Symptoms of Anxiety
Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.
Jack was visibly stressed. “I don’t know if I have anxiety or I’m just really stressed! I feel like ever since I graduated from UGA I have struggled with anxiety. It is just around all the time. It’s at its worst when I’m going to sleep. Just the other day I was eating dinner with some friends at Clocked and felt so sleepy. When I went home, my mind immediately started running. I couldn’t fall asleep until 3 am. This happens every night. What do I do?
Anxiety can feel overwhelming and like there is no way out. Anxiety can even lead to depression, identity concerns, and career problems.
Have you ever experienced that? How do you know if you have anxiety?
Symptoms of Anxiety
In the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual for Mental Disorders - 5th edition published by the American Psychological Association describes the symptoms of anxiety as:
The prescience of excessive worry about a variety of topics. Worry occurs more often than not for at least six months
Worry is experienced as very challenging to control
Restlessness
Energy change
Impaired concentration
Irritability
Difficulty sleeping
Increased muscle aches or soreness
External Factors
Work stress - Anxiety is a leading cause of taking vacation days. There is a growing term, mental health day, to take a break from the work environment.
School stress - For students at the University of Georgia, University of North Georgia, and Athens and Oconee High schools, anxiety is taking its toll. Whether it is the stress of trying to get in college or performing well enough to keep financial aid, the stress can feel overwhelming.
Relationship stress - Relationship conflict and group identification can be a leading cause of anxiety.
Transition - A quarter life crisis is becoming more of a reality. Transition can leave you wondering which way is the right way? How do I know the right path? So many options can feel crippling.
Internal Factors
Asking what ifs - A lot times thoughts can get away from you. It can become an endless cycle of what ifs.
All or nothing thinking - All or nothing thinking is thinking in extremes. Life is either success or failure.
Fortune Telling - Fortune telling is predicting the future and that the future will always be bad. An example may be, “If I go to that party no one will speak to me and it will be terrible.”
Anxiety does not have to control your life. There is hope by taking control of your thinking. Many people find help and healing through counseling. In counseling, we work on easing the symptoms of anxiety by taking control of the internal and external factors that are contributing to anxiety lasting so long. Begin your journey to find peace!
