You feel that heavy feeling in your chest, the nervousness of giving a speech in public or feeling scared for no reason at all, the continuous nervous feeling - I do too.
Your anxiety makes you take impulsive decisions and makes you overthink all the time, mine does too. You are not alone. I choose to learn more about my anxiety and ask for help. Do you?
Normal levels of anxiety are at one end of a continuum and may manifest as moderate dread or apprehension, minor bodily tightness and perspiration, or concerns about your ability to accomplish a task. These anxiety feelings do not interfere with regular functioning. While on the other extreme end of the scale, severe anxiety is extremely burdensome, we who suffer from severe anxiety generally score higher on distress assessments and lower on functional assessments. The anxiety attacks make it harder for us to do routine chores, making life a bit more difficult each day.
We call out for support but no one seems to listen, people feel it's just the plain nervousness before a test or the jitters before giving a speech in front of a large crowd. Well, Anxiety is so much more than just jitters. I don't think people understand how stressful it is to explain what's going on in your head when you don’t even understand it yourself.
What is Anxiety Disorder: Symptoms and Causes of Anxiety
Anxiety disorder is a well-known terminology that is typically self-diagnosable; you may experience symptoms such as nervousness, restlessness, or tenseness. You have a feeling of impending danger or panic, and your pulse rate is racing. You need to worry.
You are most likely experiencing an anxiety attack if you are hyperventilating, sweating, shaking, feeling weak or fatigued, and having difficulty concentrating or thinking about anything other than the current situation at hand. These are the severe anxiety symptoms one may experience.
Persistent anxiety produces significant mental discomfort and can lead to illness and, in the worst-case scenario, the development of anxiety disorders such as panic attacks, phobias, and obsessional behaviours.
Causes of Anxiety may include Trauma (Recent or childhood), Stress due to an Illness, Personality, drugs or alcohol or any kind of stress buildup.
What Anxiety Feels Like?
When you are nervous, your body goes into high alert, scanning for potential threats and triggering your fight or flight reaction. Many people around me have approached me and said, "I'm anxious!" and all they've ever gotten in response is, "Just take a chill pill" or "relax for a little, dude."
I hadn't realized that a chill pill or a few moments of relaxation weren't going to solve such a long-term and significant condition as anxiety.
It is also very essential to be aware of how to respond to another person’s anxiousness or anxiety. Showing that You’re willing to help them out, means a lot to us who face anxiety. It makes us feel like we are being taken seriously.
Anxiety Affects your Mood and Mental state
Anxiety disorders can also have an impact on your mood and are frequently associated with depression. Suicidal ideation may be exacerbated by mood disorders. We may call it a domino effect, where one event leads to another. Depression due to Anxiety is a real thing.
The earlier assistance is obtained, the more valuable it is deemed. Anxiety-related mood disorders are unlikely to go away on their own, and they may worsen over time.
Long-term worry and panic episodes might lead your brain to regularly produce stress chemicals. This can make symptoms like headaches, dizziness, and sadness more common.
Embrace Your Anxiety: It is a Part of You
Researchers discovered that when people recognize their anxiety, they perform better. Labeling your feelings and understanding that feeling anxious is a normal part of the process allows you to concentrate your time and energy on your objectives. Although stress is unpleasant, it is manageable.
Anxiety can make you stronger. Studies have proved that those who are more worried than others are more likely to fare well amid a crisis. Only once you accept your feeling of anxiousness with all your body, heart and mind will you be able to work towards a brighter future.
Remember these three ways of coping with anxiety: Find out more about your anxiety. Accept your unpleasant ideas and emotions. Remind yourself that dealing with anxiety is a sign of strength.