Triggers on Anxiety

Understanding Triggers on Anxiety

Triggers on anxiety can be surprisingly common. However, triggers in everyday life may be hard to spot.

What are Triggers?

A trigger reminds you of a past issue or experience. As a result, you could feel panic, anxiety or overwhelming sadness. In addition, it can also cause flashbacks. A flashback is a vivid memory that is often negative. Furthermore, it can appear without any warning.

What is Anxiety?

Anxiety is experiencing a feeling of worry, tension or unease. Furthermore, some can escalate into panic attacks and other extreme physical sensations, like sharp, tight chest pain.

Is it Normal to Experience Anxiety?

Yes, it is absolutely normal to experience anxiety at some point in your life. In fact, some forms of low-level anxiety can be beneficial in life. For example:

• Warns us of potentially dangerous situations
• It helps is to remain focused
• Keeps us safe and alert

What is Anxiety Disorder

The experience of an anxiety disorder goes beyond the slight feeling of fear experienced before an interview. When this disorder occurs, side effects are:

• Interference with ability to function on everyday tasks
• Lack of control in responses to situations
• Overreaction in scenarios that trigger your emotions.

A 2020 article from The Guardian stated how the UK has been subject to an "explosion in anxiety" since 2008. It later says how "anxiety in women aged 18-24 has tripled from 8.42% to 30.33% by 2018".

Furthermore, 6 out of 100 people are diagnosed with an anxiety disorder every week. It is evident that anxiety is experienced profoundly across the country, indicating how common this mental health condition is.

Anxiety can be debilitating. However, without healthy coping mechanisms, it can be not easy to manage emotions. As a result, it can impact on work and relationships. Therefore, understanding triggers on anxiety can help towards the prevention of panic and anxiety attacks.

How to Know if You're Experiencing Anxiety?

Examples of common triggers on anxiety include, but are not limited to:

• Stress
• Social Events
• Change in Routine
• Excessive Consumption of Caffeine

Common physical symptoms include:

• Headaches
• Fast heartbeat
• Rapid breathing
• Sweating
• Difficulty sleeping
• Stomach ache
• Dizziness
• Loss or change in appetite
• Fatigue

Managing Anxiety

When experiencing triggers on anxiety, it is vital to know how to manage these physical symptoms. Additionally, learning how to prevent them from manifesting into more severe signs.

It is essential to pay attention to triggers on anxiety in stressful environments. Psychological symptoms are equally as important as physical symptoms. Life is unpredictable and situations can arise that are completely out of our control. However, by creating healthy habits, the stress that comes with these events can be alleviated. In addition, this will help to learn how to predict how you will respond when next positioned in a stress-provoking situation. Therefore, increasing your control over your reactions and emotional responses.

Managing Triggers on Anxiety

There are countless ways to help manage triggers on anxiety. However, it is essential to recognise that different techniques will work for different people. As a result, here are some of the top ways to help reduce these emotions and allow yourself to feel more in control:

• Making time for your worries

Feeling an overwhelming sense of dread can take up a large portion of your day. By scheduling time for it, you limit its ability to dominate your daily routines.

• Reducing caffeine intake

Caffeine increases cortisol levels, which is known as the stress hormone. It can produce jittery sensations in your body. These can imitate the same feelings as when you are scared. Furthermore, studies show that caffeine stimulates your flight, freeze-or-fight responses, which worsen triggers on anxiety.

• Exercise regularly

The release of endorphins (the feel-good hormone) changes the brain's chemistry by calming and improving overall well-being.

• Regular healthy sleep

A lack of sleep affects our brain's ability to function correctly. Attention span and concentration decrease, leading to an impact on memory retention.

• Practice relaxation techniques

Yoga and meditation are found to reduce levels of cortisol. It can also help to relieve physical pain that has been caused by anxiety.

If you are experiencing frequent triggers on anxiety and feel it affects your way of life and daily activities, seek professional help.

They can offer more profound levels of support and medication that can assist you in the ways needed.