Let's Talk About Anxiety

Orignially Posted December 14, 2022

What is Anxiety?

Anxiety is a word that we’ve been hearing about a lot lately. It may seem like a trendy new buzzword, but it actually holds a lot of significance! Anxiety is the feeling of uneasiness, fear, dread, or stress in anticipation of a future event.

I really want to emphasize the anticipation aspect of anxiety. This is what sets it apart from fear. Fear is in response to an imminent event. Anxiety is in response to an event that may not actually happen. They will overlap pretty regularly, but they are separate things.

An anxiety disorder is when the feelings become excessive and disruptive to functioning. It is typically chronic and often develops in childhood.

Who Does Anxiety Affect?

According to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America, 40 million adults in the U.S. are affected by an Anxiety Disorder. Women are twice as likely as men to develop an anxiety disorder.

Risk factors for anxiety disorders include family history, life events, personality, and the chemistry of the brain. Signs of anxiety disorders often begin to develop in childhood.

What Does Anxiety Affect?

Anxiety can affect you behaviorally, cognitively, and physically.

Behaviorally you may experience an increased sense of restlessness. You might find yourself becoming more irritable with things or people. You may develop a sense of hypervigilance which can result in you avoiding people or places that are safe to engage with.

Cognitively you may experience problems with making plans or a lack of commitment. Increased difficulty when it comes to concentrating on tasks, as well as excessive worrying.

People often believe that anxiety is “just in your head” or you should “just calm down and relax. Yet anxiety has physical symptoms as well. You might see things like an increase in fatigue or sleeping problems. Headaches and muscle tension, particularly in your stomach. Other symptoms you may notice include, panic attacks, increased heart rate, and hyperventilation.

Like other mental health diagnoses, anxiety can look different for everyone. And there are many different types of anxiety disorders with their own differences and similarities.

How Long Does Anxiety Last

If it is general anxiety about an upcoming situation, you will likely feel relief once the event is over. However, if it is disordered anxiety, it can last for months or years. It may feel like your brain is always looking for the next thing to be anxious about.

What Happens If Anxiety is Left Untreated

Given that anxiety often develops in childhood, leaving it untreated can result in an increase in symptoms. It can also result in a decreased ability to perform daily living skills, an inability to work, and strains in relationships. Additionally, unmanaged anxiety leads to a greater risk of suicide.

How Can Anxiety be Treated?

Talk to your doctor about your experiences. They may prescribe you medication to bring your anxiety down to a more manageable level. Keeping in mind that anxiety can be caused by abnormal brain chemistry, talking to your doctor is a very important step. 

Schedule a consultation with a therapist. They will help you develop coping skills, and identify some of the root causes of your anxiety. Anxiety is not something that can be healed on your own. It takes collaboration.

Where to Start

Talk to someone about what is going on. Pick someone that is safe to talk to, will check in on you and will support and encourage you while you are in treatment.

Create a system for yourself. This will look different for everyone, but take some time to think about what anxiety looks like for you. Look for the pattern and themes. From there think of things that will help you manage your anxiety in those situations.

Slow down. Remember to take deep breaths. Factor in times to reflect and process different situations.

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