Do you think of yourself as an anxious person? Do you often find yourself worrying about everyday issues that you can’t control or are not sure how to navigate without a feeling of unease or panic?
Although anxiety is a natural reaction to perceived dangers that affect most people at one point or another, “an anxious person” is sometimes defined as someone who can’t stop worrying. If that sounds like you, you might have an anxiety disorder.
Anxiety vs Anxiety Disorders
Anxiety is a feeling of fear, dread, or unease that you may have as a reaction to stress or a difficult situation. It can be a very normal response to many uncomfortable circumstances, like taking a test or facing a tough problem at work.
But if you find yourself obsessing about everyday issues and feel incapable of controlling anxious thoughts, or experience repeated episodes of intense panic or fear, you may meet the criteria for an anxiety disorder. Understanding more about this condition, how to cope better, and when to seek professional help will help you to get your anxiety under control.
Symptoms of Anxiety
Normal feelings of anxiety about a particular situation can feel intense but may be short-lived, subsiding after that event takes place. Those symptoms are both physical and emotional and may include:
- Increased heartbeat
- Sweating
- Trembling
- Obsessing over your current worry
- Chest pain
- Nausea
- Feeling helpless
- Difficulty sleeping
- Gastrointestinal problems
- Trouble concentrating
- Having a sense of impending danger or panic
But when you are dealing with an anxiety disorder, those feelings don’t fade. They can become excessive and uncontrollable, impacting your daily routines at school or work, and affecting your relationships.
Different Types of Anxiety Disorders
Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) is a diagnosis you may receive if you’ve been worrying on most days for at least six months. What you worry about from day to day may change, but typically, your feelings of anxiety are out of proportion to the issues you are facing. GAD is more common in women and sometimes runs in families. You might experience GAD along with another type of anxiety.
Social anxiety is related to fears or avoidance of social situations due to feelings of embarrassment or concern over being judged and viewed negatively by others.
Panic disorder involves repeated episodes of sudden and intense panic that are usually not related to your immediate situation or surroundings. You may experience an impending sense of doom so strong; you feel like you’re having a heart attack. You may begin to worry about when your next panic attack could occur and start avoiding social or everyday situations.
Agoraphobia is a fear of places or situations where escape or finding help may be difficult. You might feel afraid to leave your home or be in open, crowded places. It may prevent you from going out or force you to avoid certain situations and events.
Anxiety disorders can also accompany substance misuse or specific phobias. Any feelings of anxiety that are significant enough to disrupt your daily routines would fall into the category.
Coping Skills
Anxiety symptoms can range in severity. You may need to seek help from a professional mental health provider if you feel your anxiety is out of your control. You can also try to focus on lifestyle changes or coping mechanisms to ease your symptoms. Here are some management skills that may help you deal with anxiety:
Deep breathing techniques can help calm you down in the moment and manage your immediate anxiety. Taking slow, even deep breaths can slow your heartbeat and blood pressure, while increasing oxygen to the brain. Popular methods you can look up are Diaphragmatic Breathing and the 4-7-8 breathing technique.
Exercise can be good for your body and your mind. Getting up and getting moving can distract you from racing thoughts and can boost your energy levels. Just taking a walk can be helpful. Mind-body exercises like yoga or tai chi can calm your mind as well. When you exercise you burn off the stress chemicals in your body, you clear your mind, and you get the most benefit when you raise your heart rate – both physically and mentally.
Prioritizing sleep and focusing on good sleep habits are important to both your physical and mental health. Going to bed and waking up at the same time every day helps your body to know that it is going to get sleep and to feel at your best. Try to go to bed early enough to get restorative rest and if you’re having sleeping issues, talk to a provider. Avoid napping during the day for more than 30 minutes as that can disrupt your sleep cycle and affect when you are trying to sleep at night.
Focus on good nutrition. It sounds cliché, but what you put in your body can impact your overall health and well-being. Avoid eating too much sugar and monitor your caffeine intake.
Avoid alcohol and recreational drugs. You may feel an immediate effect of calm from using alcohol or drugs, but longer-term, they could make your anxiety symptoms even worse.
When to Seek Help
If you feel that your anxiety symptoms are worsening and interfering with your everyday life, it may be time to seek out the advice and support of a mental health provider. A therapist can work with you to create a treatment plan to better understand sources of anxiety and manage symptoms. There are also medications that may help with your anxiety recovery – your provider can explain what those are and whether they might be right for you.
MindGlow Health offers talk therapy through online appointments with licensed providers who are experienced and passionate about what they do. The company was built on the foundation of a well-established behavioral health organization, where thousands of people nationwide have sought care for their mental health concerns, like anxiety.
Learn more about the services we provide or get started today with one of our providers to take the first step towards a healthier, happier you.