Life with anxiety

• “Being so scared you’re paralyzed”
• “You can’t breathe; air is all around you, but you can’t get to it”
• “Your heart is beating out of your chest”
• “Your mind is racing and you have so many thoughts at the same time that it is hard to have one complete thought”
• “Always worrying about the future and the possibility of disappointing others”
• “The worst-case scenario in any situation is the most likely one”
• “You’re dying, because there is no way you would feel like this if you weren’t”
• “Being so uncomfortable you wish you could crawl out of your own skin”
• “Not being good enough and always blaming yourself”
• “Your mind and body are on high alert for no obvious reason”
• “Everything is happening all at once”
• “Constant worry and fear”
• “Never being able to truly relax”
• “Being repulsed and afraid of your own body and the illnesses it could possibly have”
• “Being constantly aware of every single sound, sight, smell, taste, and texture”
• “A constant struggle for control that you will likely never get”
• “Having fear of what tomorrow holds”
• “Needing to escape, but not being able to”
• “Intimidating, overwhelming, and exhausting”
• “Pretending you’re okay but really you can’t breathe or think straight”
• “Being powerless against your own mind”

Anxiety disorders are real illnesses that are based on extreme fear. They affect:

The body

Causing:

• chest pain
• heart palpitations
• shortness of breath
• dizziness
• stomach discomfort
• nausea
• fatigue
• trembling
• muscle tension
• headaches
• tingling in the hands and feet
• trouble sleeping

Thoughts

Causing:

• exaggerated worry about everyday life
• fear of dying
• repeated unwanted thoughts
• nightmares or flashbacks
• irritability
• anger
• trouble focusing
• numbing of emotions
• anticipating the worst outcome to a situation even though it is unlikely

Behaviors

Causing:

• rituals that seem impossible to control
• being easily startled
• avoidance of people, places, and/or things
• limiting life experiences
• inability to sit still
• easily losing one’s temper
• being snappy with others

Call someone you trust. Let them know your anxiety has gotten the best of you and that you need their support. That may mean asking them to stay on the line with you until you’ve worked through your symptoms, or coming over to keep you company and help put your mind at ease. If you can’t get in touch with a friend or family member, use a warmline to find someone to talk to.

Do something physical. Take a brisk walk, go up and down the stairs, or do some jumping jacks. Give your body a way to physically use up some of its excess energy.

Distract yourself – try an adult coloring book, knit or crochet, or draw. Repetitive activities can have a calming effect similar to meditation. Find free, printable coloring pages.

Go somewhere safe and quiet, and challenge yourself to have a full-blown anxiety attack. Many people find that directly challenging themselves to have an anxiety attack actually has the opposite effect.

Deep breathing can help. One popular technique is belly breathing: Lay on your back and breathe in through your nose, watching your belly rise as you inhale. Hold your breath for a few seconds then exhale deeply through your mouth, watching your belly fall as you exhale. Repeat until you notice yourself feeling more relaxed. Alternatively, singing can also regulate your breathing if you find yourself starting to hyperventilate.

Write it down. Getting thoughts out of your head and onto paper can be helpful. This could be making a to-do list to organize your thoughts if your mind is racing and it’s hard to focus, or writing in a journal to express what is bother you.

Focus on things you can control and take action. Pick out your clothes for the week, plan your meals for the next couple days, organize your desk – taking care of small things empowers you to take charge when it comes to larger tasks.

If you think you may be showing signs of an anxiety disorder, take our screen. A screening is not a diagnosis, but it can be a helpful tool for starting a conversation with your doctor or a loved one about your mental health.

Take anxiety screen

If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call or text 988 or chat 988lifeline.org. You can also reach Crisis Text Line by texting HOME to 741741.