I Can’t Stop Feeling Anxious: Am I Suffering From An Anxiety Disorder?

I Can't Stop Feeling Anxious Am I Suffering From An Anxiety Disorder

Written by Emma Eliason

Emma Eliason is a freelance writer based out of Wisconsin with a passion for mental health and wellness. Studying psychology at the University of Minnesota, Emma has taken her love of writing and her dedication to the human mind and combined them into one.

September 14, 2022

Introduction – I Can’t Stop Feeling Anxious: Am I Suffering From An Anxiety Disorder?

Imagine this: you wake up in the morning, ready to start your Tuesday. The sun is shining through your windows and you’re feeling incredibly optimistic about the day ahead. 

You get up to brush your teeth and brew your morning coffee when suddenly you begin to experience an all too familiar tingle creeping over your shoulder. 

Your heart begins to race, your stomach twists and turns in knots and your chest feels tight. All of the sudden – (quite seemingly out of nowhere) you’re hit with a massive wave of anxiety. 

But, what is anxiety? Why does this happen? Why do we feel anxious even when there are no triggers around to provoke it?

Anxiety is a messy, confusing, debilitating monster that can derail your entire day if you’re not equipped with the knowledge and tools to take control. 

If this sounds like you, let’s talk about the basics of anxiety disorder so you can manage this beast once and for all. 

Defining The Term ‘Anxiety Disorder’

Feeling anxious in and of itself doesn’t call for a diagnosis of anxiety disorder. In fact, anxiety is a completely normal reaction to many of life’s circumstances. Some may feel anxious when they’re stressed or nervous, or even excited. 

However, it’s when this anxiety is chronic, unrelated to any particular stressor, and is causing impairment in everyday functioning that it begins to become a problem. 

Anxiety disorder is defined as a mental health condition, affecting roughly 30% of the adult population, that is characterized by excessive feelings of fear, worry, panic or dread. These feelings interfere with work, relationships, emotions, and other simple daily tasks. 

A few symptoms of anxiety include:

  • Nervousness, restlessness, or feeling tense
  • Feeling a sense of danger or doom 
  • Rapid heart rate
  • Hyperventilation 
  • Feeling weak or tired
  • Trembling 
  • Dry mouth 
  • Stomach aches 
  • Indigestion 
  • Trouble sleeping 
  • Difficulty concentrating 
  • Feeling unable to control worry

Types of Anxiety Disorders

As with any mental health condition, anxiety disorder isn’t as clear cut as you’d think. There are different types of anxiety disorders, many of them with similar symptoms. The biggest difference between all of these disorders is the cause of the anxiety. 

Let’s go over a few anxiety disorders so you can distinguish which one you might be suffering from. 

  • Generalized Anxiety Disorder: This is the most common type of anxiety disorder. It shows up as constant worry and fear about everyday situations. In some cases, you may not even be able to identify a trigger. The main symptoms are persistent worry, panic, restlessness, and difficulty concentrating. A diagnosis of generalized anxiety disorder may be given to you if your symptoms last longer than 6 months. 
  • Social Anxiety Disorder: If you feel overwhelmingly nervous, scared, anxious, or avoidant of social situations you might have social anxiety disorder. This condition is rooted in an extreme fear of being watched, judged, or embarrassed by others. This may cause you to avoid any or all social interactions, leaving you feeling lonely and isolated. 
  • Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder: Persistent, intrusive thoughts (obsessions) that lead to repetitive behaviors (compulsions) are hallmark symptoms of this type of anxiety disorder. Movies and other forms of media showcase this disorder as the woman who has to lock her door 7 times exactly before leaving her house, or the man who can’t stop washing his hands over and over again. While these compulsions are real there is often something much deeper going on. 
  • Panic Disorder: If you’ve had at least 2 panic attacks and have had to constantly worry about having another one, you may be suffering from panic disorder. Panic attacks are defined as a sudden onset of extreme fear that may cause someone to become completely overwhelmed and experience physical symptoms such as a racing heart, dry mouth, trouble breathing, chest tightening, and more. 

What Causes Anxiety Disorders?

As we’ve discussed, each type of anxiety disorder stems from a different scenario. However, is there something else at the root of all of these conditions? Researchers are still looking for that one specific gene, childhood experience, or condition that is common in all individuals with anxiety but have found it’s not quite this simple. 

What we do know, however, is that there are a few commonalities in people with anxiety disorders. 

Medical Conditions 

In some cases, anxiety may be linked to an underlying medical condition. Our mind-body connection is much stronger than once believed, and researchers are finding more and more evidence to support the idea that when our physical bodies are sick – our minds follow closely behind. 

A few medical conditions that have been linked to anxiety include:

  • Diabetes
  • Heart disease
  • Thyroid dysregulation
  • Respiratory disorders: asthma, or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
  • Drug withdrawal 
  • Chronic irritable bowel syndrome 
  • Tumors that may produce ‘fight or flight’ hormones 
  • Side effects of certain medications 

If you don’t have any blood relatives with anxiety, you didn’t experience anxiety disorder as a child, or you didn’t have a previous history of anxiety until recently – your anxiousness may be due to an underlying medical condition. It’s always best to reach out to your primary care doctor if you feel this is the case. 

Trauma

Trauma can deeply affect every area of our lives, and our mental health takes the biggest toll. 

When our bodies go through trauma, we can internalize these events. This can cause us to slowly develop a more negative and fearful view of the world, enhancing our anxiety. 

This is particularly true if you experienced childhood trauma. Children don’t understand how to work through traumatic events so they often push those memories down, only to inevitably come up later as an adult. 

Our minds may forget about the traumatic situation we endured, but our bodies don’t. Our bodies are well conditioned to react to these experiences, so even if the trauma happened years ago we can still feel the effects years later. 

Stress Buildup

Stress and anxiety go hand in hand. In some cases, it can be a vicious, never ending cycle. Stress can make us feel anxious, and anxiety can make us feel stressed. It’s important to identify which of these two emotions comes first in order to pinpoint that root cause of your own anxiety. 

Your stress (and anxiety) may be caused by a big event such as planning your wedding, or, it may be a buildup of smaller events that have become too much to bear overtime. 

Ongoing worries about finances, the responsibilities of running a household, or the obligations of caring for a sick spouse or aging parents are a few examples. 

Other Causes of Anxiety

While medical conditions, trauma, and stress are the top three causes of anxiety disorders, there are a few more lesser known causes that can contribute to anxiousness. 

  • Certain personality types 
  • Stimulant medications 
  • Caffeine 
  • Genetics
  • Drugs or alcohol use 
  • Pregnancy and post-partum 
  • Abuse 
  • Sleep deprivation 
  • Food sensitivities 
  • Chronic internal inflammation 
  • Hormonal imbalances
  • Nutrient deficiencies

How To Manage Your Anxiety On Your Own

If you feel as though you’re not ready to seek help for your anxiety disorder, you may be looking for a few ways to manage these feelings on your own. Thankfully, anxiety (unless severe) is a mental condition that responds well to certain self care techniques and can be greatly reduced within the four walls of your home. 

Here are a few tips to help you manage your anxiousness and prevent your anxiety from getting worse:

  • Meditation: Spending even 10 minutes every morning in meditation can greatly decrease your anxiety. 

Individuals that spend their days in a heightened anxious state are often always worrying about the future and any problems that may arise. 

With meditation, the entire focus is on the here and now. 

It’s all about clearing your mind of any distractions and getting in tune with the present. Through deep, slow breathing, meditation calms the vagus nerve (the highway connecting your brain and body). 

When this is done, the mind body connection becomes stronger in a healthy, positive, calm way. 

  • Journaling: Journaling has been proven time and time again to be a fabulous way to manage anxiety. 

For some, it provides a release of all pent up worries and emotions that have been sitting in their brains all day. 

For others, it’s extremely helpful to see their problems out on paper – enabling them to solve their own issues and see them for what they really are. When we get all of our anxieties out of the mental realm and into the physical we subconsciously release ourselves from worrying about them. 

No, journaling isn’t a magic “cure all” but you’ll be amazed at how much better you feel afterwards. 

  • Exercise: When we feel anxious, getting our bodies moving can be just the right prescription. 

Exercising releases heaps of ‘feel good’ endorphins along with other brain chemicals that increase our overall sense of wellbeing. 

The chemical imbalance going on in our brains when we feel anxious needs something to counteract it, and what better way than to go for a jog, lift some weights, or take a swim?

Treatment For Anxiety Disorders

While many at-home treatments are beneficial, if your anxiety is interfering with your ability to sleep well at night, eat healthy meals, or is contributing to relationship strains, work difficulties or any other area of your life, it may be time to seek professional help. 

The top two treatments for anxiety disorders are therapy and Anti-Anxiety medications. Only your doctor will know what medication is best for you. If you feel this is the route you want to take, it’s important to voice these desires with your healthcare practitioner. 

The most common and widely effective therapy treatment for anxiety disorders is cognitive behavioral therapy. 

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy 

This type of therapy utilizes the relationship between a client and therapist. 

As you talk with your therapist, he or she will begin to identify any negative thinking patterns, behaviors, or circumstances in your life that may be making your anxiety worse. 

The whole focus of cognitive behavioral therapy is the idea that our thoughts influence our emotions, which then influence our behaviors. If you and your therapist can get to the root of these negative thoughts and redirect them into healthier thinking patterns, the rest will follow closely behind. 

During cognitive behavioral therapy you will:

  • Identify any negative thoughts 
  • Challenge these negative thoughts (addressing them head on)
  • Redirect these negative thoughts (what’s another way to think about this situation?)
  • Learn how to recognize feelings of anxiety in your body
  • Learn new coping skills to help you overcome these feelings
  • Confront your fears

Final Thoughts

Along with depression, anxiety is the most common mental health condition in the world. Feeling anxious is nothing to be ashamed of. Neither is reaching out for help. In fact, becoming aware of your anxiety and the problems it brings is the first step in finding hope and healing. If you’re tired of living every day on the edge of your seat, worrying about the future, or feeling like you’ve got a hive of bees in the pit of your stomach, it’s time to regain control over your life. Just remember: there are many mental health professionals who dedicate their entire lives to helping you on this journey. You are not alone. 

Featured Image Credit: Photo by Usman Yousaf on Unsplash

References

  1. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/anxiety/symptoms-causes/syc-20350961
  2. https://www.helpguide.org/articles/anxiety/therapy-for-anxiety-disorders.htm

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