Anxiety is one of the most common mental health experiences, yet it’s also one of the most misunderstood. So what is anxiety, really?
This often uncomfortable experience appears in various forms and levels of intensity. Everyone knows the feeling of stress, even mildly. Anxiety in the form of everyday stress is a common human experience, especially in our modern, Western, technologically-driven world. One way to understand the normal human response of anxiety is as our body’s alarm system. In fact, it began as a survival mechanism to keep us alert to danger or wake our nervous system up to move us to action when necessary. So while the physiological symptoms of anxiety can be unpleasant, it is crucial to our functioning in the world. Yet in our modern context, there are situations in which our brain begins to over-interpret everyday circumstances as threats, leading to what may feel like disproportionate levels of stress. That being said, there is a difference between anxiety as a common human experience and anxiety in its clinically diagnosable form. Some helpful questions to discern the shift are: Is it persistent? Is it excessive? Is it inhibiting your ability to perform everyday tasks? Answering ‘yes’ to these questions likely means that anxiety has become problematic in your life.
How Anxiety Shows Up
Anxiety often presents in four key areas–the physiological, mental, emotional, and behavioral. Physiological symptoms of anxiety may include a racing heart, sweating, stomach discomfort, muscle tension, and loss of appetite. Mentally, one might notice marked worry, overthinking, “what if” spirals, and difficulty concentrating. The emotional side of anxiety typically involves fear, dread, and panic. And finally, some behaviors associated with anxiety are restlessness, irritability, avoidance, and tearfulness.
Types of Anxiety
As mentioned above, it is important to note that anxiety itself is not “bad.” It is a beautiful tool our bodies possess to keep us safe and functioning well in the world. Yet, there are certainly cases in which anxiety reaches excessive levels and begins to do the exact opposite. And no matter which degree of anxiety you find yourself experiencing, we can all agree it typically is not pleasant. There are a few anxiety-specific mood disorders currently recognized in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders used widely by mental health professionals. These include Generalized Anxiety (chronic worry about many things), Social Anxiety (fear of judgment or embarrassment), Panic Disorder (sudden, intense fear with physical symptoms), and Phobias (specific fears). If you are curious to learn more about any of these diagnoses and whether you may meet criteria for them, please reach out to a licensed professional.
There is Hope
Thanks to decades of research and practice, anxiety at any level is highly treatable. Psychotherapy, lifestyle changes/coping skills, and medication are all effective modes of treatment and often best when utilized together. Maybe you have been trying something to ease the anxiety for quite a while, and it does not seem to leave you alone. There are certainly healthy and less healthy ways we all tend to manage our stress. No matter what, there is hope and help that is readily available for you. Anxiety is part of being human—but it doesn’t have to control your life. With the right tools and support, we can learn not just to manage anxiety, but to thrive with it. Whether or not you feel ready to tackle anxiety, there are a diverse team of therapists at Restoration Psychology ready to walk with you.
We offer in-person sessions at our centrally-located office in Centennial, CO. If you’re a little further away, don’t worry we also offer virtual sessions. Reach out today!