We all experience moments of stress from time to time, whether it be prior exams, sitting an interview and whatnot, but what happens when that stress and nervousness turns into something larger? Do you know the differences between the two? This post has very much been long awaited on EveryLittleThing, and I'm fortunate enough to team up with Kalms and their #livelifeready campaign to bring you a chatty, rambly post all about anxiety. I hope that you like this post and perhaps take something from it, helping or informing at least one person is what makes this post all worth it.
G x

Well, by definition, Anxiety is "a feeling of worry, nervousness, or unease about something with an uncertain outcome". There are a number of Symptoms of anxiety which include feelings of worry, uncertainty as well as physical symptoms- take a racing heartbeat and headaches as an example. Here's the full list, for those of you who may be wondering...

Believe it or not, there are many types of anxiety and the main seven include...
∙ Generalised Anxiety Disorder
∙ Social Anxiety (Social Phobia)
∙ Panic Disorder
​∙ Agoraphobia
∙ Phobias
∙ Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
∙Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder

(Credit goes to calmclinic.com for this slice of information... you can read more about these different forms of anxiety here )

Growing up, I always knew I was quiet and shy...  but it got a point where I started to question whether or not it was just shyness. It seemed my shyness spiralled out of control to a point where I had an overwhelming feel of dread and worry towards social events and interaction- sometimes leading to panic attacks, horrible things I can assure you! So that's me, I get anxious in social situations... In all honesty, I'd say that this has impacted my life immensely and (without sounding too weird of an analogy) has acted like a bike brake- pressed down, stopping me from doing things in never ending worry. 

Don't be fooled, it isn't always like this- and boy am I glad! There are a multitude of ways to reduce feelings of anxiety and worry, and here are some of the ones that work best for me...

When available to me, music is definitely my first port of call! Usually, when I begin to feel anxious, I find that I need to take a step back from the situation and enter my own little bubble for a moment. Listening to music means I can distract myself and concentrate on the lyrics and beat, but also allow me to gather my thoughts together. 

When music isn't available, or just doesn't seem to be helping much, I'd highly recommend talking to someone- whether that be your best friend, a parent, anybody! While they may not fully grasp anxiety, I'm sure they'll sympathise and listen- voicing your fears may help to put them into perspective and the person may be able to offer some good advice.

Before working with Kalms, I never knew about this method or how effective it could be! At the end of every day (or week if you're a bit more limited for time like me!), write down your worries, symptoms and triggers. Offloading your thoughts can help you to slow down your thinking and calm you down, as well as letting you spot patterns with anxious thoughts!

Anybody here suffering with anxiety will likely hate the thought of this and roll their eyes as I say it, but it's more important than not! Let's use an example here... So as I get anxious in social situations, it makes me want to avoid them altogether and take myself out. But, although this is daunting, your anxiety likely won't get better unless you begin to tackle it- and trust me, you'll feel bloody great afterwards! 

Now, I've saved this one close to the end because I'm aware it's not a hit with everyone. However, practising mindfulness has been found to improve mental wellbeing and is great for relieving symptoms of anxiety. I'm more than aware, though, that you can't just leave halfway through a lesson and sit outside to meditate. So, in school, I have a few pages in my planner that are for half-terms and holidays... I save these pages to doodle/colour in when I feel anxious and trust me, it's been amazing! Though don't get me wrong, I'm not promoting that you colour for the entire lesson instead of learn- as an example! 

Finally, I just thought I'd let you all know about a new launch- the Kalms Lavender One-A-Day Capsules! These capsules are a  traditional herbal medicinal product used for the temporary relief of the symptoms of mild anxiety such as stress and nervousness. During 15 clinical trials, it was found that 70% of people taking the capsules were reported as 'much' or 'very much' improved and the results are comparable to anti-anxiety medications. You can find these capsules in Boots, Asda, or online at www.kalmsrange.com. 

I'd like to thank Kalms for the opportunity to share this information with you today. Remember... for severe symptoms of anxiety or symptoms that have lasted over 2 weeks, please go and talk to a GP as more support may be needed. For anybody wanting to read more about anxiety, here are a few links that I thought you may find interesting...

http://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/types-of-mental-health-problems/anxiety-and-panic-attacks/#.WL8SzXecb9A​
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http://www.nhs.uk/conditions/Anxiety/Pages/Introduction.aspx​​
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https://www.anxietyuk.org.uk