What does Anxiety Feel Like?

Have you ever felt like something has been holding you back from living your best life? As if you have invisible chains that’s stopping you from doing your best, reaching your goals, and living life with joy? 

That’s how some people living with anxiety disorders feel. 

People experiencing anxiety disorders find it hard to live a good life due to its signs and symptoms interfering with their daily lives. They constantly wrestle with fearful thoughts, anxious feelings, fatigue, brain fog, and restlessness, among other challenges.

Although it’s true that anxiety lives in the mind, its impact can be felt in all aspects of one’s life. That’s why in this article, we’ll share with you how anxiety affects a person’s life. This article might help you realise just how challenging living with anxiety disorder can be, and how important it is to seek support. 

Anxiety Disorders can wear your body down

Anxiety and your physical health are closely intertwined. When you experience anxiety, your body's stress response system is activated. This leads to the release of hormones like cortisol and adrenaline. During prolonged states of anxiety (Anxiety Disorders), this chronic stress can take a toll on your physical health in various ways.

1. It weakens the heart. Multiple studies have linked anxiety to an increased risk of heart disease, high blood pressure, and other cardiovascular issues. This is because the stress hormones released during anxiety can cause blood vessels to constrict. Leading to elevated blood pressure and an increased strain on the heart. That’s why prolonged stress and anxiety increases your risks of having a heart attack. 
2. It tightens up the tummy. Anxiety can also have a significant impact on your digestive system. The gut and the brain are closely connected, and anxiety can trigger symptoms like nausea, stomach pain, diarrhoea, or constipation. That’s why if you notice, your stomach tends to tighten up whenever you feel nervous or anxious. Now, the phrase “sick to my stomach” makes more sense.
3. Anxiety weakens your body’s shield. Chronic stress and anxiety have been shown to weaken the immune system. Making you more prone to illness and infections.This is because stress hormones can suppress the production of white blood cells, which are crucial for fighting off infections. This is also why a lot of people suffering from chronic and prolonged anxiety develop other immune-related conditions. 
4. Keeps you up at night.  Anxiety can also contribute to sleep problems, such as insomnia or restless sleep. That’s because your body is in constant fight-or-flight mode. Meaning, it’s unable to rest since it always feels threatened. Over time, this lack of quality sleep can further worsen the symptoms of anxiety, creating a cycle of poor sleep and increased anxiety.

Anxiety weakens your mind

Anxiety not only affects your physical well-being but also has a significant impact on your mental health. Meaning, your brain experiences a lot of deterioration and difficulty when you’re in a constant state of anxiety. Here are some of the ways anxiety can impact your mental state:

1. Fear makes you feel blue. Anxiety and depression can go hand-in-hand, with many people experiencing both conditions simultaneously. This is because anxiety can lead to feelings of hopelessness, low self-esteem, and a general sense of despair. So over time, these negative thought patterns contribute to the development of depression.
2. Anxiety makes you dull. Because all of your mental energy is focused towards survival, other cognitive functions tend to suffer. That’s why people with prolonged anxiety experience symptoms such as brain fog, forgetfulness, difficulty to focus, remember information, and make decisions. 
3. It’s easier to lose control when you’re anxious. When all our energy and will power is exhausted from trying to survive and fend-off real and imaginary threats, it’s almost impossible for you to regulate our emotions. This makes you more prone to outbursts, irritability, or difficulty expressing our feelings in a healthy way. This can strain our relationships and negatively impact your overall quality of life.
4. Down a slippery slope you go. Some individuals may turn to alcohol or drugs as a way to cope with the overwhelming feelings of anxiety. This is because the mind is looking for ways to feel safe. And feeling numb makes it forget about the things you’re anxious about. This can lead to a cycle of substance abuse and worsening mental health.

If you start to notice that you’re experiencing the negative impact of anxiety disorders in your mind, it’s best to seek professional help and support. Our team at MeHelp Psychology can help you overcome your anxiety disorder, and regain your mental health. You can reach out to us to book an appointment. 

Anxiety creates unhelpful behaviours

Anxiety tends to change the way you behave. That’s because your mind is in deep survival mode, putting it on the edge. Understanding these behavioural changes can help you manage and address anxiety more effectively.

1. Running away from fear. One of the most common behavioural responses to anxiety is avoidance. When your anxieties are triggered, you tend to start avoiding certain places, people, or situations that might trigger anxiety. While this might provide temporary relief, it often worsens anxiety in the long run by reinforcing the fear and preventing you from confronting and managing the anxiety-provoking situations.
2. Running away from tasks. Anxiety can lead to procrastination – which is another form of avoidance. That’s because your mind is already in a state of fear. So you tend to lose your confidence even towards things we’re familiar with. Because you fear failure or making mistakes, you tend to put off tasks. Ironically, this leads to increased stress and anxiety as deadlines approach.
3. Soothing the mind with compulsive behaviours. Some people develop compulsive behaviours as a way to manage anxiety. This can include repetitive actions like checking, counting, or cleaning. While these behaviours might temporarily reduce anxiety, they often become disruptive and difficult to control. Which leads them to develop Obsessive-Compulsive Disorders (OCD). 
4. Aggressive tendencies tend to come out. When you’re unable to control your emotions, we might release some aggression towards the people around us. This might come in the form of verbal abuse. And in worse cases, physical confrontation. 

Anxiety can create strains in your relationships

Because of the changes in your mood and actions, anxiety can have profound effects on your relationships with family, friends, and colleagues. Recognising these impacts can help you take steps to maintain healthy and supportive connections.

1. Communication Issues. Anxiety can make communication difficult. You might struggle to express your thoughts and feelings clearly, leading to misunderstandings and conflicts. And because you’re in a defensive mode, anxiety can also make the slightest criticism feel like an attack, which can strain relationships.
2. Anxiety creates a false sense of attachment. When we’re in survival mode, it’s the mind’s instinct to look for safe spaces. And sometimes this comes in the form of people. That’s why anxiety can make you overly dependent on loved ones for reassurance and support. While it's natural to seek comfort from those close to you, excessive dependency can create tension and burden your relationships.
3. But anxiety can also pull you away from everyone. Conversely, anxiety can also lead to social withdrawal. You might avoid social interactions to prevent anxiety, leading to feelings of loneliness and isolation. This withdrawal can further worsen anxiety and create depression.
4. Anxiety puts a strain on your romantic relationships. Anxiety can affect intimacy in romantic relationships. It can lead to a lack of interest in physical intimacy because the anxious hormones (cortisol and adrenaline) hamper the intimacy hormones (testosterone, oxytocin, and serotonin). Moreover, because of the changes in behaviour, maintaining emotional closeness can also become challenging. 
5. Creating conflict and tension. The irritability and mood swings associated with anxiety can lead to frequent conflicts and tension in the different relationships in your life.

Don’t Let Anxiety Hold You Back

Right now, you’re realising that anxiety is a terrible loop. It creates a lot of negative situations and outcomes in your life that tend to make it worse in the long run. So you might feel some fear and hopelessness because you don’t know how to break this cycle. 

But don’t worry. We’re here to assure you that there’s a light at the end of the tunnel. It’s possible to stop the anxiety loop, and prevent you from spiralling down because there are a lot of treatments and management strategies that you can access. 

If you're struggling with anxiety and its impact on your physical and mental health, we encourage you to reach out to our team at MeHelp Psychology to help you develop a personalised plan to manage your symptoms and improve your overall well-being. 

Remember, you don't have to face this alone, and there are resources and support available to help you on your journey to better health. Our team of online psychologists understand anxiety and can help you.

References: 

Better Health Channel. (n.d.). Heart disease and mental health. Retrieved June 13, 2024, from https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/healthyliving/heart-disease-and-mental-health

Harvard Health Publishing. (n.d.). The gut-brain connection. Retrieved June 13, 2024, from https://www.health.harvard.edu/diseases-and-conditions/the-gut-brain-connection

Eldridge, S. (2019). The impact of nutrition on mental health. Retrieved from https://digitalcommons.unomaha.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1179&context=university_honors_program

Heaney, C. (2020, October 7). What is brain fog and what causes it? ABC News. Retrieved June 13, 2024, from https://www.abc.net.au/news/health/2020-10-07/what-is-brain-fog-and-what-causes-it/12734948

Brain Training Australia. (n.d.). Procrastination. Retrieved June 13, 2024, from https://www.braintrainingaustralia.com/performance-problems/procrastination/

Healthy Male. (n.d.). How do stress and anxiety affect sexual performance and erectile dysfunction? Retrieved July 10, 2024, from https://healthymale.org.au/health-article/how-do-stress-and-anxiety-affect-sexual-performance-and-erectile-dysfunction

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