How to recognise and ease the physical symptoms of anxiety

Everyone experiences some level of anxiety in their lifetime, however, people with anxiety disorders will often experience it in everyday situations. Anxiety is an inner state that involves feelings of stress, fear, dread, worry or apprehension. Part of the human survival instinct is experiencing moderate anxiety levels which occur on exposure to a threat. This triggers the body to respond, helping them focus and jump into action. Anxiety disorders are characterised by repeated episodes of extreme fear, terror and anxiety that reach a peak within a short time, often resulting in panic attacks. It is daunting dealing with overwhelming anxiety and its physical symptoms, especially when the symptoms occur when there is no immediate threat. Here, we discuss everything about anxiety, including the physical symptoms and how best to manage them.

Types of Anxiety:

Various types of anxiety disorders exist, they include:

• Panic Disorder – It involves random feelings of intense terror, anxiety and fear leading to panic attacks.
• Separation Anxiety Disorder – This anxiety occurs when someone fears being far away from a place or particular person. It is prevalent in children who have been separated from their parents. It can also affect adults, however, for example those who have gone through a divorce.
• Selective Mutism – It occurs in children whereby they show a consistent failure to speak in school while they speak at home or with close friends and family. It can negatively affect their experiences in social events, school and work.
• Generalized Anxiety Disorder – It involves overwhelming anxiety and worries about events and activities. It is difficult to control this disorder since it affects how you feel, and it often occurs alongside symptoms of depression.
• Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) – PTSD develops from traumatic events in a person’s life. It presents as nightmares, flashbacks and uncontrollable thoughts.
• Social Anxiety Disorder – This is avoidance of social situations which is manifested by feelings of embarrassment, being negatively viewed or concerns about being judged by others.
• Phobia – People with different phobias experience intense fear due to a specific activity, event, situation or place.
• Anxiety Disorder due to Illness – It includes symptoms of being overly anxious, panic or intense fear about an individual’s health or perceived problem.
• Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) – Individuals with OCD are characterized by having irrational thoughts that require them to repeatedly perform a task in a specific way.

Physical Symptoms of Anxiety:

Common anxiety symptoms include:

• Increased heart rate, rapid breathing, trembling or restlessness.
• Sweating, numbness, nausea, shaking, dry mouth and changes in appetite.
• Feeling faint, gastrointestinal problems, avoiding triggers or difficulty controlling worry.
• Blurry vision, feeling faint, cold feet and hands.

Ways to Ease the Physical Symptoms of Anxiety:

Here are some methods and techniques you can practice that can help to manage the physical symptoms of anxiety:

1. Alter your Mind:

To effectively deal with the physical symptoms of anxiety you need to alter how your mind work with how you respond to the symptoms. One’s thoughts contribute to aggravating whatever situation one is going through and changing your mind will determine how you react. To not heighten the sense of anxiety there are things you can do which include:

• Affirmations – These are positive thoughts that shift your mind from thinking about intense fear, terror or worry.
• Self-Reflection – It helps you explore your automatic reactions and develop a mechanism to change them, such as mood tracking and journaling.

2. Take Care of Yourself Physically:

Numerous research has proved that exercise and nutrition can positively impact an individual’s experience with anxiety and panic disorder symptoms. Living a healthy life and making lifestyle changes will go a long way in ensuring you can ease the physical symptoms of anxiety. Below is how you can take care of yourself:

• Avoiding Certain Foods or Drinks – Certain food and drink types can aggravate feelings of anxiety and they should be avoided at all costs.
• Stress-Reducing Exercises – To help control your anxiety, feelings and sensations are exercises such as meditation and yoga.
• Physical Exercise – By exercising you can improve your moods, relieve stress and increase energy levels which help in eliminating the symptoms of anxiety.

3. Enhance your Awareness:

It involves redirecting your attention from the symptoms of anxiety to something else, it could be through activities that will shift your focus. These might include:

• Calling a trusted loved one
• Meditating
• Watching a movie
• Listening to calming music or drawing
• Taking a short walk

The key is not to focus on your excess energy but rather channelling it into a fun and enjoyable activity.

4. Seek Help from a Professional:

Seeking help from a physician or qualified mental health specialist is crucial because it will help you cope with your physical symptoms and make you feel better. The treatment process of anxiety involves the right diagnosis, taking part in a treatment plan and following up with recommendations given. Medications do not cure anxiety though they help to effectively manage the symptoms and prevent them from occurring on a daily routine.

Conclusion:

Anxiety disorders are of various types and are common leading to feelings of nervousness and unease. How anxiety presents itself in one individual varies from the other and thus each person should manage their feelings differently. In some cases, it causes a blend of physical and mental symptoms which are more severe to a person. Seeking help from a mental health specialist or doctor is the first to deal with anxiety since they will help diagnose and you can incorporate treatments to deal with the feelings of intense fear or worry. The most difficult part is managing the physical symptoms but with a clear goal and the right set of mind you can overcome anxiety.