Anxiety

Anxiety is a normal human emotion, and every person experiences some level of anxiety when there's a stressful or threatening situation. This is a natural response to these kinds of situations. However, when anxiety is excessive and easily triggered by situations or events that are not deemed as stressful or becomes difficult to control or manage, it can affect your functioning and social interactions. Excessive anxiety can also cause palpitation, fast respiration, nausea, muscle tension, making your neck and shoulders to ache.

Signs of excessive anxiety include:

• Constant worrying about numerous things
• Feeling of nervousness, fear, dread or apprehension
• Irrational fear of something bad happening
• Trembling, sweating, faster breathing, and increase heart rate
• Restlessness
• Disturbed sleep (trouble falling asleep or staying asleep)
• Upset stomach, muscle tension, headache
• Inability to relax
• Fear of negative evaluation
• Difficulty concentrating or focusing

(Note: This information is not diagnostic. If you are experiencing severe, uncontrollable anxiety please visit a professional)

Managing anxiety:

• Do deep breathing when you experience anxiety
• Use mindfulness techniques
• Giving insight that this is a emotional condition
• Identify thoughts that trigger your anxiety and try to replace them with more realistic once
• Exercise regularly

If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, please make an appointment to see the Wellness Counselor and learn more about anxiety and how to manage it.