Anxiety…what comes to mind when you think of that word?

😰 Sweating

😰 Rapid breathing aka hyperventilating

😰 Shaking/trembling

😰 Pacing back and forth

These can occur with anxiety for sure, however, it’s not always the typical and dramatic presentation that we see in movies. Sometimes, it’s not so obvious and it may not even be noticeable unless you really know the person. You know their baseline and can sense a subtle change in their attitude or body language.

What is having anxiety really like? How do panic attacks present for a lot of people?

💬 Silence. Your mind is racing in a million different directions, you can’t think straight, and you don’t want to talk to anybody. You are sitting in silence because you don’t want any attention drawn to yourself. “Everything is fine, I’m fine.”

💬 Racing, racing, racing. You feel like your heart is beating out of your chest; like it’s going to explode. This isn’t seen from the naked eye, right? Nobody knows how fast your heart is beating. Can it cause sweating? Absolutely. My heart races and causes me to feel lightheaded, my palms get sweaty, my fingertips go numb, my face gets flushed, and then it causes more anxiety, but I can’t get myself to settle down. This definitely isn’t uncommon. It’s initiating the fight or flight response, which is what happens when you are in life or death situations. An adrenaline rush. Running away from the bad guy or an animal. That’s the same thing that happens throughout an anxiety/panic attack. Your body can’t tell the difference. Pretty crazy what your mind can do.

💬 The blank stare. I don’t sit and breathe into paper bags, I sit and stare. Staring into space is my anxiety’s jam. I don’t even realize it half the time. This is what I mean when I say it’s not obvious. It’s invisible. When you see a coworker or a friend sitting down quietly and it looks like they’re extra focused on something your first reaction isn’t to think that something is wrong. You probably don’t even think twice about it or maybe don’t even notice anything at all.

💬 Moody and exhausted. You aren’t sleeping well, you’re stinkin’ tired, and you are extra “sensitive” for whatever reason. Girl, it’s very possible that it’s not your period causing the issues, it’s anxiety. It makes you so irritable and it comes out of nowhere. It’s underlying stress that is not being dealt with properly and it will show its ugly face one way or another. Nothing is going to help until you learn how to deal with your stressors properly.

💬 Physical pain. Headaches, stomach aches, body aches. What is going on, right? Why am I nauseous? Why is this headache still here after a week? I’m drinking water and eating and sleeping, it doesn’t make sense. Your anxiety is laughing at you because that’s what is causing your pain. It’s built up tension. I am so guilty of this. I have lingering headaches for weeks. It’s ridiculous.

💬 The feeling of having to finish a task in order to feel satisfied or relaxed. I am guilty of this too. Sometimes I just need to make sure the dishes are washed and the couch is put back together and the clutter is gone before going to bed. It’s one thing to be tidy, but if it’s preventing you from being able to sleep or move on to another task…that is anxiety. The need to have a sense of control. Your mind isn’t letting your body relax. Sometimes it is important to challenge yourself and force yourself to wash the dishes tomorrow. It’s okay to not have complete control over every situation. I know…easier said than done.

💬 Losing your train of thought literally mid conversation. Are you kidding? LOL. Do you know how many times I’ll be talking and then just completely forget what I’m talking about? This happens more than I’d like to admit. Especially in therapy sessions. All. The. Time. How is this even a thing? My brain cannot focus. I’m like Dug the dog from Up…SQUIRREL.

Guys, do you see what I’m saying here? Do you understand that anxiety can literally be destroying a person that is standing right next to you and you’d have no idea. It causes suffering and that person doesn’t want to draw attention to themselves so they sit and endure the pain and embarrassment. They try to go on with their daily life and pretend that it’s not happening. They already feel crazy they don’t want to have somebody else think they are too. Or maybe they themselves don’t even catch the signs their body is giving them and they’re unaware that it’s anxiety.

Be gentle. Anxiety is everywhere. It can be debilitating and it’s invisible. Try to have some empathy, try not to be so judgmental, try to help a friend out and ask if they’re okay even if you think they are. Try to step into their shoes for a minute. 🤍

Mental health is exhausting. Phew.

XOXO, Cait ❤️