It’s natural to feel anxious. Those nervous feelings you get before speaking in front of your peers, going on a job interview, or while taking a test are normal. When placed in uncertain or uncomfortable environments, the body releases adrenaline triggering a fight or flight response to cope. Typically, these feelings pass with time or comfort and don’t return. That is unless your nervousness or anxiety is constant, then you could be dealing with an anxiety disorder that needs to be treated.
For some people, the panic or fear they feel is ongoing meaning their body is constantly in flight or fight mode. When left unresolved, these fears can become so crippling that it prevents them from engaging in certain activities altogether. But how does one know when they’re just really nervous about something and anxiety disorder? Here are a few signs below:
You Worry Excessively
Do you find yourself in constant fear and worry about everything? Are you always pondering on what could go wrong – even hypothetically? If you’ve become a worry wart, you could be suffering from an anxiety disorder.
Isolation or Avoidance
Avoiding a situation or event that makes you uneasy on occasion is normal. However, those who suffer from certain forms of anxiety may always avoid those situations. For example, someone who’s afraid of heights and flying may never travel to a destination they can’t reach by car. A person struggling with social anxiety will come up with every excuse in the book not to attend social events.
You’re Self-Medicating
To ward off those nervous feelings, someone suffering from anxiety might turn to self-medicating. They might overindulge in food, drink more, use drugs, or even abuse medications designed to help relax them. As self-medicating can quickly lead to addiction and essentially, a dual-diagnosis, if you are engaging in such destructive behaviors it is imperative that you find an outpatient rehab Cincinnati or elsewhere to treat the addiction and mental illness.
You Can’t Concentrate
Feeling like your brain’s in a fog lately? It could be attributed to anxiety disorder. Your mind has become cluttered with negative thoughts of fear, panic, worry, stress, and/or self-consciousness making it nearly impossible for you to focus on anything else.
Nervous Habits
Those who suffer from anxiety might also have nervous habits that give away what’s going on inside. This might include nail biting, hair pulling, teeth grinding, and even skin picking.
You Can’t Sit Still
Do you find it challenging to sit still when you’re anxious? If you’re struggling with anxiety disorder you this is common. You’re constantly fidgeting with something. Whether you’re pacing back and forth, wringing your hands together, picking at your clothes, tapping your legs rapidly while sitting, tapping on the table with your fingers, or playing around with your cell phone for what seems like no reason at all, this is a sign that you’re panicked and anxious.
You Feel the Need to Be Perfect
Those who have a constant fear of being judged, failure, or not living up to the expectations of others may try to be perfect in every way. This is more common in individuals who are self-conscious and most seen in patients who suffer from Obsessive Compulsive Disorder.
Though a natural feeling for everyone, anxiety can become serious. When your body is constantly in fight or flight mode it can lead to physical and psychological turmoil. If you’ve noticed these signs in your own life or the life of someone you know, you can try to reduce anxiety by practicing self-care, meditation, and increased sleep. However, if you feel no relief after a few weeks, a trip to your doctor is necessary for further treatment.