6 Signs You Might Be Struggling With Anxiety

  It is completely normal to have some anxiety from time to time such as when you are going to a new job interview or you have a project and need to present it to a group of people. However, for some people anxiety the occurrences become more frequent and  forceful making even daily tasks a struggle.   Anxiety comes in many forms and can often be difficult to determine if you may be struggling with a mood disorder or not.  The following is a list of some common symptoms of anxiety which may suggest you could benefit from counseling. Racing Thoughts Racing thoughts are fast-moving, repetitive thoughts that can be so overwhelming and difficult to manage. These thoughts may be on a single or multiple topics that are distressing to you. These thoughts may be about your finances, an interaction, or a phobia. You might feel as though your mind is going 100 miles an hour and you are unable to focus on anything else.  Excessive Worry Worrying is a feeling of uneasiness and being overly concerned about a certain situation or problem. Excessive worry happens when you are on overdrive and you find yourself worrying about “all the what if’s” of things happening. You may find that you can’t think about anything else but the impending “doom” of something happening in the future that could happen. Poor Sleep Sleep issues such as falling or staying asleep is a common symptom of anxiety. For many, it is a time when thoughts may feel like a flood that has come over you leading to the inability to sleep. Sleep issues have been associated with many health physical and psychological health conditions. It is normal to have an occasional sleepless night but if you are finding that you are tossing and turning and having trouble falling asleep night after night it may be a sign of an anxiety disorder. Irritability Excessive irritability is another common symptom of anxiety disorders. You might find that you are easily upset and feel negative emotions more often. When you are irritable you might find that you feel more anger and frustration. You might find that any added stress or pressure is unbearable such as being in a social situation, added responsibility at home or work, or that others are being annoying by being too close or chewing too loud. Normally these would be things that wouldn’t bother you or you would be able to ignore.  Poor Concentration When you have anxiety and excessive worry about the future it can be all-consuming. You thoughts are future focused and thinking about every possible thing that could happen can really affect your concentration and attention due to the focus on “what if” scenarios.  Physical Manifestations  Anxiety can also affect your physical health. Many people with anxiety experience headaches, gastrointestinal problems, muscle tension, and frequent aches and pains. In addition, you may have an increase in sweating, shallow breathing and feelings of panic, and nausea. Because these symptoms are also associated with other physical illnesses if is important to first be evaluated by your primary physician.  Anxiety disorder can make daily living a struggle and rob you of feelings of happiness and make life feel unfulfilling. The good news is that there is help and therapy can help assist you in finding the root cause of the anxiety and help you learn new skills to cope.  If you or a loved one is interested in finding out more about treatment options, please contact me today. I would be happy to speak to you about how I may be able to help.