What anxiety looks like?

Everyone experiences anxiety at some point in life. It can be a natural reaction to running late for work, filling out college applications, or meeting your significant other’s family. In these circumstances, anxiety is triggered by an event, spikes, and lowers over time. For others, anxiety can become problematic, ongoing, and difficult to manage.

Symptoms of anxiety can include:

• Sweating
• Rapid breathing
• Rapid heart rate
• Feelings of tension, nervousness, restlessness
• Feelings of tiredness, worry, fear
• A sense of coming doom
• Difficulty managing worry
• Avoiding things that trigger anxiety
• Digestive difficulties, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea
• Sweating

Some factors may increase your risk of developing problematic anxiety:

• Experiencing childhood trauma or abuse or witnessing traumatic events
• Stress due to a health condition
• People with certain personality types
• Having a relative with anxiety
• Having another mental health issue
• Misuse of substances or withdrawal

There are different anxiety disorders, severity, length of symptoms, and the way symptoms present are factors in determining what anxiety disorder may be present. If you notice anxiety that doesn’t naturally dissipate, feel as though you are struggling to manage anxiety, or interfere with your life, it’s time to talk with your doctor or licensed mental health professional.

It’s important to rule out underlying medical conditions that may be causing the anxiety. For some people, an underlying medical issue may be the cause, and once this issue is treated, anxiety may abate. A medical and family mental health history will likely be taken, and your doctor or therapist may ask questions about your anxiety. Treatment typically includes medication, therapy, or a combination of both.

Some lifestyle changes may be recommended by either your doctor or your therapist to help support your efforts in treatment. These may include:

• Getting adequate sleep and developing a healthy bedtime routine. Lack of sleep can exacerbate anxiety.
• Monitoring and limiting the intake of stimulants like caffeine, which can interrupt sleep and may increase anxiety.
• Learning breathing techniques, progressive muscle relaxation, or meditation that may help ease anxiety.
• Getting plenty of exercises to help the body manage its stress response system.

If lifestyle changes alone aren’t helpful or you are struggling to manage, talking with your therapist or doctor is important in feeling better.