Anxiety

Anxiety is defined as feeling tense, nervous or unable to relax. having a sense of dread,  fearing the worst, or a sense that things happen out of one’s control. It can be a horrible feeling to live with and can certainly take joy out of life – as well as lead to fatigue, elevated health risks, increased isolation, etc.

In keeping with May’s designation as Anxiety Month, I chose guests who have either dealt with and overcome anxiety themselves or are keen observers of it in others.  Their stories range from leaving an abusive relationship with (almost) no funds for basic survival; being homeless to carving out a career in the financial arena; suffering from internal anxiety to building a coaching business to help others; to a college professor who has seen a great increase of anxiety in the college age population.  

Anxiety’s intensity can range from a short-term, mild concern to long-term crippling agoraphobia (not able to leave your house). The causes range from situational events to a genetic predisposition. While living with any level of anxiety is not fun, its existence is part of what enables the human species to survive; it is part of the body’s reaction to danger. If you, or someone you love, suffers from chronic or debilitating anxiety, seeking a mental health practitioner is a wise move.  If the anxiety is mild, exercise, meditation, yoga, connecting with friends, or spending time in nature can all be ways to mitigate it.

The following videos are a collection of May’s podcast episodes that focus on dealing with anxiety: