It was a cold winter morning, and as I slipped out of bed and began to stand up I noticed a sudden sense of fear. Quickly my hands began to shake, my head flushed with a level of heat that I swear I could see steam starting to rise from my forehead, and things began to shake. 
If you have ever suffered from a panic attack, or anxiety, then chances are you have felt similar moments in your life. Living with anxiety is extremely hard, mostly because the mind plays tricks on us and by being afraid of a panic attack, only heightens your senses and makes you more prone to the episode.
It is said that anxiety falls into two different categories. The first is a mental anxiety. This trigger is caused by an incessant focus on ideas, thoughts, or what if’s. The second is a physical trigger, often times originating in the stomach or digestive track. This type of anxiety starts off as a slight pain, or a bout of nausea and then the mind takes over with fear and the suffering begins.
For those of you that do not suffer from anxiety, you can’t relate to the debilitating and often times horrific effects that this disease can induce. From a personal experience, I didn’t start suffering from anxiety until my mid 30’s, however, friends of mine that also suffer from this have reported signs as early as their pre-teens. No matter your age, or health, anxiety can affect us all and it is important to understand the signs of anxiety and how you can educate yourself on dealing with this disease.
Signs of Anxiety
- Excessive Worry: Many people suffer from worrying. Whether you are struggling with your job performance, dealing with family issues, or have money problems, worrying is often times a go to activity for the mind. So what if you worry in excess? By constantly thinking about your struggles, one can begin to develop an unhealthy mental focus causing you to take your worries to the next level, inducing fear, depression, and compulsive disorders. If you are always worrying about your life, then it may be time to speak to your doctor about anxiety treatment.
- Sleep Problems: While I have not personally had to deal with this aspect of anxiety, I have a friend who wakes up two to three times a week in pure panic. He reports that his heart is racing, his mind is racing, and his fear is racing all at once when he shoots straight up out of bed. While this is not the only sleep problem that can occur with anxiety it is one to be aware of.
- Irrational Fears: Have you ever found yourself afraid of “what could be” or the possibilities of having a terminal disease, loosing your home, family, or livelihood? People who suffer from anxiety often times report episodes of irrational fear that they are unable to shake, causing more and more stress and anxiety build up.
- IBS: Irritable Bowel Syndrome is commonly associated with anxiety and for those who suffer from both it is an unforgiving combination.
Fear can trigger your bowels to go into spastic mode, while a tummy ache can shoot your fears through the roof. If you suffer from IBS and find yourself being triggered in either direction, speak to your doctor about the potential treatment of anxiety.
While these triggers are not representative of the hundreds of ways anxiety can show it’s ugly face, it does give you a base line to understand if you, or someone you know is suffering from anxiety. 
Anxiety is real, and finding the right treatment, emotional support and help is key to learning to manage and live a happy life when suffering from this disease.
June 20, 2017 at 5:51 am
nice looking man