Anxiety can show itself in all sorts of ways. For some of us, anxiety can be much more prominent, whereas for others, anxiety simmers away beneath the surface. This article outlines 5 of the main symptoms of anxiety, but you may experience something that isn’t on the list – but chances are you are not alone with your symptoms!
This is a big one, anxiety comes from the meaning ‘to feel anxious’, which is to feel nervous, fearful or to feel uneasy, and it can either be mild or severe. So, restlessness, feeling jittery and finding yourself on the edge of your seat are some of the most obvious symptoms to look out for.
Further to the previous point, when you’ve been feeling nervous, fearful and on edge for an extended period with no relief, it can trigger other fight-or-flight responses in the body such as feeling sick, vomiting, and tensions in the muscles.
Quite often one of the most deliberating symptoms of anxiety is how difficult it is to distract yourself from the constant worry, and it can become all-consuming, making it difficult to focus on school work or pay attention at your job.
Further to the previous point, anxiety can sometimes be all-consuming, meaning that you can find it difficult to fall asleep at night as your mind keeps ticking over all your worries and concerns. But on the other hand, anxiety is exhausting! Some people find that they need more sleep than usual as battling with anxiety every day can really drain our energy levels.
Lastly, anxiety can be a drain on our patience with other people and other things. If you add all the points in this list together, no wonder you might not always be able to respond calmly and happily to everyone around you! However, it is important to make sure that you do communicate how you’re feeling when you can, even if you think no-one will understand or they ask questions that you don’t quite know the answer to just yet.
Physical feelings like a tight chest or a feeling that you can’t breathe are all part of anxiety but can make you feel horrible – And it isn’t all in your head. You may know what you’re anxious about, like exams, or a job interview, but anxiety can come out of nowhere too, so don’t feel like you’re going mad if that’s the case.
Over 8 million people in the UK are struggling with anxiety of some sort at this moment– so please know you are not alone.
Talking helps. Chat to your doctor, to a friend or teacher you trust, or to a counsellor. Anxiety is nothing to be ashamed of
