If you happen to google the phrase, “signs I have anxiety”, you will find fear listed among them.
Developing fear is a natural response to perceived danger. We all, at some point and time, sense the feeling of fear. It’s our body’s response to some sort of threat in our surrounding environment. When the threat dissipates, normally, so does the fear.
However, unhealthy fear doesn’t seem to subside. It lingers in our body and puts us into “fight, flight, freeze” mode and we become hypervigilant. When someone is living in fear, they may perceive danger when there is none. This can lead to panic attacks, various anxiety conditions and wreak havoc on our body and daily lives.
Anxiety Disorders and Fear
The five major types of anxiety disorders include Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD), Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD), Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Panic Disorder and Social Anxiety Disorder.
There are also phobia related disorders, such as the fear of leaving the house (Agoraphobia). According to an article on www.nimh.nih.gov, “A phobia is an intense fear – or aversion to – specific objects or situations. Although it can be realistic to be anxious in some circumstances, the fear people with phobias feel is out of proportion to the actual danger caused by the situation or object.”
Any type of fear which persists and begins to interfere with work, relationships, and everyday life, is very likely a sign of an anxiety condition.
The Fear of Fear
Excessive fear can ultimately lead to panic attacks or even a panic disorder.
Panic attacks can come out of nowhere. They may feel like the world is closing in on you. Some of the characteristics include: excessive sweating, trembling, chest tightening, feeling as if you can’t breathe, blurred vision, disorientation or fear you are having a heart attack, among others.
Panic attack treatments may include medication for anxiety and/or depression, therapy (such as a counselor, psychologist, anxiety coach, etc.), exercise, meditation, breathing techniques, tapping or even acupuncture, just to name a few.
Seeking help with one or more of these panic attack treatments is the first step to recovery.
Anxiety Treatment
Just as with panic disorders, treatment for anxiety is just as crucial for healing the underlying causes.
Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT) focus or premise is that the more emotionally unresolved issues you can manage, the more you become peaceful and free from life tensions. All you need to achieve this goal is through the personal Peace Procedure tool. This implies the ability to believe in yourself that is possible to be emotionally free from all physical, mental health issues.
EFT will help you to heal the causes of the fear(s) by working through the emotional thought process also used is other techniques such as CBT. Whether what you experience seems mild or severe, treatment for any anxiety condition is imperative to restore one’s overall health and well being.
Avoiding Anxiety and Fear
Unhealthy coping, such as drugs, alcohol, sex, binge eating, self-medicating, distraction, etc, are all ways which actually feed the fear and anxiety, ending up making things worse.
When we distract ourselves and avoid feeling the fear, we think this will just make it all go away. What actually happens many times is that we end up adding to the anxiety condition with the likes of addiction, depression, isolation, numbing and feelings of shame.
Avoiding anxiety treatment exacerbates the symptoms. These feelings won’t just suddenly disappear, even though it may seem like they do at the time. Whatever the original cause(s) may have been (trauma, bullying, neglect, abuse, etc.), they will eventually keep resurfacing until you make the choice to face them head-on.
It’s Okay Not to Be Okay
Many feel what they are experiencing is not severe enough to seek help. Others feel the shame attached would be too much to talk about.
The thing is, anxiety conditions are one of the leading causes of mental health distress in this day and age. You are not alone in your suffering.
Don’t allow fear and anxiety to steal from you. Seeking anxiety treatment or panic attack treatment is nothing to feel ashamed about. Healing yourself not only helps you get your life back on track, but it also helps those around you to know that it’s okay not to be okay.
Somatic coach (therapist) in Canton, GA, and Worldwide Life Coach dedicated to inspiring and assisting people worldwide through candid conversations about anxiety. Having personally battled general anxiety, panic disorder, and OCD, I understand the daily challenges those grappling with anxiety face. My journey involved searching for the right therapist, medication, and natural supplements and undergoing various tests. It was only after deciding to reclaim my life that I finally overcame anxiety’s hold. I’m passionate about helping others conquer their struggles and discover their life purpose.