Five Signs You’re Way Too Anxious
Disclaimer: I am not a licensed therapist, psychiatrist, or healthcare professional. This is purely based on experience and opinion. If you are experiencing any severe mental health issues, please reach out to a professional immediately. Take care of yourself.
This year, without a doubt, has been difficult for all of us. In a matter of days, every single one of our lives has been turned upside down. The consistent change, devastating events, and ever-present stressors have definitely increased all of our anxiety levels. I know for me, they definitely have.
While chronic stress and severe anxiety is dangerous, what might be more dangerous, is not noticing that it is there. When we don’t acknowledge the changes in our anxiety level, the increased anxiety becomes a constant in our lives. We start to live not with spurts of anxiety, but as constantly anxious and stressed people. Catching ourselves before we reach a high level of anxiety is critical because the sooner we recognize it the sooner we can get help.
Five Signs That You’re Way Too Anxious
You’re Not Sleeping Normally
With worries running through your head, it is very difficult to go to bed. Stress and anxiety can change your sleeping patterns. You might sleep way more than you usually do and have a hard time getting out of bed. Or you may find yourself not able to get a blink of shut eye. Personally, in very anxious times, I have found myself having nightmares and dreams about my stressors. If you have noticed that your bedtime and morning routines are out of whack by an inability to find peaceful rest, you might be too anxious.
Losing or Gaining Weight
Often times, when we feel we have no control over our lives, we try to take control over something: food. If you find yourself over-indulging or under-eating as a means of feeling something you might be living in extreme anxiety. Notice these changes by being present during meals and taking inventory of how you feel before and after. Do you feel overly stuffed? Do you feel like you didn’t even take a bite? If you notice a large change in your weight, analyze your relationship with food and consider if you are trying to control your anxiety by controlling your eating habits.
Clumsiness or Forgetfulness
Anxious brains have little space for other thoughts. Worries start to dominate and soon you will be forgetting to return emails, where you parked, and what someone just said in a previous conversation. If you are noticing a shift in your ability to function during day-to-day tasks, stop and breathe. Your anxiety might be taking over your ability to perform and live a healthy life.
Lack of Interest
When we are so focused on a particular stressor, we can lose sight of everything else in life. Anxiety can dramatically shift our priorities so that we no longer care about things that used to bring us joy. Have you stopped going to your favorite soccer league games? When was the last time you called your best friend? Are you no longer taking the time to listen to new podcasts because you are too stressed and busy? A lack of interest caused by an extreme preoccupation with stress is a sign that you might need to take more care of your anxiety levels.
Extreme Emotions
In a similar manner to how anxiety can alter our priorities, it can also alter our moods. When anxiety rules your brain, not only can you not think about the things that make you happy, but you can’t really live in a happy mindset. Listen up and take care of yourself if you find yourself crying at things you used to be able to brush off. If tears are forming the near second something minor happens, you might be dealing with more than you think. Anxiety levels might be rising.
Feeling anxious is nothing to be ashamed of, and it is also not something that you need to hide. All of us experience anxiety at different levels, and it is important to acknowledge our different experiences of life. If you are reading this and feeling like you experience any of these warnings, I encourage you to take care of yourself and get help. You deserve to live a life full of peace and joy, and I will be sending you love on your journey. There is hope.
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