6 Physical Symptoms that Might Be Anxiety
– [Presenter] Have you ever
experienced physical symptoms and not known why? It could be that you’re
experiencing anxiety without realizing it. So what exactly is anxiety? Experiencing occasional
moments of anxiety is normal, such as when facing a problem at work or before taking an
exam where you may feel your heart beating rapidly
sweaty palms, or have nausea. But these symptoms of
nervousness dissolve over time. While you may have experienced
these symptoms at some point, anxiety is more than
temporary worrying or stress. Worries and stress arise
from external triggers such as an upcoming deadline or an argument with a loved one.
Anxiety on the other hand is persistent worry in the absence of stressors. The American Psychology
The association defines it as an emotion characterized by apprehension and somatic symptoms of tensions in which an individual
anticipates impending danger, catastrophe, or misfortune. Aside from its mental symptoms, anxiety also produces a
roster of physical symptoms such as insomnia, fatigue, and muscle tension. Most people pay more attention
to the physical symptoms as they’re easy to identify, and as a result, tend to treat the symptoms rather than the underlying cause. So with that said, here
are six symptoms of anxiety that can help you discern if
it’s an illness or anxiety.
Number one is irritability. Yes, this symptom may seem vague
because when you’re unwell, who wouldn’t be a bit irritated? However, if you find
yourself getting worked up over the slightest things, that
could be a sign of anxiety. Anxiety triggers our fight-flight or freezes response. It also makes you believe that
you’re constantly in danger which reduces your tolerance to stress. As your stress tolerance decreases you become more susceptible
to snapping at someone. According to statistics, only
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mental health content to more people out there. Number two is depersonalization
or derealization. Another sign that your
physiological symptoms are the result of anxiety
and not a sickness is if you experience frequent
bouts of derealization or depersonalization. Both symptoms disrupt
how you perceive yourself and the world. Derealization is a sensation
of being outside of your body and is a frightening thing to experience.
One minute you can be
walking down the street and suddenly everything feels
two-dimensional or unreal. Depersonalization is usually described as an out-of-body experience. Most times you feel like you’re watching and hearing yourself in real-time, but your actions feel distant like you’re not the person doing them and your limbs or body
can appear distorted and foreign to you. Reports show that stress and
anxiety are the primary causes of derealization and depersonalization because your fight or flight
response to stress floods your brain with adrenaline
which redirects blood from the brain to the larger
muscle groups and core. Because your brain has less blood you may feel more lightheaded, and as a result, you may
experience derealization and depersonalization. If this happens to you,
it helps to breathe. The adrenaline usually
takes two to three minutes to metabolize but you may take 20 minutes to calm down physically and mentally. Number three is phobias
and coping mechanisms. Another sign that you’re
experiencing anxiety and not a physical
illness is if you notice that you’ve developed new
and unexplainable phobias.
We all have phobias whether
they developed during childhood or are the result of a bad experience. Phobias are our brain’s way of
trying to keep us from harm. However, some phobias are
the results of anxiety and can become obstacles
in your daily life. Technically phobias are
categorized as anxiety disorders and fall into two groups;
specific and complex. Specific phobias usually
stem from a bad experience, but complex phobias stem from
mental or emotional distress. Specific phobias usually
don’t need treatment but complex phobias, like agoraphobia, the fear of being in busy
places, and social phobia do. These phobic opioids can
make you feel more alone and can also affect your self-esteem. Number four, attacks, trouble breathing.
A telltale sign of anxiety is
experiencing a panic attack or anxiety attack. Though both terms are
used interchangeably, they’re different. A panic attack is a sudden
overwhelming surge of emotion such as fear and discomfort. You may feel your chest tighten as your breathing has stopped. You may also feel dizzy or lightheaded. While anxiety attacks
have similar symptoms, they’re a bit different as
they’re the result of symptoms that have been gradually building up. Number five is gastrointestinal disruptions. Gastrointestinal issues
are another sign of anxiety but can also arise independently
of your mental health. While anxiety and gastro
illnesses are mutually exclusive, there is research supporting the theory that anxiety causes
gastrointestinal disorders such as irritable bowel syndrome and studies have shown the comorbidity between anxiety and
irritable bowel syndrome. There’s lots of research that treatment for some gastrointestinal
disorders may involve therapy.
And number six, physiological strangeness. A final sign that you’re
experiencing anxiety is if you feel tingling or numbness usually in your face and limbs, which is the feeling of blood
rushing to your extremities as your fight or flight response kicks in. While blood rushes to our extremities, other areas of your body can feel weak. Tingling and numbing can also
be caused by hyperventilation which indirectly happens
when you’re anxious. Along with the symptoms
listed in this article, there are other ways
anxiety can manifest itself.
Despite its symptoms,
anxiety is manageable. Please reach out to a
medical health professional or a therapist for help. Do you recognize any of
these symptoms in yourself? Let us know when the comments are below. And remember to like and share this video with those who might benefit. As always, the references and studies used are listed in the description below. Take care and thanks for watching. See you next time.
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