Anxiety: What it is, What Triggers it and how to cope
Many of us have felt anxiety at some point in our lives – It is our body’s way to keep us aware of any potential or perceived dangers. However, when anxious thoughts are accompanied by physical symptoms that become overwhelming or constant, it can start interfering with our daily life.
There are many different situations and environments that can trigger anxiety, but it varies from person to person. However, if we are able to identify what often elicits the anxiousness, we can begin to learn ways to manage the symptoms and remain grounded and supported.
What is Anxiety?
Anxiety is similar to feeling nervous, and feeling this way is normal and healthy! Nervousness can be the body’s natural response to stress that can present when we care about the outcome of a situation, whether that be a job interview, presentation, or first date. We feel nervous because we want to do well in those situations but may also feel unsure of what the outcome is. Often times, once we become aware of this, we can experience a sense of relief, calm and closure.
Although nervousness and anxiety are similar, they do differ where anxiety is the result of the body’s fight or flight response working in overdrive, which may involves persistent, excessive worry that doesn’t always match the situation.
Types of Anxiety
The differences between the following types of anxiety depend on the situation or event that evokes the intense worry.
- Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD): Chronic worry about everyday life, even when everything seems fine
- Panic Disorder: Sudden and intense panic attacks, often characterized by chest pain, dizziness and/or shortness of breath
- Social Anxiety Disorder: Extreme fear or worry about receiving judgement or embarrassment in social situations
- Phobias: Intense fear of a specific object or situation (i.e. flying, spiders etc.)
Causes of Anxiety
There is no single cause for anxiety, so it is thought to result from a combination of biological, environmental and psychological factors.
- Biological: genetics, brain chemistry and/or other health conditions
- Environmental: stressful/intense life events, trauma, or chronic stress
- Psychological: personality traits like perfectionism or high sensitivity
Anxiety Triggers and symptoms
Anxiety can be triggered by different situations and contexts that vary person to person. “Triggers” can be any external event, situation or internal thought that brings on anxious feelings and/or physical symptoms of anxiety.
Common anxiety triggers include:
- Pressure in academic or work contexts
- Relationship stress or conflict
- Financial stress or uncertainty
- Health concerns (whether it affects you or your loved ones/friends)
- Big life changes/transitions (ex. moving, starting a new job)
- Crowed or unfamiliar environments
Although anxiety is experienced differently by everyone, there are some symptoms that are more commonly experienced across all types of anxiety disorders.
Common anxiety symptoms include:
- Mental/Cognitive signs: Racing thoughts, excessive worrying, and/or difficulty concentrating
- Physical signs: increased/rapid heartbeat, sweating, trembling/shaking, nausea, muscle tension
- Emotional signs: irritability, restlessness, feeling a sense of impending doom.
Catastrophizing and Intense worry
Anxiety can make certain situations and/or unfamiliar environments incredibly challenging. One aspect of anxiety that is particularly distressing is the “what if” spiral. This is known as catastrophizing, which happens when your thoughts automatically cling to the worst-case scenario (even if that outcome is unlikely).
Some examples would be:
- “If I make one mistake at work, I’ll lose my job”
- “If they don’t answer right away, it must mean they are angry at me, or don’t like me anymore”
What’s important to remember is that anxiety is not always rational or logical. Catastrophizing heightens anxiety because it can be extremely convincing that we are facing a certain danger or unwanted outcome, even if we know better. However, if we can learn to recognize when we are catastrophizing, we have already taken the first step towards practicing ways to break the cycle.
Coping skills for anxiety
It can be very distressing to always be on the lookout for potential dangers, which underlines the importance of developing effective coping skills that keep anxiety at bay. While anxiety may not disappear overnight, developing the proper skills and integrating effective strategies into your daily routine can help you find in-the-moment relief. When these tools are integrated into your daily routine, the intensity and impact of anxiety can lessen over time:
In-the-Moment Tools
- Grounding: Anxiety can often turn our attention to the past or future, giving us space to overthink, while taking us away from the present moment. By practicing grounding exercises, we can learn ways to focus on our surroundings, calm our thoughts and fully engage with our environment.
- 5-4-3-2-1 Grounding:
- Name 5 things you can see
- Name 4 things you can touch
- Name 3 things you can hear
- Name 2 things you can smell
- Name 1 thing you can taste
- Box Breathing: Deep and controlled breathing encourages us to guide our attention to our bodies, and away from our thoughts. A slow exhale is key to finding in-the-moment peace!
- Inhale for 4 seconds, hold for 4 seconds, exhale for 4 seconds
- Progressive muscle relaxation: Anxiety can increase muscle tension. Dedicating a few moments during our day to notice, and release this tension can go a long way.
- Tense and release each muscle in your body until you feel a bit more comfortable
-
- Example: Tense your hands, then release. Then, tense your arms, and release. Move onto your shoulders, stomach, legs etc.
Daily Tools
- Movement: Engaging in light exercise each day can reduce stress build-up. Allowing yourself time during the day to move your body, whether that’s going for a walk or doing some light stretching, can help improve your mental (and physical) health!
- Journalling: Worrying can take up a lot of space in our mind, so it is important to have a safe space where you can mentally “unload” what you’ve been carrying with you. Try grabbing a pen and paper to write down your thoughts to help organize and release them!
- Mindfulness practices: Sometimes, we may need a moment to just be present in our body. Meditation, yoga or just taking time to acknowledge what thoughts and feelings are present at that time can give us the peace we need.
Routines to Integrate
- Sleep Hygiene: Having a consistent sleep schedule can improve our health in so many ways. Setting a bedtime alarm or developing a calming nighttime routine can promote better sleep health.
- Take a moment to recognize what your current bedtime habits are and consider what improvements you can make. An example could be to avoid using any screens before bed, or try having a warm, relaxing bath that will set you up for a good night’s rest.
- Balanced Lifestyle: Taking care of our overall well-being can look different for each of us. Since our physical and mental health are closely related, making sure we eat regularly, stay hydrated, and limit our caffeine and alcohol intake is a great step that goes a long way!
- Time Management: When we are stressed, our productivity and focus may be reduced. To lessen the mental load a to-do list brings, it may be helpful to break tasks down into smaller, more “bite-sized” steps. Not only will things look and feel more manageable, but it can reduce the pressure we put on ourselves and encourage us to recognize the small bits of progress as we go.
How to support someone who has anxiety
If someone you care about is struggling with anxiety, it can be difficult to know how to help. However, your support can make a huge difference.
- Listen without judgement: Giving them a safe space to share what’s on their mind can go a long way. When we approach these conversations by trying to “fix” the situation, it can lead to fears of judgement. Sometimes, all they want is to just be heard.
- Validate their feelings: Anxiety is not always rational or logical. Situations that may seem normal to you may be overwhelming for them. Try to acknowledge what it’s like for them and validate their feelings.
- Instead of saying “Just relax. It’s not a big deal”, try “I hear this feels very overwhelming for you”.
- Offer Practical Help: As anxiety is characterized by excessive worry and concern, it can be scary to go through something alone. If it’s a social event or an appointment that seems to be worrying them, ask if they would like some company. If they are feeling overwhelmed by a big task, see if they would like support with breaking it down into smaller steps. Remember, small actions can have a big impact.
- Consistency & Encouragement: It takes time and true effort to discover effective ways to reduce anxiety. Acknowledging their progress and remaining supportive can go a long way. They know themselves best so allow them to take the lead, but consistent and intentional check-ins with them let them know they are not alone.
Final Words
Anxiety is something many people experience, yet it can still feel very overwhelming and isolating. It’s important to remember that it can become more manageable with increased awareness, and when using the right coping strategies and support. By recognizing our triggers and catastrophic thinking, we can regain control of our thoughts.
Similarly, knowing how to support someone with anxiety can have a big impact on them and reminds them that they do not have to go through this alone. If this resonates with you, be sure to check out the linked worksheets and resources available on our website.
Feel free to take a look at our free downloadable PDF worksheets! They are a great resource if you are interested in doing some self-reflection work at home!
