Anxiety
It’s a regular part of everyday life, we all experience it.
But how do you know when it becomes unhealthy and needs attention? It’s important to be proactive about your mental health but it’s also important not to self diagnose. If you have concerns about your anxiety, speak to a medical professional.
Symptoms
Common symptoms of GAD include but are not limited to:
Constant nervousness and restlessness
A sense of impending danger, panic, or doom
Increased heart rate and rapid breathing
Sweating
Trembling
Trouble concentrating and inability to stop worrying
Interference with daily activities
Diagnosis
If you’re seeking to gain professional medical attention, the American Psychology Association (APA) criteria must be met. To formally diagnose an anxiety disorder, there must be:
A presence of excessive anxiety and worry about a variety of topics, events, or activities.
Worry occurring more often than not for at least six months and is clearly excessive.
The worry experienced is challenging to control and may easily shift from one topic to another in both adults and children.
The anxiety and worry are accompanied by at least three of the following physical or cognitive symptoms (In children, only one of these symptoms is necessary for a diagnosis of GAD):
Edginess or restlessness
Tiring easily/more fatigued than usual
Impaired concentration or feeling as though the mind goes blank
Irritability (which may or may not be observable to others)
Increased muscle aches or soreness
Difficulty sleeping (due to trouble falling asleep/staying asleep, restlessness at night, or unsatisfying sleep)
If you experience all or none of these symptoms it’s okay, anxiety is often difficult to diagnose.
Coping Mechanisms
Keep physically active
Develop a routine and be consistent with it. Exercise can be a powerful stress reducer and is known to improve ones mood and health. So, try and slowly integrate a fitness plan into your lifestyle. Through gradually increasing the amount and intensity of the activities, see if your levels of anxiety change for the better.Use stress management and relaxation techniques
Through utilizing stress and worry management techniques, levels of anxiety can lessen and become easier to combat. Common stress reducing techniques include visualization exercises, breathing exercises EFT tapping, meditation, and yoga.Identify triggers
Recognize what situations, activities, or actions cause you stress or worsen your anxiety. Practice strategies to deal with these anxious feelings when they come up and learn how to avoid possible stressful situations for the future.
Learn about your disorder.
Talk to your health care provider and try to figure out what may be causing your specific condition and seek treatment plans. Also, form a conversation with others who have a form of anxiety and form a dialogue surrounding the disorder.Keep a journal
Keep track of your day-to-day life to inventory your stressors and identify some triggers.
Ted Ed video on: Anxiety
Sources used:
https://medlineplus.gov/anxiety.html#:~:text=Anxiety%20is%20a%20feeling%20of,before%20making%20an%20important%20decision.
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/anxiety/symptoms-causes/syc-20350961
https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/anxiety-disorders
*We are not medical professionals, we are simply here to raise awareness*