Often, people see anxiety as this big thing that causes panic attacks. But it’s much more complex than that. It impacts people in many different ways. When you stop to think about how it impacts your daily life, it can be scary how many things crop up. There are different anxiety symptoms and triggers, but also certain experiences many sufferers collectively share.
If you’ve struggled with stress, worry and anxiety, the chances are you’ll probably relate to some of the situations below. You could have experienced a few, many or all of the below. I thought I’d share my experiences and the things that usually set me off. And often I don’t freak out because of the things below, but because I’m just generally going through an anxious period, which means sometimes it’s the little things and daily challenges that become tough to overcome.
Here are some frustrating ways in which anxiety can interfere with your everyday life.
When you leave the house…
Ever left the house and then experienced a wave of anxiety as you question whether you turned the hob off, or shut your bedroom window? You might even have to go back to clear your mind, even though you know deep down you didn’t forget to lock that door.
When you have conversations with people…
And you realise you’re being overly negative. You may even worry that you’re sounding like a right crazy person when you tell people you’re expecting the worst case scenario and for your world to fall apart. Don’t worry, if you’re acting like this, most kind-hearted people will realise you’re just stressed.
When you get stopped in your tracks…
You’re walking along the street one minute happy as can be, then the next minute a thought hits you. A thunder thought I call them. Thunder thoughts are when you get struck by an anxious thought out of the blue. You may spend minutes or even hours fretting or experience a panic attack on the spot.
When you experience physical symptoms…
Your heart feels like it’s beating out your chest. Or maybe you feel your anxiety swirling all around your tummy and you’re having to dash to the loo every 15 minutes. Some people experience intense headaches or brain zaps. Physical symptoms can be quite powerful and difficult to deal with. And what’s especially frustrating is when you know it’s your mind and the way you’re thinking that’s hurting your body.
When you lose something…
Anyone else really struggle with losing things? If I’m remotely anxious or worried, and I can’t find something (say my car keys or purse) then I descend into an anxiety pothole. The more I look for something and don’t find it, the more worked up I get. I guess this is normal for everybody but for people with severe anxiety it can send you over the edge.
When you can’t make simple decisions…
OK, shall I have rice or pasta for dinner? Which cafe shall I work in today? If your mind is filled with anxiety, it makes deciding on things, no matter how trivial, all the more difficult. You spend longer than usual trying to make very basic decisions.
When you can’t sleep…
When I’m particularly stressed, I struggle to properly drift off at night. Annoyingly, I’ll usually drift off to sleep very briefly, before being rudely awakened by some terrifying or anxiety-inducing thought. Then I’m fully awake again and fretting about what I should do to solve the problem or try to ignore the worries slowly invading my mind. But yeah, anxiety can cause you to suffer from a lack of sleep because you stay up all night worried. Not fun.
When you can’t eat…
At the times when you’re constantly on anxiety alert, it can be hard to eat properly. Either you won’t be able to eat because you feel too sick with worry or you’ll eat far too much in order to comfort yourself.
When you’re in a social situation…
And you’re totally out of your comfort zone. Personally, I don’t really suffer from social anxiety but there are times when I know I’m going to be far better by myself, and certain situations I’ll avoid. In some instances, you might already be in a social situation and then anxiety hits. Maye something worries you or you get a bad text or email when you’re with other people that you’re not able to cope with. It’s hard to manage and not run off and hyperventilate or cry in the loo!
When you overthink something…
Yes, but what would happen if XYZ were to happen? When you get faced with a scenario and you can’t help but fret over it and analyze every single little detail.
When you obsess over getting something you want…
I really struggle with this one. When I want something, I go for it. And if anything gets in my way I get extremely frustrated. I’ll sometimes fixate on ideas and things for so long that they enter my every waking thought.
When you worry about something you’ve said…
Sort of linked to social anxiety but it’s more about reflection after you see or speak to people. You’ll analyze the conversation you had and question some of the things you said. Or worry that you may have said something that upset someone, and wonder how to fix it.
When you freak out about a health worry…
Ah, health anxiety. It’s darn frustrating. Though most of us anxiety sufferers know the number one rule is to not Google health issues, we always do, and then after reading the results assume we’re going to die or have to go to hospital. When really, you’re absolutely fine.
When you have an anxiety hangover….
I’m not sure if you’ll be familiar with this but it’s kind of like an emotional hangover. Where you have a bit of a mare/upset/panic attack the night before and you wake up the next morning feeling bloody awful. And it takes you a lot longer than usual to be able to get on with your day.
Main Photo by Sydney Sims on Unsplash
