Remember your first piano recital? How your heart raced inside your chest, your palms were so sweaty your fingers almost slid off of the piano keys, and then the worst thing of all happened… your mind went completely blank?

Anxiety is the body’s normal reaction to stress. It helps us deal with a tense situations in the office, study harder exams, keep focused on an important speech. In general, it helps us to cope. But anxiety can become excessive or irrational, causing us to dread everyday situations.

According to the National Institute of Mental Health, anxiety affects about 40 million American adults age 18 years and older (about 18%) in a given year, causing them to be filled with fearfulness and uncertainty. Unlike the relatively mild, brief anxiety caused by a stressful event (such as speaking in public or a first date), anxiety disorders last at least 6 months and can get worse if they are not treated.

Feeling restless, keyed up or on edge, being easily fatigued, having difficulty concentrating or having your mind go blank, irritability, muscle tension, or sleep disturbances for an ongoing period of time can all be symptoms of anxiety. You don’t have to live this way. The peace you have been seeking is available.

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