General Information About Anxiety

Summary

  • Anxiety is a part of life: Anxiety is a natural and sometimes useful emotion that can warn of danger or motivate problem-solving. It can manifest as mild concern or as intense, uncontrollable anxiety.

  • The many forms of anxiety: Anxiety can appear at different levels—from mild nervousness to panic attacks—and it affects emotions, thoughts, the body, and actions. It may manifest as fear, worry, restlessness, tension, or even physical symptoms like heart palpitations and breathing difficulties.

  • Managing emotions and thoughts: Anxiety often appears as unrealistic fear, difficulty concentrating, or memory problems. It can also bring feelings of confusion, irritability, and detachment.

  • Effects of anxiety: Anxiety impacts the body by causing symptoms such as heart palpitations, digestive issues, or sleep difficulties. In behavior, it may lead to avoidance of situations and people, increased social anxiety, or increased substance use.

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Everyone experiences anxiety at times. The feeling of anxiety cannot be completely avoided because its role is to warn us of dangerous situations and motivate us to solve everyday problems. Anxiety can vary greatly in duration and intensity.

The current global situation is a major factor in the increasing levels of anxiety. As the climate crisis, wars, and societal issues accumulate, distressing news constantly floods our consciousness, and there is still much progress to be made in terms of equality. This era challenges us to engage in collective and communal action. In this sense, anxiety can serve as a necessary driving force for change toward a society that genuinely cares for others and can overcome crises.

Anxiety is a natural part of life

Mild and occasional anxiety is a part of everyone's life. When anxiety about something increases (e.g. exam anxiety), the pressure to address and resolve the issue also grows (studying for the exam). In this way, anxiety, despite being an unpleasant feeling, can motivate us to take action.

Anxiety differs from fear in that fear usually has a concrete object or situation as its cause. When feeling anxious, it is often harder to pinpoint the exact reason behind the emotion. Anxiety is more related to our internal ways of thinking, feeling, and acting—it is a reaction to a vague, distant, or even unidentifiable threat.

From mild stage fright to uncontrollable anxiety

Anxiety can vary greatly in duration and intensity, from minutes to years, and from mild nervousness to panic attacks. For example, stage fright before a presentation can heighten alertness and lead to a good performance, and it usually subsides once the presentation is over.

However, intense and uncontrollable anxiety does not improve performance or motivate change. Instead, it has the opposite effect. For example, an exam might cause so much anxiety that one is unable to start studying for it.

Anxiety manifests in various ways and affects us holistically:

  • As worry
  • As an internal and often physical sense of restlessness
  • As tension
  • As a vague sense of fear
  • Even as feelings of terror and panic

Signs of Anxiety

In Emotions

  • Unrealistic and excessively strong fear
  • Irritability, anger
  • Tension and nervousness
  • Impatience
  • Confusion

In Thoughts

  • Worry about the past and future
  • Overthinking
  • Difficulty concentrating
  • Memory problems
  • Difficulty making decisions
  • Racing or fragmented thoughts
  • Persistent dreams
  • Feelings of detachment or alienation
  • Restlessness

In the Body

  • Heart palpitations and rapid pulse
  • Tightness or pressure in the chest
  • Shortness of breath, rapid or shallow breathing
  • Feeling of choking
  • Stomach issues, nausea
  • Blushing
  • Trembling
  • Sleep difficulties
  • Various types of pain

In Behavior

  • Avoiding situations and people
  • Nervousness in social situations
  • Increased substance use
  • Compulsive behaviors

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