, the brain fog that can accompany anxiety can make us feel disorganized and forgetful, frustrated that we can't seem to make a simple decision--and then even more anxious because of it. That this mental fogginess can be an effect of anxiety rather than an actual mental illness is positive news. This isn't something inherently wrong with the brain, which means that we can directly address it. In the spirit of blowing away the fog and clearing our mind, here are 12 practical tips for helping anxiety-related brain fog.
Anxiety-related brain fog is an annoying effect of anxiety that can be exhausting, frustrating, and downright discouraging. With anxiety, brain fog is mental exhaustion that spreads through our whole being and seeps in between anxious thoughts, seeming to blunt all thoughts but those pesky, anxious ones. It can be difficult to work our way out of brain fog because it turns thinking and problem-solving into a gargantuan task. Even when motivated to clear it, it's hard to know where to start. Read on for more on anxiety-induced brain fog and how to emerge from it.
Anxiety and stress are similar in nature. They both are typically unwelcome invaders intruding on our lives, rudely disrupting our inner peace and calm. Because they are related, people often use the terms interchangeably. Technically, there is a slight difference between stress and anxiety. For each of us in our daily lives, though, does the difference really matter? Read on, and decide for yourself.
If you'd like to beat anxiety, I offer you a hearty welcome to the club. As a long-term member and someone who has been able to overcome the grip that anxiety used to have on me, I have food for thought: Shift your focus away from beating anxiety. Notice that I didn't say I've overcome anxiety but, instead, the grip it had on me. Anxiety is part of the human experience, and it does have a place in our lives. It does not, however, deserve to be the center of our thoughts, feelings, and actions. To break free from the grip anxiety has on you, think less about anxiety, and focus on what you need instead.
Many people experience both anxiety and depression, and I'm one of them. About a month ago, I had what’s called a major depressive episode. Though I am not at my lowest point anymore, I am still dealing with the aftereffects of that episode and probably will for some time. This is not the first time I’ve had to deal with such an episode, so I think it is appropriate to devote an entry to attempt to come to terms with it. Please forgive me if I don’t sound enthused; my drive continues to be shot. Despite that, I will do the best I can.
Anxiety messes with lives. That's really the bottom line of anxiety, isn't it? It barges into our lives, uninvited, and acts like a boorish guest. It causes all sorts of miserable symptoms, which are annoying enough as it is. Unfortunately, anxiety isn't just confined to a set of symptoms, but, instead, inserts itself into our lives and has negative effects that cause disruption. While the effects of anxiety are unique to each person who experiences any type of anxiety, there are some effects that many people with anxiety share. In the spirit of "misery loves company," and so you know you're not alone, here are common effects of anxiety--six ways anxiety messes with life.
I’m the kind of person that has a lot of hobbies. As such, I’m constantly coming up with ideas for creative projects related to those hobbies. The amount that I’ve been able to devote to those projects because of my anxiety, however, is nowhere near what I sometimes envision it to be. Oftentimes I am guilty of trying to do too many things at one time, and I need to be better about that.
To begin with an understatement, let's say that anxiety is frustrating and anxious thoughts disrupt inner tranquility. An equal understatement is that we don't have to give into anxiety and remain trapped. There are so many ways to beat anxiety, and there are strategies and tools for every personality and unique individual who experiences their own version of anxiety. An important part of gaining freedom from anxiety (which means both reducing anxiety symptoms and living well in spite of lingering symptoms) is knowing when to act on anxiety and anxious thoughts and when to be still.
If you live with anxiety, chances are you look for problems. Don't get me wrong. You're most definitely not doing it on purpose. All humans have a built-in negativity bias that causes us to be on alert for danger so we can take action to protect ourselves. Anxiety, in its misguided attempt to keep us safe, usurps that negativity bias and magnifies it, causing us to operate under the assumption that there are problems everywhere.
Do you procrastinate? If so, how's your anxiety? Many people are surprised to learn that procrastination and anxiety are often closely linked. Procrastination can be a defense mechanism to gain temporary relief from anxiety as you avoid anxiety-provoking tasks. Unfortunately, procrastinating can ultimately increase anxiety because of the added pressure and stress it adds to your already busy life. When you know more about what links these two cruel partners, you can recognize them as they occur and then take measures to stop procrastinating and reduce anxiety.