Anxiety troubling you?
By Jennifer Lawal, LPC
Do you sometimes wonder if you’re the only person on the northside of Chicago who seems to be a complete “mess?” the only one that struggles with anxiety on a regular basis and can’t seem to get it together.
Do you find yourself in a constant state of worrying, and have accepted that this is normal or believe “this is who I am.”
Well, the truth is, this is not normal and you are not alone. Okay, here are the facts; the good news is that “nervousness” and related disorders (panic, phobias, etc.) are more common than you think.
According to the National Institute of Mental Health, anxiety disorders are the most common type of mental illness in the United States, affecting 18 percent of adults living in the US (about 40 million American Adults). The bad news is, well you guessed it–even though they are are highly treatable, about 36.9% of those struggling receive treatment.
Yes, less than half of those suffering from this life challenge get help or seek out a therapist for their symptoms (constant worries, panic attacks, fears, nervousness, ruminations, overthinking, muscle tension, irrational beliefs, and so on).
More: Do you need a therapist in Chicago for stress and anxiety?
To be honest, a lot of things can contribute or cause anxious thoughts, and frankly, living in a big city like Chicago, and live up to the demands from work, family, children etc., it is easy to forget that these feelings are not normal but that there is hope.
Here are five things anxiety doesn’t want you to know.
1. You Are Not Alone
Yes! You are indeed not alone. It is important to remember that there are millions of people just like you who have random panic attacks more than once a week, people who can’t stop worrying about everything from the smallest to the biggest and people who leave in constant fear of being judged or negatively evaluated.
It may seem as though there are times where you feel that it is taking over every aspect of your life, and you may find it hard to function-get it together on some days. Well, my friend, you are not alone.
2. It Affects the Body Too
Anxiety doesn’t just control your mind, that’s right–it affects every part of your body too.
When we think of a disorder, it is easy to notice what we feel and tell ourselves, it’s all in my head or mind; but the truth is, most symptoms are often the body’s fight or flight response which involves a wide range of physical symptoms that can sometimes to debilitating. For example, some physical symptoms may include:
Physical symptoms may include:
Rapid or pounding heartbeat
- Excessive sweating
- Tremors or twitches
- Headache
- Fatigue or weakness
- Insomnia
- Dizziness
- Nausea or upset stomach
Anxiety can strike like lightning, like a rolling thunder, with all physical symptoms occurring simultaneously and gives you very little time to think, rendering you in a complete state of panic.
It is important to keep in mind that anxiousness can is caused by multitudes of factors and like your thoughts, it helps to recognize that while these symptoms can mimic other medical conditions, they are also signs of a (possible) problem.
3. There Are Different Types
Understanding and recognizing your symptoms can help you know what type of anxiety you have. It is true that everyone experiences anxiety differently. Some people have general anxiety that is manageable but never seems to go away.
Others are more anxious in social situations, while some have symptoms that are overpowering and often results in anxiety attacks. While this is common for most people, it also makes it extremely difficult to get the right type of relief if you don’t know what type of anxiety you are experiencing.
To be honest, the majority of my clients know they suffer from anxiety and able to describe their symptoms; however, most of them have difficulties knowing what type of anxiety they are suffering from.
When it comes to diagnosing and treating mental illnesses, my role as a therapist is to work with you to recognize your symptoms, how it manifests itself, name the type and provide appropriate interventions and tool to help manage your symptoms so you can live a more productive life.
Here are some common forms of anxiety disorders to keep in mind:
4. It Takes Work to See Results
As a therapist, one of the most important things I tell my clients is that it does get better with some hard work. It is important to keep in mind that Rome wasn’t built in a day and just like every successful thing you have ever done, treating your anxiety takes time and effort.
The key is finding the right therapist who understands what you are going through, has similar experiences, and can provide specific tools to help you manage and overcome your anxiety. Remember, the more efforts you put, the bigger the results.
5. You Got this!!!
When people become anxious, they start to think and act differently. They start to believe every negative thing that pops up in their head. It is often at these times you lose control of yourself and want to avoid situations that might make you more anxious.
Remember, anxiety disorders are highly treatable and getting immediate help can give you back control of your life.
Having control of your symptoms can be something that only happens in a perfect world, but my advice to you would be to surround yourself with similar people going through the same thing and get support from other people who understand what you are going through.
