The first sign of anxiety

It wasn’t until I went through a dark time in my life, full of anxiety and panic and then recovered, that I was able to recognize the first sign of anxiety. Anxiety consists of countless symptoms. Most of which are symptoms of other ailments. Due to this, anxiety increases and more symptoms arise because we worry about what each and every symptom could be. Rarely are we ever satisfied with knowing that what we are experiencing can truly be caused by anxiety alone.

Mental disorder?

We tend to think of anxiety as a mental disorder. While it is primarily a mental health challenge, I can attest that anxiety is very physical as well. Name any bodily sensation you can think of or have ever experienced. Most likely. someone has or is experiencing that as a result of anxiety right now.

A few common symptoms associated with anxiety are headache, dizziness, blurry vison, nausea, vomiting, chest pain, heart palpitations, shortness of breath, stomach cramps, muscle knots, nerve pain, tingling, hot and/or cold flashes and the list goes on.

What is the first sign of anxiety?

On the surface, the answer is not as clear as you may have hoped. The answer to that question is that it depends. Everyone is different and will respond in their own way to stress. One thing I can tell you is that our bodies tend to have a great memory which means that some symptoms will be patterns. While it may not seem so, this can be beneficial. Don’t worry that you will be stuck with your worst symptoms returning over and over, because with work, you can change how your body responds.

How do you figure out what your first sign of anxiety is?

Pay attention to the patterns of symptoms and your mental health. Notice which sensations ease when you are at peace and notice if they ramp up when you are more anxious.

What if you can’t find any peace?

If you are struggling to have peaceful moments at all, my advice is to accept that your symptoms very well could be a result of anxiety and nothing else. Especially, if you have visited a health care professional and tests have come back clear, accept that nothing more than anxiety could be the cause of whatever is making you worry. Don’t continue chasing a diagnosis. Read this post for more about medical visits with anxiety, or check out more on anxiety loops here.

The best weapon to beat anxiety

The best weapon to beat anxiety is acceptance. The more you accept that your anxiety can cause your symptoms, the more peace you will find. I promise, you can truly believe you are dying based on your symptoms, but they may very well be a result of your anxiety. Once you accept this, your mind will discover some peace and your symptoms that are the result of anxiety will begin to let go. The best weapon to beat anxiety is acceptance. Some symptoms will take time to recover. Be patient and focus on the peaceful moments you are beginning to achieve.

Noticing the signs

Once you have found some peace, if you pay attention, you may notice physical symptoms long before the mental. This is a good thing because we are so strong from surviving anxiety that we can absolutely handle the physical and get to work easing the mental before it ramps up. In turn, that eases the physical symptoms.

For me, the first sign of anxiety is full-body muscle tension that is most extreme in my back, shoulders, and neck, along with digestive changes. Once I realize what is happening, I focus on nurturing my mental health and comforting my body. Stick around to find out more about how I respond once I notice the first sign of anxiety. Subscribe to be notified when a new post is published.