Barks Blog

We cannot escape fear. We can only transform it into a companion that accompanies us on all our exciting adventures. 

—Susan Jeffers

by Niki Tudge

What Is Anxiety?

We all react to stressful situations different ways. It’s a normal biological reaction to experience anxiety or fear when faced with stressful situations. However, long-lasting feelings of extreme anxiety can and will interfere with our daily activities and can be indicative of an anxiety disorder. Anxiety cannot be defined as one isolated condition. It has many faces and can have hundreds of symptoms. There are several types of anxiety. 

Here are just a few:

• Generalized anxiety disorder
• Social anxiety
• Panic disorder
• Specific phobias
• Obsessive compulsive disorder

Anxiety is more than just a feeling; it can also be a physical ailment. Not only does anxiety affect us emotionally and cause various mental symptoms, but it can also cause a long list of physical symptoms that can harm us. 

Physical symptoms accompanied by anxiety are often mistaken for some other form of physical illness, which can lead to a dangerous cycle of continuous worry over medical concerns. Don’t hesitate to seek medical support if you feel anxious and it is impacting your well-being and ability to function. 

Physical Symptoms of Anxiety 

There are several common physical symptoms of anxiety disorders, including headache, rapid heartbeat, trembling or shaking, digestive discomfort, and panic attack.

Headache

Increased anxiety and adrenalin are the main culprits for causing various types of headaches. Anxiety headaches differ from normal, everyday headaches. They may occur more frequently, be more intense, and last much longer. The headache pain can appear on any side of the head and can sometimes reach into the lower neck and spine. Unfortunately, these headaches often cannot be avoided when we are experiencing anxiety; they can only be treated or tolerated. Common treatment options include pain reliever medicines, relaxation techniques, and home remedies.

Tips for relieving headaches:

• Take a pain reliever medicine.
• Lie down for an extended period of time.
• Take deep, calming breaths.
• Avoid sudden changes in light or noise.

Rapid Heartbeat

When we become anxious, our adrenalin starts to flow and our senses go into overdrive. This causes our heart rate to increase and beat more rapidly. The body is processing a lot of emotions and feelings, and the heart must pump faster, which causes the blood to flow faster. We cannot physically control our heartbeat when adrenalin begins to flow, so the best course of action is to rest and try to take deep breaths. Focus on your breathing and allow the feeling to pass.

Tips to help relax:

• Sit down in an open area with lots of air.
• Take deep, calming breaths.
• Allow the symptom to pass before attempting to resume activity.

Trembling or Shaking

It is normal to feel some shaking or trembling when we become nervous, such as during a public speech or when waiting for an important phone call. But when we have anxiety or start to feel anxious, the shaking and trembling become more intense and last for a longer period of time, and we may feel as though we cannot proceed. Sometimes we become so anxious about not trembling or shaking that the symptoms become worse. When we are stressed our bodies release cortisol. The rise in cortisol tells our body to release glucose, so we have energy to handle the stress. Trembling or shaking is a result of our body’s “flight or fight” response and is caused by extra adrenalin or energy being rushed to the muscles, getting them ready for “action.”

Tips to reduce trembling or shaking:

• Focus your mind on a specific task. 
• Stay present.
• Breathe slowly and deeply through your belly.
• Distract yourself from the immediate trigger.

Digestive Discomfort

Anxiety can affect every system of the body, including the digestive system. When we become anxious, the chemicals that are released into the body will enter the digestive tract and interfere with the balance of microorganisms in our gut. This imbalance can lead to many gut symptoms and conditions, including nausea, indigestion, and stomach cramps. Poor nutrition or a lack of exercise may further exacerbate problems with the digestive tract. 

Tips to alleviate digestive discomfort:

• Avoid spicy and fatty foods.
• Avoid drinking excessive caffeine.
• Drink teas with calming properties such as ginger or peppermint.

Panic Attack

Panic attacks are a common symptom of different types of anxiety. Although they can be serious and scary, panic attacks are not life threatening. A panic attack is often the result of the body’s alarm system telling us something is wrong. Symptoms usually peak after a few minutes and subside soon after. Many people who have panic attacks will have more than one, and the fear of having a panic attack in the future can create its own anxiety.  

Common symptoms of a panic attack:

• Upset stomach
• Dizziness
• Fatigue or restlessness
• Muscle pain or spasms
• Rapid breathing or gasping

Tips to manage a panic attack:

• Focus on breathing deeply and slowly. Try to breathe in through your nose and out via your mouth
• Ground yourself and stay where you are. 
• Focus on external stimuli, items you can see, hear, and smell. You can focus on counting them or observing them.
• Use a tactile item such as a stress ball or something you can hold and fidget with.

Anxiety Triggers

An anxiety trigger is something that sets off our feelings of anxiety. In other words, triggers are specific actions or experiences that can initiate anxiety or worsen it. Anxiety triggers are different for everyone. What triggers anxiety for one person may have no effect on another individual. Many of us who experience anxiety will find that there are several triggers. Sometimes recognizing the trigger is not easy, since a trigger can come on suddenly, while others are well known and expected. If we can learn to understand and identify our own anxiety triggers, we can work to avoid them, cope with them, or even stop them from happening.

Fear of the Unknown—A Common Anxiety Trigger!

Uncertainties are part of life. To some varying degree, we all have uncertainties in our future. Some people welcome the excitement of uncertain times, while others resent it. One of the biggest fears associated with anxiety is uncertainty or the unknown. Having a lack of predictability or control over how a situation may play out or end is enough to make us shut down. Sometimes a fear of the unknown may be closely related to a fear of change.  

Developing Coping Strategies

Coping strategies are self-help tactics that can help you get a handle on your anxiety and prevent it from interfering with your everyday life. Good coping strategies, whether they are social, emotional, or physical, can make all the difference. 

While there is a wide range of strategies you can adopt, you should focus on choosing healthy strategies. With just a little effort and motivation, you will be amazed at how successful you can be at managing your anxiety and feeling more like yourself and in control of your immediate environment and goals. 

I have found that one of the most effective ways to help me with anxiety is to take back control of my narrative and focus on things that move me, my business, and my family forward toward goals that I can create and feel good about. Here are some strategies you can focus on: 

• Talk with trusted friends or family to help provide a supportive output for your concerns.
• Focus on your diet to ensure that the food you are eating is nutritious and not contributing to a sluggish, tired, or drained feeling. 
• Plan some time for outside activities, quiet time, exercise, or meditation. 
• Learn about breathing exercises that can help control and fend off anxiety.
• Take back control of your environment and focus on your narrative and your own future. 

Taking Back Control

Anxiety is a thin stream of fear trickling through the mind. If encouraged, it cuts a channel into which all other thoughts are drained.

—Robert Albert Bloch

Being in charge of our destiny, our own purpose and our action steps, can be very empowering and reinforcing. Navigating through uncertain times and how we respond to that uncertainty is something we do have control over. It can be far more productive to focus on being in action mode and to begin taking steps in the areas you feel you have control of. 

• Recognize that you are not alone. Constant fear can be consuming and draining. When those feelings arise, it is important to remember that anxiety is a normal response to stress.  
• Identify the specific triggers for your anxiety and then do everything you can to avoid them. This may mean avoiding specific people or places or circumstances. Don’t be afraid to remove yourself from the environment or presence of anything that is a trigger. It’s your life and your well-being. 
• Solicit people you trust who can become your sounding boards, coaches, and motivators. Having access to people who understand and empathize but also support you into action is very liberating. Commit to weekly chats to help sustain your progress and your support system. 
• Focusing on future possibilities to help promote a positive mindset will help you plan, set, and meet your goals. 
• Develop goals for you, your family, and your business. Think carefully about what you want to achieve for the next few months and put in place a reinforcement system to help you move along through the criteria for meeting the goal to achieve success. Give your goals objective targets so you can see when your progress is approaching your success indicators. 

Need Help Setting Goals? 

Join Niki Tudge on December 12, 2024, at Noon ET for a webinar titled Make 2025 Your Most Productive Year Yet! – How to Set Goals, Assign Financial Targets and Get Things Done.

Click below to register and learn all about how you can take back control by strategically setting goals that drive focus and action. 

Make 2025 Your Most Productive Year Yet! – How to set goals, assign financial targets and get things done with Niki Tudge

The webinar includes: 

• 90-minute presentation (recorded if you can’t attend live)
• Homework assignments
• A group follow-up call on January 14, 2025, at 2:00 p.m. to discuss your progress, roadblocks, and challenges so we can support you in finding solutions and having success.