Finding Calm: Managing Anxiety in a Busy World
In his recent book, the Anxious Generation, Jonathan Haidt, a social psychologist, observes that "the epidemic of teen mental illness that hit many countries at the same time" and he then goes on to describe different elements related to research around youth anxiety. Jonathan Haidt attributes a large portion of the rise to the advent of the smart phone. In Canada, the rise in anxiety is not simply amongst youth - it affects people in each age bracket (Note 1).
In Canada, a recent research report "found that the proportion of Canadians aged 15 years and older with a generalized anxiety disorder doubled from 2012 to 2022, from 2.6% to 5.2%" (Note 1).
Anxiety affects both your brain and your body. Your brain may feel busy - like it is racing and racing. Your body may feel tense, dizzy, sweaty and you may feel easily fatigued (Note 2).
Anxiety is often a response inside us to try and make us feel safe - to help us to survive - but the way that this manifests in our lives can make daily life functioning difficult (Note 3). This is when it is good to go to the family doctor and seek out a therapist to begin to work through strategies to manage anxiety and find calm.
If you have felt a deep sense of overwhelm and anxious thoughts that make it hard to function reach out today, we are here to help.
Notes:
1. Stats Canada
2. https://www.psychologytoday.com/ca/basics/anxiety/signs-of-anxiety
3. https://www.psychologytoday.com/ca/basics/anxiety
The Anxious Generation, by Jonathan Haidt.