The Biggest Cause of Anxiety Isn’t What You’d Guess

Anxiety is apprehension of experiencing fear in the future. The danger feared isn’t imminent and may not even be known or realistic. In contrast, fear is an emotional and physical reaction to a present, known threat. Anxiety is typically characterized by obsessive worry and an inability to concentrate that may affect our sleep.

It can trigger a full-blown fight-flight-or-freeze response of our sympathetic nervous system that prepares us to meet real danger; however, a big difference between fear and anxiety is that because anxiety is an emotional response to something that hasn’t occurred, there is nothing to fight or flee. Therefore, tension builds up inside our body, but there is no action we can take to release it. Instead, our mind goes round and round, replaying possibilities and scenarios.

Symptoms

Physical symptoms can still include any of the following:

• Increased heart rate
• Numbness or tingling in hands or feet
• Perspiration
• Shortness of breath
• Tunnel vision
• Nausea or diarrhea
• Dry mouth
• Dizziness
• Restlessness
• Muscle tension