Are you curious about how anxiety works?
Maybe you suffer from anxiety or know someone who does. Here is a breakdown of what anxiety is and why it is so hard to conquer.
Types of anxiety reactions
There is the anxiety of firsts. You can react with fear to the first day at a new job or the first time giving a presentation at a meeting. The anxiety goes away once the situation becomes familiar. Anxiety states that stick around and repeat themselves are most distressing. They are draining and often require professional intervention.
The repeated anxiety states can be situational anxiety or phobias. Both seem irrational, but the fear is real.
Panic attacks
A panic attack is a feeling of overwhelming anxiety. You are convinced that something terrible is about to happen. You don’t know what, but you’re sure it’s coming. You want to — ESCAPE NOW. Panic attacks seem to come out of nowhere and are generally not attached to an event or specific phobia.
You cannot concentrate. All the usual anxiety feelings are magnified X 100. You feel like you’re losing your mind because you cannot control your thoughts or emotions. The tension can cause severe chest pain. Adults may go to the ER, convinced that they are having a heart attack.
What does anxiety feel like on the inside?
Inside, you feel restless, shaky, jittery, weak, hot, flushed, confused, overwhelmed and tense. The tension might cause jaw, neck, stomach, or chest pain. You have a general sense of urgency and problems concentrating and sleeping. Your main concern is how to reduce your anxiety level.
What does an anxious person look like to others?
You look restless and shaky. Your face and neck are flushed. Your shirt may be soaked with sweat. You talk a lot and fast. Your breathing is short and shallow. You cling to others and attempt to avoid certain places or situations. Your list of complaints includes stomach pain, weakness, sleeplessness, and concentration problems. You become angry and unreasonable when you are unable to avoid overwhelming situations. It’s hard to distract you, and reassurance isn’t much help.
Mental health conditions that cause or mimic anxiety
Hyperactivity can look like anxiety to an observer. Hyperactive people can have rapid speech and look restless. They complain of inability to concentrate and sleeplessness. To complicate things. A person can be both hyperactive and anxious.
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is powered by anxiety. The outward symptoms are different. The condition is expressed by various behaviors that the person uses to reduce the anxiety.
Depression and anxiety often appear in the same person. Sometimes, people focus on the depression signs and symptoms and overlook the anxiety. Other times, the fear is so overwhelming the person might minimize the depression. Many of the antidepressant medications work for both depression and anxiety. Please consult a medical professional.
Persons on the Autism Spectrum suffer from massive anxiety. They complain of having to work hard to appear ‘normal.’ Others consider their methods of reducing anxiety and stress as odd. Often, the people on the Spectrum try to stop the behaviors without having a substitute. Trying to fit into social settings and unpredictable events triggers massive anxiety.
Medical conditions that cause or mimic anxiety
Several medical conditions trigger anxiety or symptoms that feel like anxiety. WebMD features an article on Conditions That Look Like Anxiety by Natalie Slivinski
I found that no matter what triggers anxiety, once it’s here, it takes on a life of its own.
Anxiety spreads
Anxiety spreads like the ripples created by throwing a rock into a calm body of water. It can attach itself to different situations over time. For example, you may experience the physical and mental shock of a sudden freeway collision. After the crash, you develop anxiety about driving on the freeway.
Initially, you can navigate side streets, but that can turn into anxiety about driving anywhere. Eventually, the mere thought of driving anywhere triggers overwhelming anxiety.
Your life changes once the anxiety gets a hold of you
Everything takes longer. You avoid certain situations or places and take long detours. Family members underestimate your level of suffering and see your behavior as unreasonable. There is no time to relax. Your daily life becomes very strategic. You plan all activities around your anxiety-producing situations. If you experience anxiety at work, it affects your concentration and productivity. Anxiety is illogical, but the fear is real.
Why does that happen?
Part of the brain’s function is to protect you from harm. The brain is on the lookout for dangerous situations. When the brain spots danger, certain chemicals are released. These help you to fight or flee. The brain is also careful to remember where dangerous situations have been encountered — so you can avoid them in the future.
And there you have it. Your freeway collision is the original dangerous situation. The memory of the accident causes avoidance of potential freeway situations. Eventually, all driving may be defined as dangerous and trigger anxiety.
Anxiety is the brain’s attempt to prevent further damage to you.
Thoughts are very powerful. Just imagining a potentially dangerous situation can be a trigger for extreme anxiety.
To find out what to do once you are struggling with anxiety, please read my other articles.