Common Symptoms of Anxiety

Symptoms of anxiety can present in many ways for each individual person. Even with these differences people who are struggling will often present with one or more of the symptoms listed below. While we all feel anxiety, or senses of fear, someone with an anxiety disorder with have these symptoms for two or more weeks. Like any disorder, anxiety is a spectrum where the symptoms can range from no impact on life to extreme and debilitating. Watching for symptoms in loved ones and making sure you are there to support them while they are struggling is huge in building a support system for them.

Common Symptoms include but are not limited to:

• Feelings of restlessness, on-edge, and/or dread.
• Issues with sleep or being unable to stop their thoughts.
• Unexplained chronic tension in the body, (I.e. headaches, backaches)
• Inability to control their worrying or fears.
• Anxiety might also produce bodily reactions such as sweating, faster breathing, or faster heart rate.

How to Help and Provide Hope

What is Anxiety?

Anxiety is a disorder that is denoted by extreme and seemingly uncontrollable thoughts of dread or fear. Anxiety for a person while it can be hard to understand is often a person’s reality (even if it’s a warped version of the truth). This perception can feel overwhelming and like a constant battle just to calm their mind to its relaxed state. People with anxiety often feel mentally drained and can seem lazy when in reality they are constantly using their energy for mental battles that one cannot see from the outside.

How Can You Help a Loved One?

Anxiety can be a challenging disorder to support due to the fact it is solely internal in nature. To support a loved one with anxiety you should be calm and understanding when communicating with them. Additionally, you should reassure them that you are there for them and that asking for help is not a sign of weakness. If they are willing, assisting them in locating a therapy or physiatry practice can be a big sign of long-term support as these are difficult tasks for people who are struggling to complete. If the person is actively in an extreme anxious state, then you can provide them with coping skills to help soothe them. Some examples of coping skills that would be helpful to a person in crisis could be breathing exercises or a hobby of the person.