How much Anxiety is Too Much?
We all experience anxiety from time to time. It is a healthy and normal part of our spectrum of human emotions. However, when experiencing anxiety that seems particularly high or lasts especially long, people often start to wonder where the line is between typical, everyday anxiety and clinical anxiety that would warrant a diagnosis of an anxiety disorder. Here are a few questions to help you make the distinction:
Are you worrying a lot?
Anxiety can manifest itself as worrying and overthinking, often about things that we cannot control or that have not happened yet (and may not happen at all). If you find yourself plagued by worry on a daily or near daily basis, this could be a sign that your anxiety is unhelpfully high.
How are you sleeping?
For many people, anxiety is a sleep disruptor. People might have a hard time falling asleep because their minds are racing or might experience restless sleep and wake up throughout the night. If you have experienced changes to your sleep patterns, this could be indicative of clinical anxiety.
Do you feel present?
Anxiety takes us out of the moment and can make it hard to concentrate on what is in front of us. If you have been having a hard time connecting with or finding enjoyment in your life, this might suggest that your anxiety is detracting from your quality of life.
Have you been avoiding?
Anxiety makes us want to stay away from whatever is making us feel anxious. If you notice that you have been consistently avoiding certain places, situations, or people because they bring up anxiety, this could be an indication that your anxiety is starting to interfere with your life.
How are you feeling physically?
Anxiety tends to show up in our bodies. Common physical presentations of anxiety include restlessness, muscle tension, racing heart, chest tightness, shakiness, rapid breath, nausea or stomachaches, and fatigue. If you have been feeling “off” physically, this could be your body telling you that your anxiety is very high.
Do you feel anxious for no reason?
We evolved as humans to have anxiety to help protect us from threats in our environment. Our brains and bodies tend to perceive situations like giving a presentation at work or going on a first date as potentially threatening, thus accounting for the anxiety many people experience in anticipation of events like these. However, if you note that you are frequently anxious in the absence of any stressor that could account for that anxiety, this might indicate that your brain and body’s readings have gotten a little off. They are perceiving threat and reacting accordingly even when none is present. If your anxiety seems to be active frequently even when you can’t pinpoint a reason to be anxious, this could mean that your anxiety is in the clinical range.
Has your work, relationships, or health suffered?
One of the defining features of clinical anxiety is impairment in functioning. This means that you are not able to perform or give in the ways that you want to in your work, relationships, or other areas of personal importance. If you feel like your anxiety is negatively impacting significant areas in your life, this might suggest that you have a diagnosable anxiety disorder.
Did you answer “yes” to any of the above? If so, you are in good company. The National Institute of Mental Health has found that nearly 1 in 5 adults in the US experience an anxiety disorder in a given year, and that nearly 1 in 3 adults in the US will experience clinical anxiety at some point in their lives. The good news is that anxiety is highly treatable. Research points to the effectiveness of therapy in helping alleviate anxiety so it no longer takes the joy out of our lives. Ready to learn more? Contact me today to get started.
Source: https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/statistics/any-anxiety-disorder
