Have you noticed that your anxiety has been heightened recently? Does your anxiety show up in areas of your life where it has never been before? Do you suddenly become nervous when speaking in front of others, interacting with new groups of people, or when you are interacting with friends, partners, or colleagues?
Heightened anxiety and increased stress are common emotions in today’s world as we face a global pandemic that has shifted how we work, socialize, and manage our home lives. Anxiety can impact your life in different ways and appear in a variety of settings. Anxiety also can shift where it traditionally presents in your life. For example, in the past your anxiety might have appeared only when speaking in public or when you are meeting new people, but now your anxiety appears when you are trying to sleep and your mind has difficulty calming down. Anxiety can be a moving target that shifts and reappears as the stressors in your life eb and flow.
Your body encounters stressful and threatening stimuli every day. When you are combating stress in other areas of your life (work, relationships, health, finances, conflicts) it can affect how and where your anxiety presents. Many times, individuals will notice the physical symptoms of anxiety that they experience due to the way in which it disrupts their daily lives. Anxiety can impact you physically, emotionally, and socially effecting how you interact socially or relationally with those around you.
What are some common symptoms of anxiety around others?
-Sweating, jittery, rapid heart rate, or mind “blanking”
-Feeling self-conscious around others, embarrassed or awkward
-Fear of being judged by others
-Fear of talking in front of groups of unknown people, or “performing” in front of others
(Anxiety and Depression Association of America, 2020)
Anxiety might be something you have battled or adjusted to throughout your life. It may have even served a protective purpose in past relationships or settings, allowing your mind and body to constantly be in “fight or flight mode.” Yet, now your anxiety has taken a different path that is not the most useful or sustainable. Anxiety can affect you physically by not letting your mind or body rest and preventing you to from engaging and relying on relationships that could be supportive in managing the symptoms of your anxiety. Your anxiety may have turned a corner and begun to negatively impact your relationships with your family, friends, co-workers, or new social settings.
You are not alone in your experience or understanding of your anxiety. You deserve to speak with someone that understands what you are going through and who can help you sort through both the physical and emotional symptoms of your anxiety. Together we can create a deeper understanding of your anxiety and create a plan to cope, adjust, and manage both the personal and social impacts of your anxiety. While anxiety is commonly experienced, it does not need to dictate your life, decisions, and relationships. Call today for a free 15 minute consultation to discuss how we can manage your anxiety symptoms together.