In The Meantime Heres How To Deal
Though professional help is the most effective way to treat physical symptoms of anxiety, therapy and/or medication arent always accessible. In that case, it might be helpful to know some of the common ways people with anxiety practice self-care and help themselves feel better. Like we mentioned earlier, deep breathing is a big one for anxiety symptoms, since hyperventilation can exacerbate many of the symptoms on this list.
Beyond that, our Anxiety Center is full of helpful, expert-recommended tips to make living with anxiety a little easier. Here are a few specific articles to get you started:
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Is Anxiety All In Your Head
People with anxiety disorders often feel that their concerns are not taken seriously or that its all in their heads. This minimizes their pain and discomfort, and leaves psychiatric and associated medical conditions unaddressed. It should be noted that the statement its all in your head is not entirely wrong.
High Functioning Anxiety Vs Low Functioning Anxiety
The symptoms of both high functioning and low functioning anxiety are the same in the sense that they are both characterised by extreme worry and fear which can lead to physical symptoms such as increased heart rate, sweating, and trouble sleeping. The differences lie in the ability to function in everyday life.
A common characteristic of low functioning anxiety is a disruption of daily functioning. This can depend on what type of anxiety disorder a person has.
Someone with social anxiety disorder may struggle to talk to others or with going anywhere where they will have to socialise with others someone with a phobia such as agoraphobia will fear leaving their home which can negatively impact on their work and social life.
In contrast, someone with high functioning anxiety will find they are still able to function well and can even strive in their work, school, or social life despite feeling the internal struggle of their anxiety.
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What Can You Expect From Anxiety Treatment
Weve covered a lot of heavy stuff, so now for the bright side: Its totally possible to treat anxiety and panic attacks. When you address whats going on psychologically, youll usually find that you end up feeling better physically too.
There are many lifestyle changes you can take on at home that can make a big difference in the way that you feel. But a diagnosed anxiety disorder calls for some professional help too. Ultimately, the best course of anxiety treatment is different for everyone and will depend on your specific symptoms. If you have access to them, a blend of therapy and medication helps the most. Some of the most common anxiety treatments include:
Seeing a mental health professional is a big move, but working with a therapist can be a crucial tool in your anxiety-fighting arsenal. Talk therapy is generally recommended for treating most types of anxiety disorders, per the NIMH. But the type of therapy youll benefit from will depend on the type of anxiety youre dealing with, your symptoms, your personal health history, and your overall lifestyle.
Theres no clear-cut answer on when its time to seek therapy, but a good rule of thumb is if anxiety symptoms are getting in the way of your life, you might want to consider seeing a licensed mental health professional.
What Does Anxiety Feels Like
Anxiety is not only feelings of worry, fear, and anxiousness, it is much deeper than that. If a person suffers from anxiety frequently, they may have an anxiety disorder. Of course, the intensity of anxiety and how it feels differs slightly from person to person but the general idea remains the same.
Unpredictable and overpowering, anxiety is an unpleasant phenomenon that affects both the mental state of a person, as well as physical. It is a laborious, but mostly impossible, task to try and discern what anxiety truly feels like. Not just for the person observing someone else going through anxiety or an anxiety attack, but the person experiencing the anxiety themselves is unable to pen down what exactly anxiety feels like.
Relationship Anxiety Symptoms and Treatment
Does the air feel like there is no oxygen all of a sudden? Or does the world feel floating around you while you remain at one position weighing heavier than usual, more conspicuous than usual? Does it feel like someone is clenching your heart? Does it feel like your stomach swam to your mouth? And are you are unable to speak despite wanting to just like those nightmares that occur ever so frequently? And are you trying to rest your brain, but it keeps racing a hundred miles per hour? Or does your chest feel heavy, like a boulder has been placed on it? Does peaceful sleep seem like a luxury? And does even the air conditioner not even suffice to eliminate the burning up sensation?
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Youre Short Of Breath
Oxygen helps circulate the blood around your body. Your fight-or-flight response speeds up how quickly youre sending blood around your body, due to your heart racing.
As a result, you might find yourself taking more large breaths to get a boost of oxygen. Your breathing becomes rapid and shallow. This type of breathing is called hyperventilation. Hyperventilation allows the lungs to take in more oxygen and transport it around the body quickly.
Hyperventilation can make you feel out of breath and gasp for breath. This worsens hyperventilation, which includes symptoms like dizziness, lightheadedness, tingling, and weakness.
Also, people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease may be more susceptible to complications. Anxiety can also worsen asthma symptoms.
Effects Of Anxiety On The Body
The amygdala, an area of the brain that manages emotional responses, plays a crucial role in developing feelings of fear and anxiety.
When a person feels anxious, stressed, or frightened, the brain signals other body parts. The signals communicate that the body should prepare to fight or flee.
The body responds, for example, by releasing adrenaline and cortisol, which many describe as stress hormones.
Anxiety can significantly affect the body, and long-term anxiety increases the risk of developing chronic physical conditions. Some of the ways that anxiety affects the body include:
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How To Get Help For A Loved One
If your loved one is not convinced of the need for treatment, getting them help for their anxiety can be complicated. You may want to kindly offer some reasons why anxiety therapy and/or medication could be helpful for them. Providing them with local treatment providers, being by their side while making the appointment, and heading to the appointment with them are all great ways to show your concern and support.
Throughout the process, make sure to let them know you are always on their side. Discuss the appointments and treatments with them as much as they are comfortable. Always continue the conversation about mental health and make yourself available.
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Identifying And Easing Anxiety
It’s possible to become so fixated on the physical effects from your anxious state that you don’t even realize you were anxious to begin with, says Dr. Barsky. So, how do you know if anxiety is causing your symptoms? And if it is, how can you feel better? Dr. Barsky offers some tips to help you interrupt this cycle.
Stop and assess. “The first step is to pause for a second and observe what’s going on with your body,” says Dr. Barsky. Think about what you are experiencing and whether it relates to a feeling of emotional upset or a reaction to something alarming or stressful. If your symptoms followed a stressful event or period of time, it’s possible these emotions triggered your symptoms. Also, be alert to signs that you are tensing your muscles, which can also indicate a stress reaction.
Relax your body or work it. To relieve stress, try some deep breathing or relaxation exercises. There are numerous online resources and smartphone apps that can help guide you through relaxation techniques. Physical activity can also help you relieve tension. Try to squeeze in a daily walk or a run.
Reassure yourself. If you believe your symptoms are being caused by anxiety, reassure yourself that what you are experiencing is not harmful or fatal. “They’re not serious, and they don’t signal an impending medical disaster,” says Dr. Barsky. The symptoms will pass when the anxiety eases.
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What Anxiety Does To Your Body: 7 Common Physical Symptoms
While conversations on anxiety tend to revolve around how a person feels mentally and emotionally, its important to consider the physical symptoms, too. For a lot of women struggling with anxiety, its not always clear how to make the connection between how they are feeling physically and their emotional state.
To begin to understand the physical symptoms of anxiety, its important to remember how anxiety triggers the physical fight or flight response. While a helpful tool when facing a real physical threat, your brain doesnt distinguish between that and anxiety, which is often caused by fear and worry. Because your brain is wired to respond to any perceived threat by kicking on your sympathetic nervous system, when you feel anxious a lot of involuntary responses start to happen, like increased breathing and a more rapid release of hormones into your bloodstream.
How your body physically responds to anxiety is unique, but there are seven common physical symptoms that you should be aware of. When you understand what your body does when its stressed, you can start to connect the dots between your anxiety and your physical body.
Heres How And When To Get Professional Help
Now for a bright side: Its totally possible to treat anxiety and panic attacks. Therapy is often a crucial part of treatment, especially methods like cognitive behavioral therapy, to help you retrain your brains anxious thoughts. Medications like antianxiety drugs may help too, as can lifestyle changes, including joining a support group or picking up some stress-management techniques. The best course of treatment is different for everyone and will depend on your specific symptoms. For many people, a blend of techniques will work best.
Speaking of professional help, you might find yourself wondering when to know its time to seek some for your physical symptoms of anxiety. Honestly, theres no clear-cut answer, but a good rule of thumb is if these symptoms are getting in the way of your life, you might want to consider seeing someone. Even if they dont feel super disruptive, it cant hurt to check with your doctor or make an appointment with a therapist. Because, hey, you could always feel better.
If youre feeling ready to take a step toward professional help, this guide to finding an affordable therapist is a solid place to start.
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Getting Help With High Functioning Anxiety
While its always a good idea to seek out treatment for anxiety, you should make sure that the clinic you approach is able to treat high functioning anxiety. Why? Anxiety treatment often has a focus on enabling productivity and task completion which are blockers for many people with anxiety. If you have high functioning anxiety, you can start with emotional regulation, with coping mechanisms, and with techniques to improve breathing and heart rate so you calm down physically and reduce stress.
If you or a loved one is struggling, the staff at Compassion Recovery can help. We offer anxiety mental health treatment, fully customized to the individual, with changes in the program, approach, and focus based on individual problems, progress, and worries. That makes our program a perfect fit for individuals with high functioning anxiety, because we can assess where youre at, how much youre masking versus what doesnt affect you as much and design a treatment program around those needs. Just because you can function doesnt mean anxiety isnt impacting your quality of life, and we can help you to learn coping mechanisms, reduce symptoms, and get your life back.
If you or you loved one need help with mental health treatment,drug rehab, or alcohol rehab Compassion Recovery Center is here to help. Contact us to ask about our mental health programs and how we can support your specific requirements as you move into treatment.
Generalized Anxiety Disorder Self
Support from other people is vital to overcoming GAD. Social interaction with someone who cares about you is the most effective way to calm your nervous system and diffuse anxiety, so its important to find someone you can connect with face to face on a regular basisyour significant other, a family member, or a friend, perhaps. This person should be someone you can talk to for an uninterrupted period of time, someone who will listen to you without judging, criticizing, or continually being distracted by the phone or other people.
Build a strong support system. Human beings are social creatures. Were not meant to live in isolation. But a strong support system doesnt necessarily mean a vast network of friends. Dont underestimate the benefit of a few people you can trust and count on to be there for you.
Talk it out when your worries start spiraling. If you start to feel overwhelmed with anxiety, meet with a trusted family member or friend. Just talking face to face about your worries can make them seem less threatening.
Know who to avoid when youre feeling anxious. Your anxious take on life may be something you learned when you were growing up. If your mother is a chronic worrier, she is not the best person to call when youre feeling anxiousno matter how close you are. When considering who to turn to, ask yourself whether you tend to feel better or worse after talking to that person about a problem.
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What Does Anxiety Feel Like Physically
The physical symptoms of anxiety are often the first sign of an underlying problem. You may have experienced these symptoms before without realizing what they were caused by.
If you notice any new or worsening physical symptoms, talk with your doctor about what they could mean for your health.
In this article, we will explore the physical symptoms of anxiety and why they happen.
Read on to learn more about this condition that many people experience but few understand well enough!
Rewiring Our Neurons With Our Souls Grace
In todays episode 005, Rewiring Our Neurons with our Souls Grace, I love this topic, and I canât wait to share with you about why tips, tricks, and advice donât necessarily always work in the long term. This is really the core and the crux of the balance of all of this brain nerd stuff that I do all the time. I love talking about our soulâs grace. One of the things that I always say, is no matter how many tips, tricks, and advice that you can get anywhere, there is so much that you could just Google on either high functioning anxiety as well as clinical anxiety. There is no amount of tips, tricks, and advice that you could use thatâs going to commit to long term change. It isnât until you start rewiring your neurons at the basic core of biology thatâs the behind the scenes of whatâs happening in your growth management.
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How To Manage The Physical Effects That Anxiety Has On Your Body
As weâve mentioned previously, the physical effects that anxiety can have on the body are often just as challenging to deal with as the effect it has mentally. Thankfully, there are still plenty of self-care related adjustments you can make in your life in order to cope with the physical symptoms of anxiety. Here are just a few suggestions in terms of managing your symptoms:
- Maintaining a healthy diet. Try limiting your sugar and carb intake as much as you can and opt for healthier choices that will provide your body with more energy like high fiber and unsaturated fats. Youâll also want to avoid substances that could actually make your anxiety worse, such as alcohol, caffeine, and nicotine.
- Being physically active. Frequent exercise not only helps release chemicals that can boost your mood and allow you to feel happier, but itâs also great for your physical health. While reducing your stress in general and also strengthening your body physically, exercising is a great coping strategy to reduce a variety of symptoms. It can also help improve your sleep!
- Utilizing relaxation techniques. Yoga and meditation are just two examples of relaxation strategies that you can try. Breathing exercises are great for calming down, and can actually relax the body physically such as by slowing heart rate. Relaxation and mindfulness techniques are a great way to relieve stress and physical tension in the body, and also distract and ground oneself mentally.
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Loss Of Appetite And Nausea
Perhaps youve noticed that your appetite just isnt what it used to be – this is because anxiety tells us we are under threat.
When our mind perceives danger, it interprets the situation as one where we may need to fight, flight or freeze in order to survive. To preserve energy all non-essential systems are halted – including your digestion, Zoë says.
In fact, you might even feel a bit sick. If you find that youre so anxious that you cant eat, try consuming liquid calories instead to keep your energy up.
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