Anxiety is a normal human emotion despite what you may think about it. When you are not sure about what is going to happen over the next few minutes, days, or months, you may react to uncertainty with anxiety.
Simply put, anxiety is a worry over a potential threat in your future. You may lie awake late at night wondering if your date is going to text you back. Pondering an uncomfortable conversation with a loved one may leave your stomach in knots days before the discussion even takes place. Before getting on a plane to travel for vacation, your heart may begin to race. If you struggle with plane anxiety, check out our blog “8 Tips To Overcome Flight Anxiety.”
It is our human nature to want to get rid of these uncomfortable feelings and sensations as soon as possible; however, pushing them away may worsen your anxiety-related symptoms. Worrying about getting rid of your anxiety tells your nervous system that there is another thing to be anxious about, creating a loop where your anxiety is just made worse. Long-lasting anxiety that interferes with your day-to-day life may signal an anxiety disorder which requires the support of an anxiety therapist.
Anchor Therapy is a counseling center in Hoboken, NJ with mental health therapists specialized in helping children, teens, adults, couples, and families with anxiety, depression, relationship issues, trauma, life transitions, and more. Anchor Therapy is accepting new clients and is now providing in-person sessions and teletherapy sessions to residents of New Jersey, New York, and Florida.
What triggers anxiety?
What triggers each person’s anxiety is unique. For some people, public speaking may induce their fight-or-flight system response. For other people, being confined in a tight space may cause them to panic. For support with this issue, read our blog “Is There A Way to Overcome Claustrophobia?”.
Some examples of anxious thoughts may be:
“What if I fail?”
“This will never get better.”
“Something bad is going to happen to me.”
“Everyone is judging me.”
“I might get sick.”
“I am going to embarrass myself.”
“I cannot stop worrying.”
“I will not be able to cope.”
“What if I lose control?”
“People do not like me.”
Feelings of worry, fear, and tension may come over you when you experience anxiety. Anxiety can also morph into panic attacks and physical symptoms, such as chest pains or headaches. If you are struggling with these concerns, our blogs “How to Manage A Panic Attack” and “3 Ways to Manage Your Physical Anxiety Symptoms” are must-reads.
The most common symptoms of anxiety include the following:
Muscle tension
Fear
Uncontrollable worry
Muscle tension
A heightened heart rate
Difficulty concentrating
Difficulty sleeping or insomnia (Read our blog “How CBT Can Help With Your Insomnia”)
Tingling sensation
Dizziness
Restlessness
Feeling on edge
Irritability
Physical discomfort
According to research published by Forbes Magazine, anxiety disorders are the most common mental illness in the United States, impacting 40 million adults which is roughly 19.1% of the United States population. Out of all of the different types of anxiety disorders, Generalized Anxiety Disorder, simply referred to as GAD, is the most common anxiety disorder people experience with 6.8 million American adults affected.
The different types of anxiety disorders are as follows:
Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD)
Panic Disorder - Check out our blog “4 Ways to Cope with Panic Disorder”
Social Anxiety Disorder (Also known as Social Phobia) - Read our blog “How to Talk to People When You Have Social Anxiety”
Specific phobias
Agoraphobia - Check out our blog “3 Steps to Overcoming Agoraphobia”
Separation Anxiety Disorder
Health Anxiety (Hypochondriasis) - Our blog “3 Ways to Overcome Health Anxiety” is a must-read
What actually causes feelings of anxiety and/or an anxiety disorder is complex. Generally, there are many factors, like genetic and environmental ones, at play. With that being said, there are some events, feelings, or experiences that could cause or worsen anxiety symptoms. When that occurs, these elements are labeled as triggers.
Many people who struggle with anxiety find that they actually have multiple triggers. For some people, they may experience anxiety attacks for no apparent reason.
Being able to identify your anxiety triggers is an important step for being able to manage them.
Here are some common anxiety triggers:
Health issues:
A health diagnosis can be upsetting or difficult to cope with. This type of anxiety trigger can cause immediate and personal feelings. By talking to a doctor, you can get accurate information about your health status. Additionally, an anxiety counselor can help you learn how to manage your feelings surrounding your diagnosis.
Caffeine:
Many people reach for their cup of coffee as soon as they open their eyes in the morning, but this can actually trigger or worsen anxiety. By substituting your coffee with a non-caffeinated option, your anxiety and panic attacks may be reduced.
Skipping meals:
For some people with anxiety, they may experience nausea or stomach issues which makes it hard to eat. However, when you do not eat, your blood sugar may drop which can trigger anxiety. Eating balanced meals ensures that you are getting the energy and nutrients you need. Food has the ability to impact your mood. To learn more, read our blog “Cultivating Good Mental Health for Intuitive Eating.”
Negative thinking:
Believe it or not, but your mind can affect your body. When you are upset or annoyed, the words you say to yourself can trigger feelings of anxiety. When you think about yourself in a negative light, refocusing your language and feelings can help you interrupt your negative thought cycle. Our blog “6 Ways to Handle Intrusive Thoughts” is a must-read.
Financial concerns:
From trying to save money when inflation is at a high to having debt, financial concerns can trigger anxiety. Having to unexpectedly pay money or have a new bill pop up can be triggers. Read our blog “4 Ways to Deal with Financial Stress.”
Social events:
If you are someone with social anxiety, talking to strangers or interacting with people you do not know can trigger feelings of anxiety. You can find coping mechanisms to make your social anxiety more manageable in the long-run. Check out our blog “6 Helpful Tips for Living with Social Anxiety.”
Conflict:
Arguments, disagreements, relationship concerns can be triggers. If something is really triggering you, it can be a sign that you need to learn conflict resolution skills.
Stress:
A minor daily stressor, like being stuck in traffic or missing your train or subway ride, can cause anxiety. In the grand scheme of things, it is not the end of the world but, at the moment, it feels like a major deal. Chronic stress can cause anxiety. Stress can also induce troublesome behaviors, like skipping meals, using drugs or alcohol to cope, and not sleep enough. Coping skills can help you prevent and manage the stress in your life. Check out our blog “Everything You Need to Know About Stress Management Therapy” for more information.
How to calm your mind from overthinking
Dwelling on specific thoughts or constantly trying to envision and control future situations constitutes overthinking. Worrying and overthinking are inevitable- at one point in time everyone will experience it. Dwelling on the same thoughts can increase your risk of developing an anxiety disorder.
The way you respond to your thoughts can keep you in a cycle of repetitive thinking, also known as thought rumination. Rumination will impact your mental health. When you are constantly running things over in your mind, ask yourself how you are feeling. Do you feel irritated? Guilty? Nervous? Can you identify the primary emotion behind the thoughts you are experiencing?
The primary emotions are typically considered to be:
Happiness
Surprise
Disgust
Fear
Anger
Sadness
These primary emotions are the foundation for more complex human emotions, known as secondary emotions.
Examples of secondary emotions include:
Jealousy
Envy
Embarrassment
Guilt
Disappointment
Hope
Frustration
Shame
Pride
Gratitude
Relief
Love
Secondary emotions are shaped by one’s perceptions and experiences, making them context-dependent.
Here are five ways you can relax your mind:
Find a distraction
By engaging in activities that you enjoy, you can lessen overthinking.
Some distraction-related ideas may be:
Learning how to paint or draw
Volunteering at your local food bank
Trying out a new recipe in the kitchen
Going to your favorite workout class
When you are overwhelmed by your thoughts, you may find it hard to start something new. At times, distracting yourself may feel overwhelming. With that being said, it is still important to engage in activities that you enjoy. So, you may decide to set aside 30 minutes a day to practice your hobbies.
2. Practice deep breathing
When you find your mind spiraling, try to close your eyes and breathe deeply. Deep breathing impacts both your body and mind and it can distract you from the physical sensations you may be experiencing. To learn more, check out our blog “5 Ways to Nurture Your Mind-Body Connection.”
Here is a deep breathing exercise you can try out when you are feeling anxious:
Find a comfortable position with your back straight and your hands rested on your lap
Close your eyes so you can focus inward
Take a slow, deep breath in through your nose for the count of four
Hold your breath for a count of four
Slowly exhale through your mouth for a count of six and, as you exhale, imagine letting go of any tension or anxiety
Repeat this cycle five to 10 times until you feel calmer
For more guidance, read our blog “5 Breathwork Techniques to Decrease Anxiety.”
3. Look at the bigger picture
Gaining perspective on your anxiety is important. It can help you lessen your overthinking about a non-urgent situation. Will this event even matter to you five to ten years from now? Prioritize the current moment and putting things into perspective can help you feel less overwhelmed.
You may want to think about your long-term goals and aspirations. You can also reflect on what truly matters to you, like your personal growth and the relationships in your life.
4. Remind yourself of your successes
When you are in the mental fog of overthinking, remind yourself of your accomplishments. You can mentally take note of them or you may want to physically jot them down in the ‘Notes’ app on your phone or in a journal.
Your accomplishments do not need to be huge. Perhaps it was cleaning your home when you were going through a depressive episode. Maybe it was successfully taking the subway to work while using healthy coping skills to calm your commute anxiety. The small things add up.
When you are spiraling, look at this list and remind yourself how strong you really are!
5. Take note of automatic negative thoughts
Automatic negative thoughts are the thoughts you experience in the spur of the moment, usually involving anger or fear. These spontaneous, unhelpful thoughts will contribute to your anxiety and stress.
The first step is to turn inwards and pay attention to your thoughts, particularly during stressful or emotional moments. You may want to keep a thought journal with you so you can note down any negative thoughts as they occur. Take note if there are any situations or events that trigger these thoughts.
After doing this, you can look for common patterns. Do you catastrophize or expect the worst-case scenario to occur? Do you overgeneralize or draw broad conclusions from a single event? Do you predict the future negatively? Do you use “should”, “must”, or “ought” statements that set unrealistic standards?
Next, you can question yourself: is what I am thinking based on facts or assumptions? This will give you the mental space to consider alternative viewpoints.
Look for evidence that supports or contradicts what you are thinking. Lastly, reflect on how your negative thoughts make you feel and behave.
Do I have anxiety? Take our anxiety quiz to find out more!
1. How often do you feel nervous, anxious, or on edge?
A. Almost never
B. Occasionally
C. More days than not
D. Nearly every day
2. Do you find it difficult to control your worry?
A. Not at all
B. Sometimes
C. Often
D. Almost always
3. How often do you feel restless or have trouble sitting still?
A. Almost never
B. Occasionally
C. More days than not
D. Nearly every day
4. Do you experience physical symptoms like a racing heart, sweating, or trembling when you feel anxious?
A. Almost never
B. Occasionally
C. More days than not
D. Nearly every day
5. How often do you have trouble concentrating because of your worries?
A. Almost never
B. Occasionally
C. More days than not
D. Nearly every day
6. Do you avoid situations because you fear they will cause anxiety?
A. Not at all
B. Sometimes
C. Often
D. Almost always
7. How often do you feel irritable or easily annoyed due to anxiety?
A. Almost never
B. Occasionally
C. More days than not
D. Nearly every day
8. Do you have difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep because of your worries?
A. Almost never
B. Occasionally
C. More days than not
D. Nearly every day
Scoring
Add up the points corresponding to each answer:
A = 1 point
B = 2 points
C = 3 points
D = 4 points
Total Score:
8-15 points: You may have minimal or mild anxiety. Consider monitoring your symptoms and practicing stress-relief techniques.
16-23 points: You may have moderate anxiety. It could be helpful to talk to an anxiety therapist about your symptoms.
24-32 points: You may have severe anxiety. It is recommended to seek support from an anxiety therapist as soon as possible.
There is no shame in seeking support from an anxiety counselor at Anchor Therapy if you are struggling with anxious thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. You do not have to struggle alone.
Victoria Scala
is the Social Media Manager, Intake Coordinator, and Community Engagement Director at Anchor Therapy in Hoboken, New Jersey. She is a graduate of the Honors College of Rutgers University-Newark and is currently studying Clinical Mental Health Counseling at the graduate level. In her roles, Victoria is committed to managing the office’s social media/community presence and prioritizing clients' needs.
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