Is it anxiety.?
Unless you’ve been told by a medical professional you have ‘anxiety’, it isn’t uncommon for someone to not realise anxiety is at the bottom of what they have been wrestling with.
Instead, common complaints may be:
Feeling worked up, irritable, and tense
Swinging between being super busy, rushing around and stressed out and then becoming overwhelmed, tearful and unable to cope.
Not being able to sleep, relax or switch off with a racing mind and thoughts.
Feeling frustrated, cranky and argumentative with loved ones or at work
Road rage
A general sense of unease or worry
If you know me already, you will know I am not a big fan of placing labels on our behaviour or feelings as I find it can be unhelpful.
It can lead to us feeling ashamed or that something is ‘wrong’ with us. Particularly any label with the word ‘disorder’ in it. It can also become something we identify with as belonging to us, or who we are.
When in fact it isn’t ‘who you are’. Many anxieties come from past events where being anxious made perfect sense. And so, in fact feeling anxious is a perfectly normal response to a stressful situation.
The anxiety only becomes a noticeable issue when the pattern remains and you are no longer at threat. We can become ‘stuck’. Repeating thoughts, feelings and behaviours which once kept us safe and are now holding us back or causing us suffering.
Once we are able to notice this is what is going on, being able to recognise and identify what is the root cause of how you feel can be helpful when it comes to finding the answer to move forward.
For instance the strategy to resolve anxiety is very different for someone who is fearful of being judged or criticised by others than it is for panic attacks or Post Traumatic Stress .
In this blog I will cover the main groups that anxiety is placed under to give you an insight into
whether or not anxiety is at the root of what you are being impacted by
so you have a better understanding of what is needed to have relief form it
I should mention that when anxiety and a sense of threat become a common feature in our life, it is not unusual to notice that more than one type of anxiety may be showing up in varying degrees for you.
When reading the list, it is worth bearing in mind that as with many things, anxiety is not a linear thing.
It is unlikely to be experienced exactly in the same way for everyone. It can be a spectrum of intensity and so therefore impacting your day-to-day life and wellbeing differently.
This blog is intended as a basic overview to the ways anxiety can show up and not as a diagnostic tool. I have used the medical terminology that is prescribed to each category for identification purposes.
Social Anxiety (previously Social Phobia)
A form of anxiety that is on the rise since COVID and lock downs became part of our life, with younger people being mostly effected.
It is brought on by feeling anxious or fearful in situations with others. It can show up before socialising, during or afterwards. It can also be an activity such as public speaking.
If you find yourself worrying about something you have said or done and what others think it is likely that social anxiety is what you are wrestling with.
Underneath this anxiety can be fear of being judged, criticised, attacked, rejected or abandoned. Feelings of embarrassment, feeling ashamed or guilty are common with this anxiety.
Generalised Anxiety (GAD)
A generalised sense of worry and unease. This can grow out of an anxiety around one incident that expands out and impacts other situations or thoughts.
A common thought pattern that someone with Generalised Anxiety will have is repeatedly asking ‘What if…’ questions in an attempt to get certainty or reassurance.
Separation Anxiety
This anxiety can affect adults as much as children. In fact all social species, such as dogs, can also struggle with separation anxiety. It occurs when there is a worry or fear that something will happen to the person or items that you are strongly attached to. This can stem form not feeling able to cope or manage without this person or thing being present in your life or available to you..
Specific Phobia
The anxiety or worry is focused around a specific situation or thing. You may or may not recall a specific incidence or experience you had previously from which this fear stems from.
Under the fear, the belief is that this thing is dangerous and so must be avoided at all costs.
With a true phobia, you cannot talk yourself round or just ‘get over it’. You will avoid the things at all costs. If you cannot, a severe and strong reaction driven by fear or terror will surface.
Panic Disorder
The fear of your bodily reactions (physiological) and feelings that arise from anxiety. This is usually referred to as a panic attack. The fear fuelling this anxiety is usually around losing control.
The symptoms of a panic attack can come on from a specific trigger or it may seem to come out of nowhere with no conscious awareness of what promoted it.
The symptoms of a panic attack are:
· Racing heart rate, a pounding heart or heart palpitations
· Feeling out of control and unsafe
· An ominous sense of something being very wrong or impending doom
· Sweating
· Trembling or shaking
· Feeling like you can’t catch your breath or as though you are being smothered or choking
Obsessive Compulsive (OCD)
Having reoccurring thoughts or behaviours that you find distressing. It may be obsessively thinking about something. In order to calm these thoughts there is an overwhelming urge or compulsion to repeat behaviours or actions in an attempt to reduce the threat or worry.
Post Traumatic Stress
When a previously traumatic event leaves a lasting, negative imprint on your unconscious leading to a generalised feeling of being unsafe. This leads to avoidance behaviours in order to feel safe. Disconnecting from those around you, avoiding intimacy and becoming more reclusive are common. Vivid obtrusive memories may also be present. Triggers can lead to flashbacks of the past in the present which can be visual, emotional, or physical sensations. Nightmares and feeling emotionally numb are also common signs.
Struggling with anxious thoughts and feelings is exhausting and can impact your quality of life.
If you are experiencing traits which you suspect may be from anxiety and would like to find out how I can help you to overcome these feelings so you can relaxed, calm and happy again, get in touch for a free, no obligation chat.