Mandy Rutter, independent consultant, trainer, psychologist, and counsellor, was a keynote speaker at the TSA (Tank Storage Association) Conference and Exhibition in 2023, where she delivered an impressive talk about mental well-being in the industry.
Mandy specialises in improving the psychological health of employees, managers, and senior leaders within all areas of the workforce. In this Industry Insight article for Fuel Oil News, Mandy discusses how to cope with anxiety, giving practical tips and support.
“I’ve been feeling dread all morning. As I drive onto the site, my stomach churns, my hands get sweaty, my leg starts shaking and I can hardly get the words out to tell the security guard who I am. I’ve been here hundreds of times before, but the dread gets worse every time and I know I won’t recover from this all day, and the reactions will start again whenever I think about the site.” Ricardo, fuel tank driver.
Ricardo is one of approximately 40% of people in the UK who experience anxiety. In any given week, 6 in 100 people are diagnosed with generalised anxiety disorder, making anxiety one of the most common mental health disorders in the UK. And yet, over 50% of those experiencing anxiety symptoms do not access help.
Here, I thought it would be useful to explain anxiety in more detail – so that you can be informed, prepared and can offer support to those dealing with anxiety.
What is anxiety and how is it different to worry?
Everyone worries, it is a natural and normal everyday response to specific and realistic concerns. We worry about passing exams or about doing presentations. We worry about our children doing well at school or spending too much time on social media. We worry about achieving our targets or succeeding at an interview.
Worry tends to be problem-focused, short-term, and resolves when the issue has been addressed. Worry can also serve a useful purpose by motivating us to prepare, or problem-solve, or reach out for help.
In fact, worrying is one of the secrets of our success as a species – we are highly proficient at anticipating and therefore preparing for, and avoiding dangers and threats.
Anxiety, however, is a much more intense, excessive and constant state of worry. The intense symptoms of anxiety do not diminish when the problem or issue is over (just as Ricardo described above). An anxiety disorder is described as ‘persistent and intense feelings of anxiety that are out of proportion to the event of situation that triggered them.”
What happens when we are anxious?
“Anxiety starts when we overestimate the threat and underestimate our ability to manage it.”
When we perceive a danger, or threat (which could be a real physical threat, such as an angry dog running towards us, or a psychological threat, such as our manager criticising our work), our executive brain sends an urgent message to the primitive ‘fear’ centre of the brain, which then activates the ‘fight or flight’ response. This response involves the release of several hormones which place the whole body on alert.
Sometimes our executive brain can calm this response by rationalising the situation, thinking through the problem, and taking alternative action. However, when the threat is perceived to be intense, frightening and out of control, the fight or flight response affects our whole bodily systems.
We all have a slightly different combination of symptoms of anxiety which could be any of the those listed here:
Physical reactions include…
• rapid heart rate – ‘heart thumping’
• rapid breathing
• sweating
• trembling
• nausea and stomach upset
• feeling dizzy or light-headed
• tight/painful chest
• numbness or tingling sensations
• bright vision
• heavy legs
• stammering or choking sensations
• hot and cold flushes
• urgent need for the toilet
Your mind….
• is whirring with repetitive thought patterns
• will dwell on negative experiences and outcomes
• can’t concentrate or focus
• is forgetful
• has difficulty making decisions
• Is narrowly focused
Emotionally you may feel…
• tense, nervous and on edge
• a sense of dread
• restless or agitated
• frightened, terrified, scared or panicked
• out of control
• exposed and vulnerable
Behaviourally, you may find yourself struggling with
• poor sleep
• loss of appetite or over-eating
• completing tasks
• irritability and aggression
• alcohol, drugs
• withdrawal from friends and family
• lowered sex drive
• loss of enjoyment and pleasure
Managing anxiety
Everyone who experiences anxiety will have their own methods and strategies for dealing with it. Some people work towards reducing the symptoms, (through medication or breathing techniques), whilst other people work on improving their confidence and resilience to reduce the original feelings of threat.
It’s important that we all find the right combination of calming measures for ourselves. Here are the most common strategies that people use to manage their anxiety:
Thinking strategies to manage anxiety include:
a. Education about the process and science of anxiety.
b. Identify all the things that are within personal control and reduce the focus on what’s outside personal control (e.g. I can’t control if I get this new job, but I can control how much I prepare, and how many jobs I apply for).
c. Focus on the reality of the situation, and what is possible now, rather than wishing it was different (e.g. the reality is that I’m not fit now and I’m anxious about my health, but it is possible to get fitter, bit by bit, every day, with a plan and support).
d. Be creative in thinking about new ways to support yourself.
e. Be aware of negative self-appraisal and work towards adding some positive self-affirmations. (e.g. I am hopeless, I will never achieve this, becomes I will give it a go, I will work towards achieving this with the help of others).
f. Maintain perspective by pulling back from the detail and looking at the bigger picture given the circumstances and resources.
g. Recognise that most of us have previous experience and knowledge in helping ourselves through anxious times (e.g. how many job changes you have successfully navigated, have you been made redundant before, and how did you manage it, has a significant relationship ended and how did you manage it and move on?).
h. Identify and reduce personal triggers of anxiety (e.g. if you have been in an accident, or had an injury, avoid constantly reading about it on social media, and tv).
i. Accept that things will go wrong, things will be a struggle, plan for the problems and forgive yourself.
Practical strategies for managing anxiety include:
• Mindfulness, meditation, visualisation
• Box breathing (Inhale for 3 seconds, hold it for 3 seconds, exhale for 3 seconds and repeat)
• Relaxation techniques (Try the 4–7–8 technique of inhaling for 4 seconds, hold for 7 seconds, and exhale for 8 seconds)
• Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT)
• Counselling/Psychotherapy
• Exposure Therapy
• Coaching/mentoring
• Dietary adjustments
• Regular exercise
• Creating a calming routine of healthy habits
• Practice gratitude to promote positive thinking
• Medication (prescribed by a GP)
• Support groups (connecting with others who experience anxiety)
• Life changes
There are different types of anxiety disorders, and it can be helpful to recognise what aspects of your life trigger the symptoms of anxiety. Once this has been identified, a more tailored plan of psychological and behavioural strategies can be developed.
Here is a summary of the most common anxiety disorders. Please note that it is important to seek professional guidance to help diagnose the specific nature of the anxiety.
• Generalised anxiety disorder: persistent and excessive worry that interferes with daily activities. Usually, the worries focus on everyday concerns such as job responsibilities, family, health, finances.
• Panic disorder: recurrent panic attacks which are an overwhelming combination of physical and psychological distress, often including pounding heart, sweating, chest pain, fear of dying.
• Agoraphobia: fear of being in situations where escape might be difficult or embarrassing, or help might not be available in the event of panic symptoms.
• Social Anxiety disorder: fear of being embarrassed, humiliated, rejected or belittled in social interactions. Common examples can include the fear of meeting new people, eating or drinking in public.
• Specific phobias: excessive or persistent fear of specific objects, situations or activities that are not generally harmful. Examples include spiders, clowns, flying.
• Separation Anxiety Disorder: excessive fear about separation from those with whom you are attached/intimate with. They may be persistently worried about losing the person, refuse to sleep away from the person and/or have nightmares about separation.
I would like to give the last word to Ricardo, so he can share how he managed his anxiety:
“My symptoms became worse over the course of a year, and I didn’t tell anyone as I felt so embarrassed and silly. I couldn’t sleep the night before and the night after I went to the site. I became more anxious that I would have an accident in my truck due to exhaustion.
“One day, I had a new colleague with me for a day, who started talking about his anxiety, and how he got help using medication and CBT. I was sceptical at first and felt that no-one could help me, but as he talked, I could see there might be some hope for me. I went to the GP who prescribed a short course of anti-anxiety medication and signed me up for an on-line CBT course.
“The medication really helped and although I didn’t join in much with the course, it gave me some calming breathing techniques to use. I’ve started to do weight training again, which also helps. I now know how to manage my symptoms and feel more in control of myself. I still get anxious at times, but I know what’s happening to me, and feel more confident that it will pass. I’ve also talked to other colleagues about my anxiety, which has helped me and them.”
We will be continuing our conversations around the importance of good mental health through this year since, as Mandy says: “It’s essential for all of us to proactively look after our mental health as it is the foundation of a good quality of life.
“There is no health without mental health.”
Please contact claudia@fueloilnews.co.uk if there are questions or issues you’d like to see addressed.
Images provided by Mandy Rutter
