Anxiety can affect you both mentally and physically. Coping with anxiety is different for everyone. There is not a one-size-fits-all description of what it looks like, feels like, or how to treat it.
Rwanda Biomedical Center further illustrates gender differences, suggesting that 13.5% of the population suffers from anxiety disorders, with women being more affected than men.
That number is on the rise, according to the same report, and between friends, family, and content on social media, there is a lot of information out there about anxiety and other mental health conditions. It can be overwhelming to decipher and understand what anxiety and its symptoms are, but there are some common signs to look out for.
First things first — what is anxiety?
Anxiety disorders are typically characterized by feelings of tension, intrusive thoughts or concerns, and persistent, intense worry and fear, as defined by the American Psychological Association. It’s common and normal to experience anxiety at some points in life — whether it be while studying for a big exam, preparing for a job interview, or moving to a new town. But once these feelings of dread, worry, or fear begin to impact your everyday routine and weigh on you all or most of the time, then you may have an anxiety disorder.
Anxiety can also be triggered by stressful or traumatic life events, or certain medical conditions like hyperthyroidism, heart disease, diabetes, or chronic pain. It may also be due to genetic or family history, if a blood relative has an anxiety disorder or other mental health condition.
While stress is closely aligned with anxiety, there is a difference. Everyone feels stressed from time to time; stress is a normal part of life. Anxiety, however, is a condition, and although it might be fairly common, it means that something going on with your brain is different from the usual and might need treatment or support.
Think of stress as the more casual version of anxiety. If you have worried thoughts that distract you or get in your way of accomplishing tasks, or you have physical symptoms of anxiety that make it difficult to get through your day, you are likely experiencing anxiety. There are treatment plans and ways to manage and mitigate anxiety, so if you feel that you may have an anxiety disorder, you have options. Call your primary care doctor to set up an appointment, or reach out to a trusted adult or school counselor. They’ll be able to help you navigate next steps. More information on that below.
What are the most common symptoms of anxiety?
Although anxiety disorders affect people differently, it’s important to be aware of the common symptoms.
You might find yourself imagining a number of “What if…?” scenarios. What if I fail this test? What if this plane crashes? What if I get sick? Your thought process starts running away from you and speeds up and rattles off a bunch of worst-case scenarios. When those ‘what ifs’ have gotten away from you, they call that catastrophizing, which is turning small things into big things that are not really likely [to happen].
These feelings of unease might disrupt everyday routines and the ability to concentrate, whether you’re doing homework, watching a movie with friends, or having a conversation with someone. You don’t feel present in the moment and might even feel irritable or tense. Many people say that they notice themselves snapping more at their friends and family, and they often feel badly right after because they know it’s not normal for them to do that.
What are the lesser-known symptoms of anxiety?
There are several symptoms of anxiety that show up physically in your body, and although these types of symptoms are very common, they’re usually not as well-known.
You might feel your heart racing and/or knots in your stomach. Experiencing muscle tension or headaches and feeling hot and sweaty is also common. You might recognize these symptoms before you realize they’re connected to anxiety.
Feeling tired or having trouble sleeping are also behaviors to note. Many people with anxiety feel really tired all the time, no matter how much they may have slept the night before. Their sleep tends to get affected as well — they may have trouble falling asleep because their mind keeps going, or they find themselves tossing and turning all night.
What triggers anxiety?
There are many different scenarios or events that might trigger feelings of anxiousness in someone. Sometimes there are specific things that might trigger anxiety, like a series of tough deadlines or tests in a row, a breakup, a fight with a friend, or another negative event that really impacts you. Other times, there’s no specific trigger — it might be how someone’s brain is wired based on the genes that run in their families.
Working with a therapist can help you pinpoint these triggers and come up with a treatment plan to address your symptoms. It’s important to see your doctor to rule out other causes for your symptoms. If those are ruled out and you’re still struggling with some of these symptoms, it’s time to see a mental health professional. They’ll evaluate to see if you might have anxiety, and the good news is that if you do have it — it’s treatable just like most other conditions that you might see a doctor for.
What are the best ways to deal with anxiety?
First, check in with yourself. Make sure that you’re getting enough sleep and definitely put your phone away before climbing under the covers. Leave your late-night scrolling behind, get in bed earlier than you usually would, and see if you can go to sleep and wake at roughly the same times every day. The ideal sleep time for young people is 8-9 hours uninterrupted.
Try to eat nutritious foods and do the activities that help you feel grounded, whether that be meditating, exercising, journaling, listening to music, or reading. What anxiety does is activate your sympathetic nervous system or your fight or flight response. To combat that, you want to activate your parasympathetic nervous system that can give you a sense of calm.
