How to Recognize Anxiety in Yourself
Watch for episodes of excessive or intense worry., Identify feelings of blankness or being unreal., Recognize episodes of fear or panic., Pay attention to your mood., Be attentive to avoidance behaviors., Be wary of drug and alcohol abuse.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Watch for episodes of excessive or intense worry.
Perhaps the most characteristic feature of anxiety is a long-lasting or intense feeling of dread and tension.
Sufferers of anxiety often find themselves worrying constantly, even when they have nothing in particular to worry about.
Worrying is often accompanied by physical tension and jitteriness, and is characterized by a pessimistic attitude, and an anticipation of the worst outcome in the situation causing the worry. , One of the most bizarre feelings associated with excessive anxiety is a feeling of detachment, or unreality, especially in situations where the anxiety sufferer is overwhelmed by the source of his or her anxiety.
During such episodes, you feel utterly disconnected from others, and from the world around you, and you may find yourself unmotivated to do much of anything.
For example, feeling as if your emotions and motivations have been turned "off"
as if by the flip of a switch, following an episode of intense worry or stress may be a sign that you are experiencing excessive anxiety. , The fear or panic may be associated with a real situation from your life, or may simply manifest as a general fear, such as of death, or loss of control.
Alternatively, the fear may have no source you can identify.
This fear may prove difficult to control, and difficult for others to comfort, which makes it one of the most debilitating symptoms of anxiety.If difficult or stressful situations — be they social, financial, or work-related, cause you to feel overwhelmed and incapable of dealing with your problems — you may be experiencing the effects of excessive anxiety.
It is normal to sometimes be troubled by thoughts of death and dying, either your own or that of someone close to you, but if these thoughts begin occurring with such frequency or intensity that they distract your from important activities or prevent you from sleeping they may be a sign that you are experiencing an unhealthy amount of anxiety. , The symptoms of anxiety can be very difficult to cope with, especially if they are frequent or severe.
The resulting strain can make it difficult to maintain a calm or happy mood, which can strain work, school and personal relationships, and making it a challenge to enjoy a normal social life.
Frequent anxiety sufferers often find themselves feeling irritable and display difficulty concentrating or participating in social interactions. , Regular sufferers of anxiety attacks will often find themselves fearful of situations which have, in the past, been triggers for stress or anxiety.
If you find it very difficult to enter into situations which you associate with stress, or you often find yourself compelled to take significant steps to avoid such situations, this may indicate that you are experiencing an unhealthy level of anxiety.For example, if you find yourself often procrastinating school work, professional responsibilities, or social interactions because you fear being overwhelmed by the stress caused by these activities, you may be experiencing the effects of excessive anxiety. , Self-medication, or use of unprescribed drugs and alcohol to treat the symptoms of illness, is common among chronic sufferers of anxiety.
You should be honest with yourself regarding the role that drugs or alcohol play in your own relationship with anxiety.
If you feel that your use of substances is out of your control, and is detrimental to you, it's important that you reach out to friends, loved ones, or medical professionals to help you deal with the problem before it impacts your health. -
Step 2: Identify feelings of blankness or being unreal.
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Step 3: Recognize episodes of fear or panic.
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Step 4: Pay attention to your mood.
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Step 5: Be attentive to avoidance behaviors.
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Step 6: Be wary of drug and alcohol abuse.
Detailed Guide
Perhaps the most characteristic feature of anxiety is a long-lasting or intense feeling of dread and tension.
Sufferers of anxiety often find themselves worrying constantly, even when they have nothing in particular to worry about.
Worrying is often accompanied by physical tension and jitteriness, and is characterized by a pessimistic attitude, and an anticipation of the worst outcome in the situation causing the worry. , One of the most bizarre feelings associated with excessive anxiety is a feeling of detachment, or unreality, especially in situations where the anxiety sufferer is overwhelmed by the source of his or her anxiety.
During such episodes, you feel utterly disconnected from others, and from the world around you, and you may find yourself unmotivated to do much of anything.
For example, feeling as if your emotions and motivations have been turned "off"
as if by the flip of a switch, following an episode of intense worry or stress may be a sign that you are experiencing excessive anxiety. , The fear or panic may be associated with a real situation from your life, or may simply manifest as a general fear, such as of death, or loss of control.
Alternatively, the fear may have no source you can identify.
This fear may prove difficult to control, and difficult for others to comfort, which makes it one of the most debilitating symptoms of anxiety.If difficult or stressful situations — be they social, financial, or work-related, cause you to feel overwhelmed and incapable of dealing with your problems — you may be experiencing the effects of excessive anxiety.
It is normal to sometimes be troubled by thoughts of death and dying, either your own or that of someone close to you, but if these thoughts begin occurring with such frequency or intensity that they distract your from important activities or prevent you from sleeping they may be a sign that you are experiencing an unhealthy amount of anxiety. , The symptoms of anxiety can be very difficult to cope with, especially if they are frequent or severe.
The resulting strain can make it difficult to maintain a calm or happy mood, which can strain work, school and personal relationships, and making it a challenge to enjoy a normal social life.
Frequent anxiety sufferers often find themselves feeling irritable and display difficulty concentrating or participating in social interactions. , Regular sufferers of anxiety attacks will often find themselves fearful of situations which have, in the past, been triggers for stress or anxiety.
If you find it very difficult to enter into situations which you associate with stress, or you often find yourself compelled to take significant steps to avoid such situations, this may indicate that you are experiencing an unhealthy level of anxiety.For example, if you find yourself often procrastinating school work, professional responsibilities, or social interactions because you fear being overwhelmed by the stress caused by these activities, you may be experiencing the effects of excessive anxiety. , Self-medication, or use of unprescribed drugs and alcohol to treat the symptoms of illness, is common among chronic sufferers of anxiety.
You should be honest with yourself regarding the role that drugs or alcohol play in your own relationship with anxiety.
If you feel that your use of substances is out of your control, and is detrimental to you, it's important that you reach out to friends, loved ones, or medical professionals to help you deal with the problem before it impacts your health.
About the Author
Rebecca Collins
Brings years of experience writing about creative arts and related subjects.
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