Do you find yourself experiencing racing thoughts of worry and fear for the future or the unknown that feel out of your control? Have you caught yourself in a social setting feel overcome with terror or felt on edge? Is it hard for you to sit still and relax?
Do you ever catch yourself losing time or not remembering how you got from work to home? When you are asked a question about yourself do you immediately feel your blood pressure rise and worry you might say the wrong thing?
If you said yes to all of these, you may be experiencing symptoms of anxiety.
Anxiety Is A Part Of Life
Remember that occasional anxiety is a normal part of life. Think about it, anxiety can be necessary and motivating. That last work project got completed largely in part due to that increase in anxiety as the deadline grew nearer. Worry and fear are emotions that everybody feels. Whether that is worrying about your family, finances, or health concerns.
Everybody worries, but when this worry becomes consuming, consistent, and persistent it may impact your daily life. It might become difficult to engage with peers, concentrate, control thoughts, feel easily agitated, and have sleep concerns. Often this experience of anxiety does not go away and can get worse over time.
Everybody worries, but when this worry becomes consuming, consistent, and persistent it may impact your daily life.
It might become difficult to…
- engage with peers,
- concentrate,
- control thoughts,
- feel easily agitated,
- have sleep concerns.
Often this experience of anxiety does not go away and can get worse over time.
Now this worry is not the same as the occasional worry or dread over a stressful life event. Instead, individuals who are experiencing symptoms of generalized anxiety disorder experience symptoms frequently for months or years.
Anxiety can manifest in many different ways for different people; however, anxiety is marked by feelings of excessive worry that are
- difficult to control,
- experiencing unexplained pains (headaches, stomach pains, etc.),
- problems regarding sleep.
When it comes to treatment for anxiety disorders, psychotherapy has been found to support these symptoms. There are many ways to treat anxiety, such as Exposure Therapy, CBT, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, support groups, etc. that can all be helpful in minimizing your symptoms of anxiety.
Steps To Identify & Learn The Causes & Triggers
One of the first steps is to identify and learn what causes or triggers your anxiety to implement coping strategies that may help to reduce your anxiety.
- Try journaling (noting when thoughts come up) or
- try engaging in exercise to become more attuned with your body,
- try a strict sleeping routine that allows you to feel rested, and
- try different techniques to navigate negative thoughts.
If you just read that and feel like you have already tried all of these and nothing is working, or your symptoms of anxiety just will not go away, it may be time to talk to a professional. If you are struggling to cope with your symptoms of anxiety and want to build better-coping strategies, please feel free to reach out to me, Dr. Kendal Vaarwerk, for a free and confidential consultation, after which, together, we can decide your preferred next steps. I look forward to hearing from you!
