Anxiety- Watchout for these Signs to Protect your Loved Ones!

With changes in lifestyle, anxiety has crept into our lives along with higher levels of stress. Anxiety might no seem so bad to people who do not suffer from it. However, it has a not so pleasant impact on people who live with it on a regular basis. Not only does it negatively affect people having these attacks but it also messes with their relationships and affects their loved ones. Anxiety can also lead to an increased chance of depression and higher suicide risk. This can be hard to detect because not everybody who faces anxiety, especially men, are particularly vocal about their feelings. Some try to hide it by putting a brave face forward while deep inside the suffering seems unending.

Warning Signs of Anxiety

Lookout for these subtle signs which suggest your family members, friends, and also colleagues may be silently struggling.

Physical Health Problems

People with anxiety often complain of headaches, stomach pain, dry mouth, and also irregular heartbeat. Further, when the panic attacks hit, it can bring chest pain and breathlessness along. While the person may have no clue that they are undergoing a panic attack.

Toll on Confidence

Be on the lookout if all of a sudden someone you know may need extra reassurance time and again, or seems to have a major change in their self-confidence. Changes like constantly doubting themselves or being particularly harsh are a red flag. Further, when you notice changes like these, it’s time you take it seriously. They will appear to be nervous and tense and keep worrying about a situation repeatedly. This happens because they don’t have control over their mind.

Lack of Focus

Under the influence of anxiety, a person can find it difficult to concentrate and focus on everyday job. However, you can observe them stressing over negative situations and wondering about the “what if’s.” They are unable to focus on tasks on hand and may turn up late for activities/ work/ gatherings.

Avoid Showing Up

If you notice your close one is avoiding meeting people or engage in activities they earlier enjoyed it’s a big sign that they may be suffering from severe anxiety. You can see them cancel plans frequently and usually say “no” to avoid situations. But this happens not because they want to avoid people or situations but to avoid the terrible feeling. They can find picking phone calls, meeting friends, going out with friends to be a difficult task to do.

Going to Flight or Fight Mode

Emotions are on high volume during anxiety. You can notice them leaving, ignoring or not answering phone calls to make sure they are in their comfortable place. This is not to hurt the other person but to make sure everything is safe. Similarly, sometimes it can unfold into aggression, anger, irritation and also to throwing tantrums.

Disturbance in Eating Habits

Anxiety can also create eating disorders and do further damage to the physical body. Food intake can increase due binging in avoidance of facing emotional issues and lead to weight gain. In other cases high anxiety can lead to food restriction and at its worst can even make people lose their appetite. Thus, leading to poor nutrition and disorders like anorexia and bulimia. You can contribute by being there for them, hearing them out and encouraging them when they need it the most.  

Sleep Disturbance

Anxiety can affect sleep ability, which can worsen during the night. This usually happens when the worrying thoughts consume the mind. It can keep people up for hours and irritable when approached.

Although anxiety is a normal part of life. When at an increased or high level it can be exhausting. Just know that having it isn’t a sign of a disease, weakness, or deficiency. It doesn’t mean you or your loved one is a failure. People struggle with various issues, and it is one such struggle. Don’t stay away if people close to you have high anxiety. Just put a little effort which they will surely appreciate. Reach out to them and be present, compassionate and try making life a little simpler for them.