Anxiety: Normal Worry or Serious Symptom?

As the world begins to make sense of the tragedy of the bombing in Boston last week--and the equally harrowing pursuit and capture of one of the alleged perpetrators--we might expect that our anxiety levels and feelings of being unsafe in our surroundings would start to ebb as the days go on. But for some people, that relief won't come quite so easily. They may find they are still hypervigilant, still metaphorically (or actually!) looking over their shoulders for the next disaster to approach. They may still suffer insomnia, eating and sleeping disruptions, and obsessive thinking that is hard to rein in. They may avoid all news reports of the bombing or be consumed by the need to know every detail of the investigation, the rationale of the criminals behind the act. And the individuals cotinuing to suffer with these kinds of distress are not simply post-traumatic stress disorder survivors who are being retriggered by reports of violence. Even people who've never before reported experiencing anxiety symptoms or trauma history are being challenged by worry, fear, obsessions about their safety and concerns abOut the future. Perhaps it's the media saturation we now live with, or a heightened knowledge about safety issues and concerns, but whatever the genesis, we need to be able to recognize when anxiety is growing beyond our control and know how to seek help. If you experience three or more of the following symptoms for more than a few weeks, consider contacting your physician for a referral for counseling:

1. Restlessness, irritability or agitation
2. Inability to control your worrying
3. Fatigue
4. Difficulty concentrating
5. Muscle tension
6. Sleep or eating disruption
7. Worrying about several different topics/life areas

Counseling can assess whether therapy alone can help to alleviate your symptoms, or whether an assessment to evaluate for medication is called for. Data supports that cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is highly effective in helping people manage their anxiety. The world is likely to continue to run at a rapid pace, and we are probably not going to be able to avoid exposure to tragedies and struggles. But empowering ourselves to pursue help when we need it can be the first important step in feeling more in control, and safer, in our own lives.