All of us have our anxieties but it should not interrupt our daily life. If your worries and fears are bothering you too much; then see if you are exhibiting signs that you need professional help for your anxiety.
Anxiety and anxiety disorders can manifest in different ways. People with generalized anxiety disorder worry about a lot of concerns such as their health, finances, career, family situation, etc.. They keep worrying that something bad is going to happen to them at some point in time.
Cognitive Symptoms
Your mental health is where your anxiety usually manifests its initial effects. If you’re having memory issues, have a hard time concentrating, can’t fall asleep or developed insomnia; then you may need professional help for your anxiety. Forgetting things from time to time is normal. If you are forgetting things that happened just recently, then that is a cause for concern. Similarly, if you can’t focus while reading a book, watching a movie or writing something; then your anxiety is disrupting your life. One of these happening more frequently than usual, or a combination of these happening at the same time means that you should look into your anxieties more seriously.
Emotional Symptoms
Do you always feel overwhelmed? Do you burst out of rage, anger or resentment at the smallest things? Some people even have a constant feeling of hopelessness, dread, or even apathy. They end up procrastinating or withdrawing from social interactions altogether. If you already feel emotionally overwhelmed or find that you can’t control your feelings; then you might need professional help for your anxiety. Having hope is always a reassuring feeling. However, other people will suddenly feel sad and can’t help but cry for no reason. They may feel hopelessness for themselves or even for the world. Emotional issues from anxiety are hard to detect so observation and self-awareness is important.
Physical Symptoms
If you feel like a caveman being chased by a wild animal every time you are in a particular situation; then your anxiety has become unhealthy. Symptoms include your heart rate going up, sweating, headache, trouble breathing or you freeze from nervousness. Another sign is if you are constantly feeling fatigued even when you were able to rest physically.
When anxieties get worse, people can experience panic attacks. Symptoms include sweating, trembling, shortness of breath, a pounding headache, increased heart rate, feeling like one is choking, and just having a feeling of dread. Phobias and certain social conditions can trigger panic attacks. Before this happens, you should seek professional help.
Prevention is always better than cure. A professional’s help will not cure your anxiety immediately. It takes time and constant effort to achieve any goal, including healing yourself from any illness. Keeping a positive attitude is always helpful. Most importantly, do not be ashamed to seek a professional’s advise. Going to an expert instead of dealing with things on your own is not a sign of weakness. Rather, it shows that you are aware and acknowledge your own limitations. It shows that you are mature and courageous enough to take steps to improve yourself.
Feature Image: Original Photo by Uday Mittal on Unsplash.