Signs of Anxiety: How to Spot the Precursors
Anxiety can feel like a storm no one else sees. It’s the racing heart when everything around you seems calm, the overwhelming fear of things that haven’t even happened yet. It’s the exhaustion from fighting invisible battles, day after day, without a break. The weight of anxiety can be suffocating, hiding behind a smile, a quiet demeanor, or the phrase “I’m just tired.” But beneath the surface, it’s a constant, ongoing battle that so many endure silently, hoping someone might notice the signs.
Over 6 million people in the United States are living with generalized anxiety disorder. This puts in perspective just how many are living with uncontrolled feelings of dread and worry.
Clean Recovery Centers knows how anxiety can take over life and even lead to further issues possibly involving substance use. Are there signs of anxiety that are noticeable? Could you spot them in a loved one? Let’s talk about anxiety and the signs to look for.
Understanding the Signs of Anxiety and What They Mean
Anxiety is a natural stress response, but when it becomes overwhelming or constant, it can be an indicator of an anxiety disorder. It can show signs through emotional, physical, and behavioral outlets. These bouts of anxiety often stem from perceived fears that are not existent. Understanding these signs is crucial in identifying whether you’re experiencing general stress and anxiety, or a different disorder.
Anxiety can affect anyone but generally affects those managing a combination of environmental, genetic, and psychological factors. Experiencing increased stress from a recent job change, relationship conflict, or upcoming school project is normal. However, those managing an anxiety disorder will show more signs of increased worry, including fear surrounding their future financial status, career outlook, and social experiences.
The key to identifying anxiety disorders is noting these differences. In today’s economy, it is normal to stress about finances. But when this stress becomes overwhelming, to the point that basic needs go unmet to save dollars, there may be deeper anxiety symptoms going on. The same can be said for facing public speaking for class or a work presentation – having some feelings of nervousness is normal, but as they progress to be debilitating or interfering, an anxiety disorder may be behind the symptoms.
Recognizing the Most Common Warning Signs of Anxiety
The signs of anxiety can present throughout the whole body, encompassing the physical, mental, and behavioral being. Let’s break these categories down and what signs you should be looking for.
Emotional Warning Signs to Know
The emotional signs of anxiety are often the first noticeable. Excessive worrying is a trademark sign of a general anxiety disorder, especially when it is persistent. The person feels anxious about everyday tasks, future events, or social interactions.
Excessive worry is also coupled with restlessness and irritability. Despite the anxiety wearing on the body, the person feels more uneasy leading to the inability to sit still. They feel they have to be accomplishing something at all times. When this is not accomplished, the person will feel irritated, increasing the overwhelming feelings.
Physical Anxiety Signs to Note
Physical signs of anxiety can be difficult to see because they often happen within the body. Anxiety causes an increased heart rate, especially during perceived dangers. This is because the fight or flight response is triggered, even if the stress factor is not present. This is why it is key to understanding anxiety triggers to develop healthy coping skills.
The fight or flight response can also cause fatigue, muscle tension, and digestive issues. Our muscles control various reactions, and when stress is present, they go on high alert to prevent harm. Once this response ceases, the muscles can relax, but they still feel the residual effects of being tight. This also increases fatigue after an anxiety response subsides. The digestive tract is also composed of muscles and nerves, which can respond aggressively when anxiety takes over.
How Behaviors Change With Anxiety
Behavior changes – similar to physical – may be more difficult to notice and make sense of at first. One common behavioral symptom of anxiety is the avoidance of situations that trigger stress. For example, someone with social anxiety may avoid social interactions at all costs, no matter if they know the attendees or not. On the opposite side of the spectrum, some living with anxiety may develop compulsive behaviors. This includes double-checking mundane things such as if the door is locked, the oven is off, and if everything in the house is in its place.
Exploring the Anxiety Spectrum: Types of Signs You Should Know
Anxiety disorder symptoms can range in severity. However, they can also be the result of the type of anxiety the person is experiencing. Those living with generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) will show more signs of excessive worry than anything. These include overexerted worry, difficulty concentrating, and headaches.
Another type of anxiety is social anxiety disorder. The main focus is the fear of social situations where they may be judged, embarrassed, or humiliated. Signs include intense fear of public speaking, avoidance of social interactions, and worrying about upcoming social events. These feelings are not just shyness but a deep fear that impairs everyday functioning.
Panic disorder involves panic attacks that are sudden and reoccurring. There are not necessarily signs as symptoms can occur without warning. Symptoms include palpitations, sweating, trembling, chest pain, and the fear of losing control.
Phobias involve specific instances where fear is triggered. Intense fears of specific objects or situations go to great lengths to avoid their fear, which can significantly disrupt their lives. Common phobias include fear of heights, flying, spiders, and enclosed spaces. Even thinking about these objects or situations can cause an anxiety attack to occur.
Smart Strategies to Manage Your Anxiety
Managing anxiety will involve a combination of lifestyle changes, coping strategies, and professional help. Learning how to handle anxiety effectively can improve your quality of life and help focus on the future. One method includes mindfulness techniques.
Practicing mindfulness and relaxation exercises can help calm the mind and body. Techniques such as deep breathing, meditation, and progressive muscle relaxation reduce the physical symptoms of anxiety and promote a sense of peace. Engaging in activities like yoga, journaling, and spending time in nature can also help ease anxious thoughts.
Therapies such as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) can also help with anxiety disorders. CBT is a widely utilized technique that helps individuals recognize and challenge negative thought patterns contributing to anxiety. Through CBT, clients can reframe their thoughts, helping reduce the intensity of their anxiety and learning how to respond to stressful situations more constructively.
Helping a Loved One With Anxiety
The first thought after recognizing the signs of anxiety in a loved one is often how to help. It’s essential to approach the situation with empathy and patience, but also prioritize your own health. Some tips we have for helping a loved one include:
Listen: Loved ones living with anxiety really just want someone to talk to without judgment or advice. Validate their feelings and minimize their concerns. Dismissing their concerns can only result in more negativity.
Offer professional help: If your loved one’s anxiety is affecting their daily life, gently encourage them to seek professional help. Therapy and medication are effective treatments for anxiety, and a mental health professional can provide the support they need.
Be patient: Healing with anxiety takes time. Your loved one may have good days and bad days, which does not determine success or failure. Anxiety may come from trauma, upbringing, and more, and understanding that there may be more going on is important for helping your loved one.
How Anxiety Disorders are Diagnosed
Anxiety disorders are diagnosed through a combination of psychological tests. Mental health professionals will ask detailed questions about your thoughts, feelings, and behaviors to understand the extent of the anxiety. The full exam will include a physical work-up to rule out underlying conditions, a psychological assessment, and a differential diagnosis to help with co-occurring disorders. Once diagnosed, treatment plans are tailored to your specific needs, often combining therapy, lifestyle changes, and sometimes medication to help manage and reduce anxiety.
Get Help With Anxiety Today in Hillsborough County, FL
Don’t let anxiety control your life any longer. It’s time to take the first step toward feeling calmer, more confident, and in control. Anxiety disorder treatment is designed to help you break free from the overwhelming thoughts and feelings that hold you back. Whether it’s through therapy, mindfulness techniques, or personalized care, help is available to guide you on your journey to mental well-being. Reach out today and start building the peaceful life you deserve.
If you or someone you love is trying to manage anxiety, help is available today. Clean Recovery Centers has a full-spectrum program consisting of three phases that address the individual needs of each client. We understand how anxiety can seem to take over your life and work to change thought patterns and behaviors for a positive result. Call us today at (888) 330-2532 to learn more about our program offerings.
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