Have you ever had that split second moment when you wake up in the morning, full of zest for life, only to realize how temporary that feeling really is?
Your memory quickly kicks in as you make your way to the bathroom and by the time you get in the shower, anxiety and fear have, once again, taken over.
The confusion, panic and defeat all simultaneously pitch in as you look at the day ahead.
Your defences go up, you can’t remember your plan for the day ahead and everything stalls including the traffic.
Most of us go through life not realising what it is they are actually dealing with even though we experience the anxiety symptoms being overwhelming.
We have questions like:
Does everyone go through this cycle of fear?
Is it normal?
Am I overly stressed?
Or is this an anxiety disorder?
Does this lead to anxiety attacks?
How bad is this going to get?
I suffered from anxiety – ranging from moderate to severe – for years. But I was finally able to break the old patterns and now I live with minimal anxiety.
I’m not sure it ever goes away completely but it doesn’t negatively impact my life any more because if it surfaces, I nip it in the bud.
Understanding anxiety is the most important factor in getting your recovery started and the first step is to assess whether or not you’re actually suffering from anxiety.
Below is an anxiety test which will take you 2-3 minutes to complete. It’s called the Hamilton Anxiety Scale (HAM-A) and it’s widely used in clinical and research settings. It involves 14 questions that rate moods, fears, and tension, as well as physical, mental, and behavioural traits.
These results will help paint a clearer picture of how your stress and anxiety have been affecting you lately. In the end don't forget to tally up your yes or no scores out of 14.
Score each question from 0-4:
0 indicates that the feeling is not present.
1 indicates mild prevalence of the feeling.
2 indicate moderate prevalence of the feeling.
3 indicates severe prevalence of the feeling.
4 indicates a very severe prevalence of the feeling.
The results are as follows:
17 or less indicates mild anxiety severity.
18 to 24 indicates mild to moderate anxiety severity.
25 to 30 indicates a moderate to severe anxiety severity.
Pease remember this test is NOT a substitute for a medical professional’s diagnosis, only an indication of what a medical professional will ask you.
Two Sources Of Readily Available Help:
Read this blog: ‘How To Treat Anxiety’ Self Help Tips'
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