We have a separate article on anxiety management and how to cope when an anxiety attack presents itself. Having effective coping techniques when panic sets in can improve your chances of overcoming your fear by a great deal.
If you continue to avoid situations because you are feeling anxious, it only makes it harder to overcome your anxiety. When you avoid doing something, you often convince yourself that there is a very good reason why you are not doing it. If you continue to avoid situations, no amount of thinking about it in another way will actually help you overcome your anxiety in the situations. The more often you do something, the easier it becomes each time.
Here are some helpful tips to keep in mind when practicing exposure therapy:
1.Take everything one step at a time - don't jump in the deep end first. Take a small step and work you way up to the most uncomfortable situations.
2.Stay in the situation and try not to leave if you suddenly feel anxious. Implement some of the other techniques such as rational thinking, focusing, breathing and relaxation. Of course, if you absolutely have to leave, then do - it is suggested that you try and do it again as soon as possible. Alternatively, try and back away a little bit, instead of leaving the situation completely.
3.Doing something once can be interpreted as a fluke! The more often you do something, the more you will start to feel more comfortable (the more techniques you implement, the greater the ability you will have to control your anxiety)
4.There will be ups and downs. These are a part of life, and some days you will have good days, and some days you will not have such good days. Try not to beat yourself up on the not so good days by engaging in negative self talk. Rather, accept it for what it is - a not so good day!! Go back to the drawing board and set your goals a little lower until you are feeling stronger and more confident again.
5.Try and be aware of all your avoidances. By not doing something that you fear, you are only making it harder for yourself. Avoidance is only an excuse and keeps your fears going. If you have engaged in some anxiety education, you will be more aware that it is you who is controlling your anxiety, so it is you who can decrease and manage it as well. It just takes some practice (and patience!!!)
It is also important to try and be aware of subtle avoidance when overcoming high levels of anxiety. For example, you might go to a party and talk to only a few people you know well, avoiding meeting new people. Or you might travel 10 miles to go to a shop rather than visit the large shopping centre 1 mile from your home.
Dyslexia can also have some misleading symptoms that when manifested seems to be not a condition at all. Sometimes, this kind of symptoms seems like just incidences of carelessness. However, if they happen too often, it is something that you shouldn't overlook. So here are some of the misleading symptoms that dyslexia has.
Reluctance In Writing When a person is reluctant in writing things down, this can sometimes be thought of as simple laziness. However, unknown to many, a simple trait like this can already be one manifestation of dyslexia. Some people, who know that they are dyslexic, try hard to cover up their condition. That is why they may seem to appear as if they are just too lazy to write. Yet, the real reason behind this is that they are having writing difficulties, due to dyslexia. In cases when a person is not yet diagnosed to have the condition, this symptom can purely appear as a lack of enthusiasm with writing.
Telephone Message Problems When a person gets confused with telephone messages, it can appear as simple carelessness or inattentiveness. But if this kind of confusion carries on, then it is already something serious, such as dyslexia. This symptom can be a really big problem, especially if your job somewhat entails you to answer the phone and take messages, like secretaries or receptionists.
Note Taking Difficulties Note-taking can be a tedious chore to do when you have dyslexia. This can be most especially true if you are studying or have a job that requires this skill, like waiters. The thing is, sometimes difficulty in this skill is thought of to be being plain stupidity or clumsiness, by most people. That is why it can be another misleading symptom, unless accompanied by more obvious symptoms of the condition.
Comprehending Other People Another misleading symptom would be difficulty in following and comprehending what other people are saying to you. Most of the time, other people would simply accuse you of not attentively listening to them. What they don't understand is that you have dyslexia, which is the cause of your difficulty in following what they say. Additionally, it is even more difficult if the speaker is talking too fast in a very noisy environment or setting.
Sequencing Difficulties Problems in sequencing can also be experienced when you have this condition. Even simple problems such as sequencing the days of the week can already be difficult for a person with dyslexia. Other people who are not aware of the existence of this condition can sometimes label a dyslexic person to be an idiot or stupid, since such skill is expected to be mastered already, especially if you're an adult.
Figure Or Letter Reversal If you have dyslexia, writing can be a problem for you. You can sometimes reverse how you write the individual letters or figures. You can also reverse the sequence of how they are supposed to be positioned in a word or in a number.
Time Management Some dyslexic people can find it difficult to manage their time. However, deficiency in this skill can mislead someone to think that it is pure disorderliness, or simple personality differences.
These are some of the misleading symptoms of dyslexia. So, if you think you have these symptoms and some of the other more obvious signs of dyslexia, then be wary and try to get a consultation already.
Both Joan Shine & are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.