Stress and anxiety are inseparable. They have similar symptoms, and often causes. In addition, they support and mutually reinforce each other.
The third "musketeer", perfectionism, is often "one for all" for the entire group of disorders. When perfectionism appears, almost without exception, anxiety and stress intensify.
Armed with sharp swords, these "three musketeers" attack immediately the mind and body.
Physical symptoms include, but are not limited to, the following:
- headache;
- a feeling of nervous shyness;
- a neurotic excitement that makes you constantly move, even if it is limited to the fact that you are shifting from foot to foot;
- growing internal pressure, as if someone inside were inflating a ball and trying to break out;
- a feeling of heaviness, as if this ball is filled with mercury, and not helium;
gastrointestinal upsets;
- labored breathing;
- sleep disturbances.
Emotional and cognitive symptoms include the following:
- excessive anxiety and anxiety;
- fear of failure;
- irritability;
- hypersensitivity to criticism, rejection or indifference from others;
- difficulty concentrating;
- increased distractibility.
Behavioral reactions include:
- "volitional paralysis": difficulty in making decisions, fear of action due to fear of making a mistake;
- poor concentration: jumping from one task to another, inability to finish things to the end;
- Too frequent apologies;
- the desire to make excuses and explain why the work is not so perfect, even before people get the opportunity to evaluate it.
What to do?
Undoubtedly, these "three musketeers" negatively affect our lives. However, you can expel them from your kingdom!
Start with the main thing - with perfectionism. Perfectionism has detrimental effects on mental health. It is associated with a variety of mental disorders, subjective experiences of stress, and feelings of distress.
When we force ourselves to be perfect in any situation, we feel that we must always remain impeccable. As this is an unattainable goal, anxiety and fear increase dramatically.
You are tormented by disturbing thoughts while you are working on something. You criticize the quality of what you do, fearing to make a mistake.
How to identify deep negative beliefs? Create a newspaper about yourself, which will present the main events of your life.
- Come up with a headline that expresses what you want in life. You can create as many as you want, but adhere to the principle: one goal - one heading.
- Write a short article under this heading, in which you tell how your life will be when you reach your goal, what you want to do, what to achieve.
- Come up with headlines that describe your strengths. Perfectionists often find it difficult to recognize their strengths.
- Come up with a series of articles about things - big and small, that you did well.
- Write a headline and story about how you overcome obstacles and difficulties.
You can include any material in the "newspaper about yourself". The main thing is to separate your thoughts, feelings and behavior from the fear of not being good enough and to make sure that you are already doing more than enough.
