Anxiety is Ruining My Life

Can Anxiety Mess Up Your Life?

If fear has made you so stressed out and worried that you feel trapped, you may believe that “Anxiety is ruining my life.” If this rings true for you, keep reading to learn all about anxiety disorder and how to overcome it.

There is no doubt we live in stressful times. Indeed, intense pressures exist in every facet of our lives. Stressful careers, parenting, money issues, health problems, and relationships are the main contributors to this unrest.

It’s true that out of control stress and anxiety can take a heavy toll on our general wellness. Although we are able to manage a certain amount of stress, chronic stress can lead to an anxiety disorder. It can also cause some serious health problems.

If you are feeling like anxiety is ruining your life, it is time to be assessed by a mental health provider. Once a diagnosis is made, steps can be taken to better manage the anxiety.

Learn About Anxiety

Chances are someone you know is struggling with some type of anxiety disorder. In fact, more than 40 million Americans have some sort of anxiety disorder. it is apparent we are an anxious nation.

There are several different types of anxiety disorder, but a common feature is an irrational fear. Fear can be triggered by certain people, places, situations, and even objects. Fear plus a sense of being out of control fuels some very unpleasant symptoms.

Consider these different types of anxiety and their symptoms:

• Generalized anxiety disorder. Excessive fear and worry can cause insomnia, shortness of breath, jumpiness, irritability, heart palpitations, sweating, dizziness, headaches, and stomach distress.
• Panic disorder. A panic attack is a sudden episode that often comes out of nowhere. These events feature chest pain, trembling, shortness of breath, hyperventilating, nausea, shaking, a sense of doom, and a racing heart. Frequent panic attacks become a panic disorder.
• Specific phobia. Phobia is an extreme fear triggered by a specific thing or situation. Symptoms include sweating, difficulty breathing, chest tightness, and racing heart. The person becomes avoidant so they will not have to experience this dread and fear.
• Social anxiety. This is the intense fear of being judged or rejected by others, especially in public. It causes sweating, blushing, muscle tension, nausea, rapid heartbeat, hyperventilating, and lightheadedness.
• Obsessive-compulsive disorder. OCD is an alternating cycle of obsessive fears and compulsive behavioral responses to fear. OCD can become so intrusive in daily life that it causes impairment.
• Post-traumatic stress disorder. PTSD features a prolonged response to trauma, lasting more than one month. Symptoms include irritability, flashbacks, insomnia, substance abuse, detachment, nightmares, and avoidance behaviors.

Signs Anxiety is Taking a Toll on You

An anxiety disorder can feature a range of symptom severity. As this mental health disorder worsens, the person becomes less able to function outside the home. The fear related to the type of anxiety may cause such impairment that it affects every aspect of a person’s life.

Some of the reasons you begin to feel that “Anxiety is ruining my life” include:

• Sleep disruption. When anxiety causes insomnia your whole day is affected. A lack of good sleep impacts your ability to think clearly at work or be productive. This has knock-on effects, such as causing problems at work, poor work quality, and being irritable with coworkers.
• Self-medicating. If you find yourself turning to a substance to help settle yourself down, it can only make matters worse. Using alcohol or drugs to manage anxiety is putting yourself at risk for a co-occurring substance use disorder.
• Isolating behaviors. When symptoms of anxiety cause you to hide from possible triggers it can harm your quality of life. The isolating disrupt your social life and prevents you from going to work.
• Cognitive issues. Anxiety can cause short-term memory disturbance, as well as mental confusion and trouble focusing. This can have adverse effects on your work performance.

4 Ways to Get Control Over Anxiety

There are some methods to employ to help you manage stress and anxiety. If these actions do not improve the anxiety then seek out the guidance and support of a mental health expert. Learn how to stop anxiety from ruining your life.

• Practice Mindfulness. Mindfulness is a helpful tool for redirecting anxious thoughts. We tend to ruminate over our prior actions, question our decisions, and worry about outcomes. Mindfulness helps us to shift the mental focus from the distressing thoughts toward the present moment.
• Deep Breathing. One of the fastest ways to reduce stress is through the use of deep breathing techniques. Try this deep breathing exercise to quickly reduce blood pressure and heart rate. Inhale to a count of five; hold the breath for a count of five; exhale to a count of five. Repeat.
• Daily Walks. Something as simple as a brisk 20-minute walk can have a profound impact on stress. Exercise helps increase dopamine and serotonin levels, which reduce stress. Regular exercise also improves sleep quality, helping you feel more rested and calm during the day. Being outside raises vitamin D levels, too, which also boosts mental wellness.
• Yoga. Yoga includes a broad range of types of practices that use movement, stretching, and poses to help you feel relaxed. Yoga combines the movements with focused breathing to tone and strengthen the body and control stress and anxiety.

Anxiety can wreak havoc on our mental and physical health, which is why we need to take steps to manage it. If you believe that “Anxiety is ruining my life,” and are ready to take back control, reach out for help today.

The Treatment Specialist is an Online Resource for Mental Health Information

The Treatment Specialist is an online resource for informative articles on mental health conditions and treatment options for adults, teens, and families. If you are struggling with anxiety, reach out to the team for guidance today at (866) 644-7911.