Understanding the symptoms of anxiety to watch out for can help you to address the root cause sooner. Here, we are sharing five warning signs of angst that people often aren’t aware of

1. Shame spirals

That inner critic really comes alive when we’re feeling anxious. We might worry about meeting expectations, letting someone down, or making a mistake. These thoughts often cause us to spiral into a cycle of guilt and shame as we put more and more pressure on ourselves, which creates further anxiety.

2. Brain fog

Feelings of anxiety use up our energy, meaning our reserves are reduced for tasks we can normally just crack on with. On top of that, it can take even more effort to stop the anxious thoughts invading and taking over our minds, resulting in feeling less sharp, trouble concentrating, and often grogginess.

3. Tinnitus

Ringing in your ears (tinnitus) and chronic anxiety can be closely linked in a vicious circle, with emotional stress sometimes leading to tinnitus developing (or getting worse), or the tinnitus exacerbating existing anxiety.

4. Nausea

Anxiety can make our body go into crisis mode, activating our fight or flight response. This induces a rush of hormones causing our heart and breathing rates to increase, our muscles to tense up, and more blood to be sent to our brain. These hormones also impact the digestive system, often creating a ‘butterflies’ in the stomach feeling, which can lead to nausea and even vomiting for some people.

5. Sensitivity to light

During periods of intense anxiety, for example in a panic attack, your fight or flight mode comes into play, causing your pupils to dilate, as well as the muscles in your face tensing. This can result in being more sensitive to light, as well as aching in the eye area. But remember, if you’re experiencing any problems with your eyes, it’s always best to speak to a professional to get them checked to be safe.

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For more information and support for anxiety, visit Counselling Directory