What Causes Anxiety and How it can Affect You
Anxiety is a natural human reaction to stress. No two people are the same when it comes to dealing with stress. We all experience this intuitive response to prepare ourselves for unknown situations or protect us from potentially dangerous ones.
These innate worries become a problem when anxious feelings become unshakable or interfere with your daily life. Chronic anxiety can be exhausting physically as well as emotionally. It can develop into a number of disorders or mental conditions.
You will be in a much better position to tackle overwhelming anxiety once you understand what it is and where it comes from. By confronting your anxiety, you will be better equipped to handle stressful situations.
The Many Faces of Anxiety
When we begin avoiding common situations that trigger nervousness or fear, ordinary anxiety can become an anxiety disorder. These disorders are common and treatable.
The most common types are:
● Generalized Anxiety Disorder
● Panic Disorders
● Social Phobias
● Specific Phobias
Generalized Anxiety Disorder
Generalized Anxiety Disorder, or GAD, is when worry becomes a part of your daily life. You may find it difficult to stop worrying about everyday situations. Oftentimes it can cause physical symptoms as well such as muscle aches, headaches, fatigue, and trouble concentrating.
Panic Disorders
Panic Disorders are those which sudden bursts of anxiety or panic cause physical reactions. They may cause your heart to race or may make it difficult to breathe. You may sweat, feel weak, or experience chest pains which can be quite frightening, adding to your anxiety.
Social Phobias or Social Anxiety
An especially avoidant type of anxiety is Social Phobia, commonly known as Social Anxiety. By avoiding social situations, we miss out on the benefits of developing healthy relationships. It may make it hard to leave your home and cause difficulties meeting your everyday needs.
Specific Phobias
There are countless specific phobias that are developed and present in numerous ways. Often, phobias can trigger anxiety unexpectedly when confronted with the objects or situations we fear. These can lead to shame, embarrassment, or make it virtually impossible to navigate our lives without excessive precaution.
How Anxiety Affects You
If you do not find ways to manage your anxiety, anxiety can control your life. One of the hallmarks of anxiety disorders is avoidance. When we are unable to confront the problems in our life, it stunts our ability to grow and develop into the best version of ourselves.
It can wreak havoc on your body. When you experience anxiety, your muscles tense and your heart beats faster, pumping blood and adrenaline through your body. Repeated episodes of heightened anxiety can lead to sleep disturbances, chronic pain, and increase your risk of heart attack or stroke.
What Causes Anxiety
There can be as many roots of anxiety as there are ways in which it develops. It is known that about 30% of adults experience some type of anxiety disorder in their lifetime. Comparatively, it tends to be more common in women than men. Causes can range from everyday stress to deeply traumatic experiences.
There is research into whether anxiety disorders can be genetic. As such, it is still unclear whether people have a biological predisposition towards these disorders or whether being raised by anxiety sufferers makes us more anxious.
Trauma and difficulties in childhood can cause trouble processing anxiety later in life.
When to Seek Help
If you find that your fears and anxiety are making it difficult to go about your daily life, it’s time to get help. Don’t let your worries control your life.
Mindfulness and meditation can help you identify your anxiety as you experience it. Likewise, there are breathing exercises that may help especially those living with panic disorders.
Having a trained professional to help you choose and guide you through a treatment plan. They can help you take back your life and enjoy a more fulfilling future. Let's connect so I can help you learn how beneficial anxiety therapy can be.