What is anxiety?

What is anxiety?

Everyone will experience anxiety at some point in their lives, although there’s no clear-cut way to describe it as it can present differently from person to person. If you find it hard to find freedom from your feelings of anxiety and feel worried most of the time – to the point where it becomes detrimental to your everyday life – then you could be struggling with Generalised Anxiety Disorder (GAD), which affects up to 5% of the UK population.

We are all likely to experience an uneasiness at times, which can be described as feeling anxious. For example, we might have to speak at an event and have some thoughts about how it might go that make us feel uneasy, or anxious. Once those thoughts have gone, we no longer experience the associated feeling of anxiety. This sort of experience is common and usually not problematic as the thoughts and associated feelings pass. Where things become problematic is when we get stuck in that feeling of anxiety and cannot seem to find freedom from it. This is when seeking professional help is important.

By understanding which situations make you more anxious, and recognising the major indicators of an anxiety disorder, you’ll come one step closer to getting the professional help and treatment you need.

It’s important to point out that this article is not a substitute for professional care and support for people dealing with any mental health condition. If you have any concerns about your mental health, you should make an appointment to discuss these concerns with your GP.

What causes anxiety?

Whether we are aware of it or not, anxiety is preceded by a thought that triggers a physiological response (perceived stress). This is why two people in the exact same situation will have a different experience; one might feel anxious and the other not. It isn’t the situation, it’s the individual’s relationship to the situation that influences their experience, i.e. how they feel. And that relationship is determined by the thinking they are living in in that moment.

According to Mind, anxiety can also be experienced by individuals as a result of a stressful or traumatic childhood – such as physical or emotional abuse or neglect.

Whilst we are always experiencing life through our thinking, some situations – like high-pressured work or losing a parent – can trigger more anxious thinking and the associated feelings. Whilst long-term mental health conditions, such as experiencing depression or living with a threatening physical health condition, can also be anxiety triggers. As can eating a diet that plays havoc with our blood sugar levels.

Certain substances can play a role in producing anxiety symptoms, including:

• Alcohol
• Illegal drugs such as cocaine and LSD
• Non-prescription medications such as decongestants
• Medications containing caffeine
• Some prescription medications such as steroids, stimulants, asthma and Parkinson’s medications
• Drugs used to treat thyroid problems

By recognising the most common, and less common symptoms of anxiety, and acknowledging which situations or previous events might cause you to feel anxious – coupled with a recognition that we are always experiencing life from the inside out – it can become much easier to tackle. As an example, many doctors would initially test for an overactive thyroid, as this can cause anxiety symptoms, along with a number of other conditions.

What are the symptoms of anxiety?

It’s important to note that anxiety isn’t a one-size-fits-all experience, and the symptoms displayed as a result of the ‘fight or flight’ response can vary from person to person. Anxiety can also “attach” itself to common themes, such as health anxiety or fear of flying. Some are also less intrusive than others, for example, a fear of flying is unlikely to cause many problems. However, there are a variety of ‘tell-tale’ symptoms that might indicate that you have anxiety.

Common anxiety symptoms

Some of the most common anxiety symptoms include:

• Feeling on edge, irritable, or as though something bad might happen.
• Increased heart rate or heart palpitations– a fast-beating, fluttering or pounding heart.
• Hyperventilation – rapid and deep breathing that, when sustained, may leave you feeling breathless
• Sweating and trembling – a bodily response to a perceived threat.
• Dizziness – hyperventilation reduces carbon dioxide levels in the blood, causing dizziness.
• Tiredness – otherwise known as ‘adrenal fatigue’, this is a post-adrenaline rush crash.
• Dry mouth – you may experience a dry mouth due to the stress response, where the body supresses salivation to help with digestion supression.
• Headache – being constantly alert as a result of anxiety can lead to muscle tension, often causing headaches.
• Pins and needles – the stress response and persistent stress can cause pins and needles due to muscle tightness, blood vessel tightening, and hypo- and hyperventilation. The stress response can also affect the body’s nervous system, leading to pins and needles.
• Insomnia – caused by an inability to relax and unwind, making it difficult to sleep.
• Trouble concentrating – becoming distracted by your worry, hindering your ability to focus.

Rare anxiety symptoms

Many bodily feelings can be magnified by anxiety, and it can be difficult to disentangle a physical cause from a psychological one. Particularly with long term conditions, these causes can co-exist. For example, someone who has recently suffered a heart attack can still experience chest pains which cannot be ascribed to angina or heart problems. Or, if you have MS (multiple sclerosis), you may feel anxious for a great deal of the time.

Some of the rarer symptoms of anxiety include:

• Derealisation – a symptom of severe anxiety, leading an individual to feel as though their reality has been altered, as if in a dream or trance-like state
• Rashes – constantly being in ‘fight or flight’ mode increases histamine chemicals, which can result in the development of rashes or hives on the body
• Shooting pains – one area of the body might be affected, or pains could migrate throughout the body, ranging from moderate to severe. When you’re anxious, your muscles tighten, electrical activity in the brain increases, the nervous system can behave more involuntarily, and the nerves that receive and report information to your brain are more sensitive. All of these factors could result in shooting pains
• Cold hands and feet – experiencing the ‘fight or flight’ response causes blood flow to be redistributed to the main organs, such as the heart, which would make getting out of the ‘dangerous’ situation easier. This, in turn, can cause your hands and feet to feel cold
• Phantom ringing – hearing high-pitched ringing, rumbling, swooshing, sloshing or buzzing either in one ear or both
• Phantom smell – anxiety can cause you to smell something that isn’t there, or a neutral smell could start to become unpleasant
• Globus hystericus – a feeling of tightness and/or a lump in your throat
• Eye issues – experiencing blurred vision, dilated pupils, watery eyes or seeing floaters

If you are experiencing the above anxiety symptoms and they’re interfering with your daily life, causing uncontrollable, distressing thoughts and depression, a health professional can help.

How is anxiety diagnosed?

After you’ve discussed your symptoms, the doctor may perform a physical examination, and they might also book you in for a blood test, which could be looking for an underlying cause for these symptoms. There is a strong connection between physical and mental health. Some people may experience anxiety as a result of a physical condition, whereas others may develop health anxiety or worry about other aspects of their lives, such as family members or money.

How is anxiety treated?

If you’re diagnosed with an anxiety disorder, your doctor will walk you through the next steps – which might involve counselling, taking medication, or trialling coping mechanisms to help you live with and, hopefully, find freedom from your anxiety. Counselling is likely to take the form of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, which has been shown to reduce anxiety, as it helps you think differently and gives you techniques for the future to combat anxiety. There are some practitioners working in mental health who think that you don’t actually need to think differently, or manage your thoughts; they can only exist if you give them attention. Once you start seeing the true nature of thought more deeply, your relationship to it shifts. The goal is to never feel anxious, but rather about not getting stuck there because you have a deep understanding of where your experience is coming from, and what lies beneath that.

How to reduce anxiety

Regardless of whether you opt for medication that has been prescribed by your GP, or you’re advised to speak with a counsellor, there are a variety of short and long-term strategies you can try to see which helps the most. People don’t have to live with anxiety their entire lives, as there are always steps you can take to improve your feelings. While self-help methods can be effective – such as speaking to your pharmacist, focusing on mindful breathing and meditation apps – you should never self-medicate. Anxiolytics, like Valium, must never be used – so don’t borrow medication from others.

Practicing mindfulness

There’s no one size fits all approach, but listening to your body, understanding where your experience is coming from and practising mindfulness to tap into your innate calm state can help you find freedom from the feeling of anxiety. Mindfulness is the ability to be fully present and aware of where we are and what we’re doing, rather than being overly reactive or overwhelmed by what’s going on around us. One of the main anxiety relieving techniques is deep breathing as a way to slow and control erratic breathing, as well as slowing your heart rate.

Exercising

Exercise is beneficial to your overall health, and can also be an effective way to relieve stress and anxiety. Simply putting down your tools and heading out for a 15-minute walk to focus on something other than your anxiety.

Eating a healthy diet

By eating a health, balanced diet that’s rich in health fats, protein and complex carbohydrates (think lots of veg) we can help to regulate our blood sugar levels. An imbalance here can trigger a cascade of events that can make us feel anxious. Protein also provides us with a rich source of tryptophan from which we can make the feel-good hormone, serotonin – 90% of which happens in our gut! So making sure you have a healthy gut is useful, too!

Avoiding caffeine

One particular literature review described the effects that caffeine has on the body. When you drink caffeine, this blocks the adenosine receptors, which leads to an increase in dopamine, noradrenalin, and glutamate. Where the cardiovascular system is concerned, it causes an increase in the blood pressure and heart rate, motor activity and alertness may improve after consuming a lower dose of caffeine. However, when higher doses are consumed, this can cause symptoms of anxiety.

Write your thoughts down

If you often find it impossible to put these thoughts to rest, try writing them down instead. This can make the situation less overwhelming by allowing you to rationalise your thoughts. People who experience long-term anxiety could make this a regular practice by keeping a journal, documenting any thoughts and feelings experienced on a daily basis. This could help with recognising patterns in your anxiety, so you can identify which situations make you the most anxious.

Remember you are not your thoughts

Remember that your thoughts are fleeting, and simply create the reality for you in the moment. They look real but they’re not because, without your attention on them, they can’t exist. Ever had a thought and then you found yourself saying “oh what was I going to say?” The thought disappeared because it didn’t have your attention to keep it there.

Most of us will focus on anxious thoughts and build big stories around them until it all feels vividly real at some point. Try and become aware when this happens, remembering that all thoughts and their associated feelings pass. Much of our anxiety often comes from living in our thinking about the past or future, so keep bringing yourself back to the present moment. You’ll know when you’ve shifted away because you’ll start to experience a sense of ease.

Communicate your feelings

The most important thing to remember is that anxiety is extremely common, and you may have to try a combination of methods and techniques to find freedom from it. If you’re struggling, always try to communicate your feelings with close friends and family so that they can do their best to help. If you’re not able to do this, there are a number of mental health helplines available – ensuring that there will always be someone for you to talk to.

Another useful self-help technique can be downloading the Evergreen Life app and taking our Sense of Wellbeing Check. This covers a wide range of health-related topics – including questions about anxiety and mental health. Based on your answers, you’ll be given actionable steps you can take towards feeling better.

Reviewed by:

Dr Brian Fisher MBBch MBE MSc FRSA – Clinical Director

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