In most cases, when stress hits, anxiety is bound to follow.
A lot of individuals experience extreme stress and anxiety at some point in their lives. Whether you’re tensed about changing jobs or are facing financial troubles, anxiety can be a normal response.
However, when the response to stressful events starts affecting your daily life and meddles with your thoughts, it may be a sign of something bigger – an anxiety disorder.
Drowning in Anxiety Waves?
If you’re experiencing these signs, you may have an anxiety disorder:
- You worry excessively about the little things and everyday life events.
- You feel agitated easily. Sweaty palms, shaky hands, racing pulse, and a dry mouth are the common signs.
- You often feel a restlessness and have an urge to keep moving. The restless leg syndrome is common among the patients of anxiety.
- You feel fatigued easily because your body must deal with the effects of chronic stress and anxiety, such as muscle tension, insomnia, and anxiety attacks.
- You face difficulty concentrating and have a notice a weakened short-term memory.
- Your excessive anxiety causes you to become extremely irritable in your daily life, often lashing out at those closes to you and/or complete strangers.
- Tensed and stiff muscles can be a sign of anxiety disorder. Neck pain, shoulder, jaw and back pain are regularly reported, too.
- You have trouble falling asleep and have difficulty remining asleep and achieving REM.
- Panic attacks are one of the most evident symptoms of anxiety or a panic disorder.
- You avoid social situations and are extremely fearful of being humiliated or embarrassed in public.
- You harbor irrational fears of objects or situations, such as heights or animal phobias.
How do you cope in your daily life with anxiety?
Start by creating and following a healthy (wake/exercise/work/eat/sleep) daily routine and consume a healthy diet.
Add probiotics to your daily diet and other fermented foods that have been associated with improving mental health (kimchi, sauerkraut, kefir, tempeh, kombucha, yogurt).
If you are a smoker, consider quitting, abstain from consuming alcohol, start exercising routine and get in touch with a professional therapist.
Anxiety and panic can be successfully managed.