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Recognizing If You Have Anxiety: Signs, Symptoms, and How to Help Yourself Cope

Anxiety is incredibly common. In fact, everyone will experience it at one point or another. It is just as universal as being happy or sad. Anxiety can be uncomfortable and stressful, but there are many healthy ways to cope.

Anxiety is normal and characterized by fear or worry. For example, if you have a big test or a job interview, you may feel anxious about how well you will do. If you do not know how something will turn out, our response is to be anxious about it. The unknown can be scary, and that is okay. In this article, we will be unpacking what anxiety is and how you can cope with it healthily.

Signs and Symptoms

For most people, anxiety is not a serious concern. However, it is when you become anxious for a long period of time or it affects your life very negatively that you may need to seek treatment. This may be signs of an anxiety disorder (more on that later).

Here are some symptoms of anxiety you should look out for:

  • Anxiety attacks;
  • Trouble sleeping;
  • Trouble breathing;
  • Feeling panicked or nervous;
  • Increased heart rate;
  • Fatigue;
  • Excessive sweating;
  • Focusing only on fear or worry;
  • Avoiding situations that cause fear or worry;
  • Trouble going to the bathroom.

How Do I Know If I Have an Anxiety Disorder or Not?

Anxiety disorders are common. They include generalized anxiety disorder, separation anxiety, and social phobia. Symptoms of anxiety disorders can be so intense that you fear social situations, experience panic attacks, or constantly have tense muscles. You should see your doctor if you are experiencing any of these.

The most common symptom of an anxiety disorder is excessive worrying. We all worry, but when it is the only thing you can focus on, that is when it becomes a problem. The worrying must occur frequently in a span of six months in order to qualify as an anxiety disorder. It must be hard to suppress and interrupt your daily life.

Agitation is another prominent symptom of an anxiety disorder. Increased sweating, raised heartbeat, shaking, and dry mouth is all common when someone with an anxiety disorder is experiencing agitation. If tiredness is happening in conjunction with excessive worrying, it can cause a severe case of anxiety disorder.

Types of anxiety disorders

Knowledge is power and being educated on the different types of anxiety disorders helps us cope. Some require medication, therapy, or a combination. The anxiety disorders to know are:

  • Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD): Someone with this disorder may experience frequent panic attacks that relate to a traumatic event from their past. Night terrors, flashbacks, and withdrawn behaviors are also common.
  • Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD): This type of anxiety gets in the way of your daily routine. Someone may feel constantly anxious or worried. Insomnia, restlessness, and fatigue are also common.
  • Seperation Anxiety Disorder: Most common among children, separation anxiety is an agitated feeling of being separated from something or someone.
  • Social Anxiety Disorder: Someone with this disorder may be afraid of public speaking or being with others. They may worry people are talking poorly about them and be extremely shy.
  • Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD): This disorder causes someone to have obsessions with certain objects or feeling troubled by certain actions. Repetitive thoughts and actions are particularly common.

No matter what anxiety disorder you have, there is help available. Many people can experience an anxiety attack and not realize there is an underlying disorder. Understanding the differences helps better determine treatment options.

Self-help

Since so many parts of our daily routine can cause anxiety, it is important to take control and make positive lifestyle changes. Understanding healthy ways to deal with stress is crucial. Here are a few ways we recommend to help you manage your anxiety:

● Learn how to relax. Meditation or exercise can help relieve stress and calm ourselves down. It is so simple, but practicing breathing can really make a difference. For those looking to be more active, enjoy the summer sun while we have it and take a walk with a pet or a friend.

● Get plenty of sleep. How many people are really doing this? Very few. Our body needs rest to function properly and this keeps anxious thoughts away. It is recommended adults get between 7-9 hours of sleep each night.

● Connect with friends. This can be hard with the pandemic, but when you feel alone, it is always a good idea to talk to someone. Whether this is over the phone or in person, it is a great idea to seek support and connection.

● Avoid worrying. People may not realize how frequently they worry until they catch themselves doing it. You should challenge yourself to keep the worrying to a minimum.

● Limit caffeine and alcohol. In excess, neither of these substances is good for you. These substances are known for fueling anxiety and can even make it worse.

● Practice stress-management techniques. Manage your workload by asking for help or taking on fewer projects if you can. Being under high stress can lead to increased anxiety.

Learning more about anxiety and how it affects your life will be a lifelong process. Eventually, you will find out what methods work and how to best integrate them into your routine.

When to Seek Professional Help

Roughly 20% of people in the United States deal with an anxiety disorder annually. While they are treatable, some people do not get help because they do not think they need it or may not have insurance. However, it is important. Mental health professionals understand what you are going through, so you do not have to suffer alone.

Sometimes anxiety can keep people from seeking help; worrying about finding the right therapist can be difficult. People often do not realize that they have gotten comfortable with their symptoms. There are many options for help, including online therapy, in-person counseling, and support groups. Waiting to get help can only make symptoms worse. Talk therapy is particularly effective to treat patients with anxiety. The sooner you seek help, the better off you will be.

At Mental Treat, our platform is full of mental health professionals who are licensed and ready to help. Simply use our filters to find the specialist who fits your needs. We are committed to de-stigmatizing mental health and make getting help easy for those who need it. Explore our platform here.

A Word From Mental Treat

Anxiety can be overwhelming to deal with, but that is why there are so many options available for help. Now, your anxiety does not have to be overbearing. With therapy and lifestyle changes, you can overcome it.

Focus on living a lifestyle that fulfills you. Stress and anxiety will always be part of life, but we are working to make it a small part. Take care, and be well.

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