It is natural to feel anxious and worried from time to time. However, sometimes it can feel like anxiety takes over. A person suffering from anxiety may be consumed by the fear of things, which may seem irrational to those around them. Dealing with anxiety begins with recognizing the signs, learning some self-help techniques, and understanding when to find support.
Recognizing the Signs of Anxiety
Anxiety disorder affects up to 18% of the American population, making it the most prevalent mental health condition in the United States. Recognizing the signs of anxiety can help you find out when you or someone you care about is having fearful feelings or thoughts. Anxiety symptoms may vary from one person to another, but they can be placed under three main categories.
Physical Symptoms of Anxiety
Some of the physical symptoms that one may experience include:
- Nausea
- Diarrhea
- Light-headedness
- Shortness of breath
- Sweating
- Feeling restless or edgy
- Getting fatigued easily
Anxious Thoughts
A person experiencing anxiety has thought patterns such as;
- Persistent worry
- Expecting the worst to happen
- Overgeneralizing (making general assumptions based on a single event)
- An all-or-nothing mentality
Anxious Behaviors
Common behaviors that are associated with anxiety include;
- Seeking reassurance
- Avoiding feared events or situations
- Compulsive actions (repeating a particular action over and over)
- Easy frustration and irritability in feared events
- Second-guessing
How to Deal with Anxiety
Try these tips whenever you feel stressed out or anxious. If these are not powerful enough to control your anxiety, reach out for help.
Take a time out— Stepping back from your routine activities or the problem making you feel anxious can be highly beneficial. Consider practicing relaxation techniques such as listening to music, practicing yoga, getting a massage, or listening to music.
- Eat well-balanced meals— Ensure not to miss any meal within the day and keep some energy-boosting and healthy snacks on hand.
- Limit your alcohol and caffeine intake— Alcohol and caffeine contain substances that can trigger panic attacks and aggravate anxiety. It is therefore advisable to avoid them altogether.
- Exercise daily— Regular exercise is a great way to maintain your health and boost your mood and energy.
- Take deep breaths— Exhale and inhale slowly.
- Count one to ten— You can repeat this step or count to 20 if necessary.
- Accept that it can be challenging to take control over everything— Take care of what you can and avoid stressing over what you can’t.
- Welcome humor— A little laugh goes a long way, so try to be happy as often as you can.
- Have a positive attitude— Continually strive to replace any negative thoughts you may have with positive ones.
- Get involved— Another great way to reduce stress and anxiety is by getting active within your local community through activities such as social work and charity events.
- Find out what may be triggering your anxiety— Anxiety may be triggered by various factors such as school, work, family, or any other identifiable aspect. You can find out the cause by writing a journal whenever you feel anxious or stressed out and find out whether there is a pattern.
- Talk it out— You can talk to a friend or family member when you feel overwhelmed and let them know if there is any way they can help you. It would be best if you also considered talking to a therapist or physician for professional help.
Need a Psychological Therapist to Handle Help with Anxiety? Contact us!
At denova Healthcare, we have certified and experienced physicians and therapists who are passionate about ensuring that our patients have good mental health. We offer a wide range of services such as addiction treatment, virtual care, emotional and behavioral treatments for mental ailments such as anxiety. Please contact us online or call us directly at 602-230-7373 to schedule an appointment.
