Signs of Anxiety

Oh, my goodness. I think I’m having anxiety attack.

Today there are tons of ways that our minds go on overload. It is easy to become bombarded by the world news or your children’s safety in school. There are plenty of issues in the world to have a healthy sense of anxiety. However, there are plenty of ways in which the cares of this world can foster an unhealthy way of living. Our spirits were not designed to handle anxiety and excessive worry. We live in a world where daily lives can become press or squeeze us to our limits.

Signs to Consider if Your Anxiety is Out of Hand

1)   Loss of Balance
You have difficulty managing your life because you are consistently helping others. When your spirit becomes the dumping ground for other people’s problems, you have lost your ability to manage distress. Are you caring about things that are beyond your ability to fix? If you are, it can be a sign of excessive anxiety. Guard your heart and mind in Christ Jesus. Examine the level of contribution or support that is productive for you while empowering others to figure out their own stuff! This loss of balance is one of the signs of anxiety.
2)   Restless Sleep
You have a hard time going to sleep at night. There are too many problems dancing in your head to let go and let God do the rest. The daily grind of juggling the way we get ahead in the world can keep you up at night. This is why meditation is so important. Imagine taking a few minutes before you go to bed to process your successes, your challenges, and what you’re grateful for at the end of the day. This process decreases your mind’s tendency to review the day’s movie over and over again.
3)   Denial and Repression
One strategy for not confronting your emotions is to fool yourself by pretending there is nothing wrong. Denial is often thought to be a conscious process. In other words, instead of addressing the truth that your friend is a liar, you decide to be in denial that they have lied to you. Repression is something done outside of a person’s awareness, but the result is still the same.

What Are You Feeling?

The above examples usually come with the following ways my clients struggling with anxiety describe feelings.

I feel afraid if I don’t do something I won’t be liked.

I am really agitated that my friend does not see my level of sacrifice to be in this relationship.

I am really apprehensive and insecure when I’m in the office.

I feel really nervous and jittery during tests.

I am very self-conscious about my looks and my weight.

I often feel panicky when preparing for a performance.

I am really uptight and uneasy about the clerk following me in the store.

Identifying how your anxiety presents itself can help you focus on what to do about your predicament. Ignoring the emotions will only increase the anxiety. Give yourself permission to process what you are feeling and why. This will give your spirit space to identify what triggers your anxiety. Contemplating on what triggers the event can help you challenge why too much merit is given to the trigger itself.

Christian Counseling: Help For The Challenges

Anxiety can show up in various forms and fashions. The most important thing to remember is that you have options regarding how to address excessive worry and/or dread in your life. That is where I come in as a licensed counselor. I help individuals address the challenges of anxiety and how anxiety affects their lives. Check out the Seattle Christian counseling website for more information.