If you struggle with anxiety, you’re not alone. Most of us experience some anxiety during stressful events, like speaking in front of a group or driving in heavy traffic. Today, Amirazz Matrimonial Services offers some tips on recognizing and managing anxiety to keep it from holding you back.

Unlike panic attacks which occur suddenly and trigger extreme physical symptoms like chest pain, anxiety attacks tend to build gradually over a period of excessive worry. Verywell Mind explains that when anticipatory anxiety builds until it reaches an overwhelming level of stress, it may feel like an attack. During an anxiety attack, you may experience difficulty concentrating, restlessness, irritability, dizziness, fatigue, nausea, increased heart rate, and muscle tension.

Generally, these symptoms are less intense than those associated with panic attacks, but they are similarly debilitating and difficult to control. What’s more, the symptoms of anxiety can persist for days, weeks, or even longer. Thankfully, there are a number of things you can do to ease persistent anxiety and cope with your symptoms.

Work to Reframe Your Anxiety

Many people with anxiety disorders see anxiety as a lifelong, uncontrollable illness that’s impossible to manage. Changing how you think about anxiety can empower you to take charge instead of feeling powerless. Reframing your experience with anxiety can lead to personal growth. Accept anxiety as a normal experience instead of shaming yourself for feeling this way.

In the process of reframing your anxiety, you might discover opportunities to cut unproductive stress out of your life. For example, if your job is causing a lot of unnecessary stress, consider going back to school for a career change! Earning an online degree in IT, business management, or marketing can open up several new career paths. Learning online will make it much easier to juggle your life while you work towards your career change.

Learn Techniques to Calm Your Stress Response

Managing anxiety is a daily practice. Make daily choices that regulate your nervous system, retraining your brain to react calmly to different situations instead of defaulting to a state of fight or flight. Keep some relaxation techniques in your back pocket to calm your stress response when you feel on the brink of an anxiety attack. Deep breathing, progressive muscle relaxation, guided imagery, and mindfulness meditation can all effectively reduce anxiety in just a few minutes. You can also greatly facilitate an improved stress response by optimizing your home of wellness – that is, focus on positive thinking, as free of self-doubt and negativity as possible.

Exercise Every Day

Countless studies have shown that exercise helps to relieve anxiety. According to ADAA, aerobic exercise is particularly beneficial for decreasing overall levels of tension and stimulating anti-anxiety effects throughout the body. In fact, exercise works incredibly quickly to relieve anxiety. A 10-minute walk can be just as effective as a 45-minute sweat session!

Make Time for Moments of Slowness

Slowing down can also help you tap into your body’s relaxation response. Your brain is bound to run a mile a minute when you’re rushing around trying to check off everything on your to-do list. Instead, try to slow down and pay attention to the moment. Be present, disconnect, and do less. Pick up a hobby or two that helps you slow down and move more mindfully. Yoga, meditation, hiking, gardening, reading, or cooking can all serve as fantastic mindfulness practices.

Anxiety is one of the most debilitating mental health issues. But because it’s so common, many of us assume there’s no way to treat it or improve how we feel. Easing anxiety and preventing anxiety attacks is possible! Just like a regular yoga practice can loosen your muscles, a regular mental health practice can train your mind to relax.

About the Author: Diane is the founder of Health PSA. Diane decided to create Health PSA after seeing how many people came into the library seeking more info on health and specific medical conditions. She thought it would be great to create a resource for people where they can find easy-to-understand info rather than medical jargon.

Amirazz Matrimonial Services supports the Muslim community worldwide by creating a secure and safe online community and supportive environment that manages the needs and marriage goals of our sisters and brothers. Call 807-358-1820.

By: Ali A. Karim

The year 2020 was a new and exciting begining for me. I met a wonderful lady from Indonesia a few years back and we decided to get married after communicating for sometime. I realised I had found the right person for me and I moved to Indonesia. 

We live in a city called Bandung, which is about two hours drive from Jakarta, the capital city. As a foreigner, I noticed how different things are done culturally in Indonesia. Many things are different from what I was used to in the United States of America, of course not in a negative way. Here I will mention some of my personal experiences, please understand that not all will encounter the same situation, it depends on the community around the person and the area they live in.

Rice, Rice, and Rice

Indonesian staple food is rice. They eat rice three times a day for breakfast, lunch and dinner. 

There is a saying that If you have not eaten rice, then you haven’t eaten yet. Even most of the snacks are made from rice or rice flour.

Here is a true and interesting story: 

A brother that I know told me about his experience when he went to a pizza place. That was his first time going there. When his order arrived, which was a pan of pizza, he was so angry and dissapointed because it didn’t come with rice. He was so unimpressed that the manager had to intervene. The manager of the place had to calm him down and gave explanations on why rice was not served as part of the Pizza. That is how much they love rice!

Motorcycles

Indonesians can move the world on the back of a motorcycle. I have been riding on the back of motorbikes. My wife still remembers how I was against it at the begining of my stay in Indonesia, but here I am now, a pure Indonesian, riding on the back of a motorcycle holding things like an expert enjoying a flamboyant motorcade. 

When I said Indonesians can move the world on the back of a motorcycle, I mean in many ways than one; refrigerators, washing machines, goats, ladders and a family of five, yes a family of five! To paint a clear picture of how a family of five can ride a motorcycle in this beautiful new home of mine, here is an idea: the oldest child is in the front of the father who is riding the motorbike, the second child is between the father and mother, and the mother is holding and nursing the baby. It’s normal to see three, four or five on the motorbikes.

Their outfit when riding a motorcycle is another thing to write home about. Sometimes I see the riders wearing a thick jacket or a leather jacket during day time at 90F, but they also wear their jacket when the weather is cool, yet they still wear shorts and flip flops, leaving me to think don’t their waists and legs feel cold?

The Stares

Depending on the area, a foreigner will most probably get some stares. Yes, everybody stares, from an old lady in a rickshaw who turned her head 180 degrees to a motorbike rider, a gas station employee, to a six months old baby on his mom’s lap. All have stared at me from head to toe and from toe to head. Some of them have enough courage to say “Hi” and try to start a conversation. Some kids just yelled behind my back and call me “Hey Arab!”.

I understand that I do not look like most people in Indonesia and they are confused on what to call me and who I am. To make it even distinct, I am somehow easier to recognize since my body height is taller than most Indonesian men, but for me, my appearance should not be a reason for people to stare because I am a human being like everybody else. Afterall, we are Bani Adam.

Gotong Royong

It is translated as Communal work. A few months ago I was lucky enough to participate in a gotong royong, we were working to fix one of our neighbour’s house. The house owner name is Pak Dodo, he was forced to rent another house because his own house is unlivable since the roof was severely damaged. The community leader was organizing a comittee and asking people to participate, in any way, financially, physically or just with moral support. Everybody is working and participating in any way. We finally finished the project in less than a week and Pak Dodo can live in his own house again, Alhamdulillah. This is how the muslim community should be, everyone should help when one is in need or when something needs to be done for the public. 

Halal Food and Adhan

Masājid or mosques are everywhere and most food are halal. Indonesia has a high population of Muslims hence, you can find mosques easily, almost in every corner of the street. I used to say jokingly to my friends in the US, that we hear adhān more than 5 times a day, because the mosques are close to each other. When one starts the adhan, the other starts to say the azan as well.

Going back to food, I have been gaining weight since I moved here, so you know the food is good especially when your wife is an excellent cook! 

For newcomers, you can easily find halal food just around the corner. My first Indonesian word is “Ayam” which means “chicken” because I can easily spot this word everywhere. Mie Ayam, Bubur Ayam, Ayam Goreng, Ayam Geprek, Soto Ayam and more ayam. Chickens have a rough life here. LOL.

It is always in my prayers to let me out of the USA, alhamdulillah Allah answered my prayers and I moved to the largest muslim country in the world. I thank Allah for my wife and for my new life. My advice for those who are willing to move to Indonesia are be open minded and keep yourself informed that Indonesia is a huge country with different cultures and languages, make good relationships with the locals and treat others as human and you will be treated as human.

About the author: Ali A. Karim is  an artist by nature. History enthusiast. Muslim by choice. He considers Arts as the culture of humanity. To him, Art tells the history of the world. Art is the truth and proof of God. Just look at HIS creation.