Although some people are very aware of anxiety, there are others who have been living in constant anxiety for so long, they don’t know anxiety is harming them. This can be especially true for people who have been experiencing chronic anxiety since childhood. When you’re in a constant state of anxiety for so long, this is what becomes normal. The constant worrying becomes a normal way of life, and because there haven’t been any recent or long periods of being anxiety-free, there is no personal sense of anxiety being problematic. It’s just normal.
For others, anxiety can be something which slowly creeps in over time. They might be living their day-to-day lives feeling little stressors here and there, until one day everything becomes too much. Life had slowly been feeling more difficult, but suddenly, there is a full-on realization that life no longer feels the same. There may be no clear cause for why, which makes everything feel worse. There is no easy answer on how to go back to when things felt better.
Despite it’s bad rep, anxiety is actually a healthy emotion. Although it does not necessarily feel good, anxiety can help ensure survival. If we were completely care-free we wouldn’t take necessary steps in life to be safe, to grow as individuals, or be able to fully experience serenity. But in order for anxiety to be a helpful messenger of action we need to take, we must first be self-aware we are experiencing anxiety. Anxiety cannot be managed without awareness.
Here are 5 signs you could be experiencing anxiety:
1. Sleep Problems
Someone experiencing anxiety can have a hard time turning their thoughts off at night, and this can impact ability to get good sleep. There may be difficulty falling asleep (generally taking more than 30 minutes once you lie down for sleep), waking up often throughout the night, and/or waking up too early (e.g. waking every day at 5am when you’d like to be sleeping until your alarm goes off at 7am). As a result of getting poor sleep, you may feel very tired.
2. Procrastination
Responsibilities and tasks that once felt doable, and maybe even likable, are often left to the last minute. Although there may be good intentions and goals to get things done earlier, so much mental energy is being drained that completing tasks at work, chores at home, or schoolwork can become very difficult. This kind of procrastination can lead to doing a poor job or feeling so overwhelmed that tasks do not get done.
3. Brain Fog
Brain fog is an experience of feeling mentally drained. Although there is an ability to focus on areas of high interest, there is a lack of energy to generally focus, even when not feeling physically tired. Often, someone with anxiety is spending so much time worrying and making lists, there is low motivation left for follow through. In the moment, action of getting tasks done brings on much displeasure because there isn’t any mental energy to sustain it.
4. Low Self-Esteem
People with anxiety often feel bad about themselves. Many of their worries relate to whether they are doing enough, whether they could be doing better, and what other people think. Additionally, an inability to follow through, which can be caused by poor sleep, procrastination, and brain fog, often lead to feelings of shame. As a result of worry and shame over a prolonged amount of time, self-confidence is diminished and self-doubt flourishes.
5. Inflexibility
Checklists, charts and planners can be great ways to organize and decrease stress and anxiety. However, when someone is suffering from anxiety, any derailment or straying from such structure can cause an emotional crisis. Someone with high anxiety may be so fixed on completing a list or following an itinerary, there is no room for mistakes, spontaneity, or surprises. An event that does not occur exactly as planned lack enjoyment; a goal that is not reached in its entirety can seem like utter failure; and surprises from loved ones feel awful rather than fun.
This list encompasses just a few symptoms someone with anxiety problems may be having. A therapist will be able to do a comprehensive assessment and help you increase your own awareness and understanding so that you begin to feel better. Even if you don’t have an anxiety disorder, its not uncommon for anxiety to have a negative impact on your life, and a therapist can help. Continuing to tolerate discomfort or emotional agony is not necessary.
Want to know how to find the counselor for you? Here’s a quick read with the steps to take to find a therapist who is a good fit: How to Find the Right Counselor.
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