Transition Anxiety – of the micro kind

Experiencing anxiety about a future event isn’t uncommon. For some of us, this ‘transition’ anxiety can be crippling in its intensity. However, there’s another type of anticipatory anxiety which barely gets a mention, yet it effects many of us, not just on a daily basis, but on multiple occasions throughout the day. It’s known as ‘micro-transition anxiety,’ and it arrives whenever we switch from one activity to another. These activities are part and parcel of our everyday life, and include both pleasurable and challenging activities. For example, micro-transition anxiety can arrive when we face getting up in the morning, preparing breakfast, going out for a walk, choosing a treat to go with our cafe coffee, going to the supermarket, heading to an appointment, going out for dinner, defrosting the fridge, sitting down for a quiet half hour with a magazine, and vacuuming the house. They are the sorts of things many people take in their stride or look forward to, but which for others, leaves them feeling uncomfortable or even distressed. Understanding why such everyday events trigger anxiety is the first step to taking control of our own reaction.

The first thing is to acknowledge even small transitions require something significant of us. For example, we may have spent the morning feeling relaxed in our own company, but when a friend comes to the door (especially if they arrive unexpectedly) we are suddenly required to quickly switch into welcoming mode; to be hospitable, to create conversation, to listen, and perhaps console or empathise. There are physical tasks we must attend to as well, such as making a hot drink, providing food, warming the room. While some may find these demands completely natural, for those who have micro-transition anxiety, it can send their heart racing and their head spinning. They may even spend considerable time, after the event, mulling over and over how well they performed the tasks.

Even when completing a chore, and moving to what should be a pleasant activity, our anxiety can still be triggered. For example, having completed the window cleaning, we then decide to sit in the sun with a magazine. Suddenly, we find ourselves feeling anxious, with no real understanding of why. If asked to identify the triggers, there may be plenty: the choice involved in picking out which magazine to read, wondering if we should open the window in case the room becomes too hot while we’re sitting, wondering if the phone will ring and interrupt our rest, deciding if we need to make a cup of coffee before we sit down, thinking we really do want the rest but knowing there are other chores that need attending to. For those with micro-transition anxiety, there is seldom a switch which doesn’t give rise to feelings of discomfort.

If this sounds like you, there are ways in which you can help yourself to relax as you transition from activity to activity. They include:

• Accepting small transitions can be much more demanding than they at first seem
• Preparing yourself for a transition ahead of time (for example, while you are still vacuuming the last room, talk to yourself about what you plan to do next)
• Making a list of what you plan to do in the next hour or two so switches don’t surprise you
• Sticking to a routine so the switches are familiar to you
• Taking time between one activity to another by carrying out a simple exercise (such as chair sitting and standing 10 times)
• Reminding yourself you may feel anxiety, but it doesn’t necessarily mean you have anything to be anxious about
• Paying attention to the physical anxiety you are experiencing (such as racing heart, rapid breathing, sweating), and working toward stilling these reactions through deep breathing, slowly counting backwards from 10, noticing and naming 3 smells, sounds, and sights)
• Paying attention to your emotional reactions (such as a racing mind, negative thoughts, or the fear of becoming even more anxious), and counteracting these with mindfulness, naming 3 positive aspects that will come with the switch, and reminding yourself the anxiety will pass).

Some of us are naturally more anxious than others, even around very small issues. Instead of comparing yourself to others, accept who you are, and work on making changes to will help you relax.