Boost Your Well-being and Performance: Anxiety Tips from One of Our Cam Models July 10, 2024 Community, Guides Let’s talk about anxiety. This topic is particularly relevant for performers on AdultWork.com for several reasons. It’s interesting in itself and can be helpful if you’re suffering from anxiety. Most importantly, anxiety can affect your performance — a point I will return to later. Whilst anxiety is a normal part of everyday life, especially in modern 21st-century life, too much anxiety for a prolonged period can be detrimental to health. The thing with anxiety, as with other mental health conditions such as depression, is that it can creep up on you without you really noticing until one day you realise that you cannot remember the last time you simply really belly laughed, felt calm, or felt happy. Why Being Aware of Your Anxiety Level is Important Anxiety is what we feel emotionally and physiologically when we are worried, afraid, or in fear. When the human body interprets danger, it goes into the ‘fight, flight, or freeze’ response, using the sympathetic nervous system. The body releases chemicals to prepare for fight or flight, an evolutionary response from caveman times when facing predators. In modern life, this response is often triggered by stressors in our minds. For example, thinking about potential future dangers can cause anxiety. Some people cannot shut their minds off from worrying or being in fear, keeping the body on high alert. Without time to calm down, the body can suffer, leading to physical and mental health issues like burn-out or extreme anxiety. Extreme anxiety can lead to disorders such as Generalised Anxiety Disorder, Panic Disorder, Phobia, OCD, Health Anxiety, and Social Anxiety Disorder. This is why self-care is essential to prevent severe anxiety. Self-Care for Managing Anxiety Recently, SofiaHazelNut wrote a good article on self-care, so I won’t focus too much on it. However, it’s crucial to implement good habits into daily life: exercise, sufficient sleep, hydration, engaging in hobbies, and making time for true relaxation. When not working, fully engage in activities you enjoy that require concentration, like reading, writing, painting, solving puzzles, working out, or socialising. These activities prevent overthinking and help relax the mind. Deep breathing and meditation are excellent for instant relaxation. Seeking Help for Severe Anxiety If you think you may be suffering from serious anxiety, definitely speak to your doctor. There are many ways to reduce anxiety and get better, such as therapy (talking therapies, CBT, Eye Movement Desensitisation, Exposure Therapy). Sometimes, medication may be needed to enable therapy. Medication is best viewed as short-term support rather than a long-term solution, though some conditions may require long-term medication. Asking for help is not a weakness but shows courage and strength. Changing Perspectives to Manage Anxiety Sometimes just looking at an issue or situation from a different perspective can really help. This brings us to the ABC Model, developed by Albert Ellis in 1955. This psychological theory explains how our interpretation of events influences our emotions and behaviour. The ABC Model consists of three components Activating Event (A) Something happens in the environment that triggers a response. Beliefs (B) We then subconsciously explain to ourselves why this situation happened, influenced by our experiences, beliefs, and schemas. Consequences (C) How we interpret the situation determines our resulting emotions and behaviour. In simpler terms Stimuli (situation) in the Environment ➡️ Our Interpretation (influenced by our experiences, beliefs, schemas) ➡️ Resulting Emotions & Behaviour. Want to feel different and behave differently? Think about the situation from a different angle, perhaps in a more optimistic light. CBT therapy focuses on changing these interpretations and negative thoughts, leading to positive changes in emotions and behaviour. For example, instead of thinking, “I should be working, I’m losing money,” reframe it to, “Taking a break will make me more productive and creative later.” This shift can reduce anxiety and improve performance. The Impact of Anxiety on Performance Returning to my earlier point on anxiety affecting performance, one model in psychology—the Yerkes-Dodson Law (1908)—found evidence of a relationship between stress and the optimal level of arousal (not sexual arousal, haha, but mental arousal). Research showed that if we are under-aroused, i.e., bored or sleepy, our performance suffers. Conversely, if we are over-aroused — too stressed — our performance also tends to suffer. What we are looking for is moderate arousal, which results in optimal performance and mental focus. Therefore, a certain amount of ‘stress’ is good as it keeps us alert and aware of what is going on. So, if you want to do your best cam show, direct chat, or new movie, bear this in mind. Final Thoughts Anxiety is a complex issue but understanding it is crucial for maintaining mental health and performance. Implement self-care strategies and seek professional help if needed. Remember, maintaining a work-life balance is essential for overall well-being and success. I hope this has been useful and interesting. Happy camming!✨💜 With love, a fellow cammer Xx Show some love Share this
