One Especially Common Reason You Sometimes Feel Anxious For 'No Reason'
It's a vicious cycle, but the more you understand what is going on, the better you will feel.
wavebreakmedia / Shutterstock You're in the middle of something when that feeling of overwhelming anxiety hits you. Looking around confused, you don't notice what could be triggering it. So, what's the main culprit?
According to anxiety therapist Joshua Fletcher, here's the single most common reason you experience anxiety for no reason.
One Especially Common Reason You Sometimes Feel Anxious For 'No Reason'
According to Fletcher, this all boils down to stress. Stress increases both our adrenaline and cortisol levels.
Adrenaline is useful when it comes to dangerous or stressful situations. It steers us clear from trouble which keeps us safe. However, an increase in adrenaline for no reason impacts our nervous system causing us to experience crippling anxiety.
The National Library of Medicine writes that experiencing high levels of cortisol continuously impacts our psychological state. This causes us to experience, irritability, depression, or anxiety.
As the National Library of Medicine says, "Cortisol is considered one of the most significant biomarkers of anxiety disorders and depression."
Fletcher continues by saying that the longer we experience stress, the more we worry about feeling worried.
This worry puts us into a continuous cycle of anxiety as we struggle to pinpoint our fear. The Anxiety and Depression Association of America elaborates, stating that the primary factor in developing anxiety disorder is the fear of experiencing it.
Fearing anxiety we do everything in our power to avoid stressful situations. However, this becomes an issue as we allow our anxiety to control us, missing out on new experiences in the process.
Which is why a change in mindset is important. We need to change the way we view anxiety if we want to grab a hold of it.
The Anxiety and Depression Association of America states that anxious arousal is a positive thing. Anxious arousal can help us during our work projects. Encouraging us to stay alert and detailed in our responses.
It can also remind us to stay precautions or help us to avoid bad situations. However, the key is to have a healthy balance of anxiety as too much leads to more complications.
Taming Anxiety That Seems To Come Out Of Nowhere
If you constantly experience a sense of fear, have trouble sleeping, develop frequent headaches, and feel irritable, you're likely dealing with anxiety.
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If you want to tame your anxiety, you have to face it head-on.
Through smaller steps address what's causing you to feel anxious. Is it work or school? Is it the fear of the anxiety itself? Whatever the case may be, jotting down a plan to address anxiety is key to effectively managing it.
Next, talk about your anxiety with a loved one. In the middle of our anxious thoughts, it's easy to feel alone. But you'll be surprised at how many people can relate to what you're experiencing.
Sit down with a loved one and go over how you've been feeling. It can encourage us to open up, as well as push us to get help.
Be sure to incorporate healthy habits into your routine. Exercising can help take your mind off things, which will help to tame your anxiety.
The Mental Health Foundation advises us to, “Try to avoid eating too much sugar as resulting dips in your blood sugar can give you anxious feelings.”
For those who are spiritual or religious, get back into your routine. Go to church or practice your spiritual rituals. As the Mental Health Foundation says, "Faith can provide a way of coping with everyday stress.”
If all else fails incorporate breathing exercises into your routine. The Mental Health Foundation suggests closing your mouth while breathing through your nose.
After you've counted to four, hold your breath and count to seven. Breathing out slowly, count to eight. Repeating this action a couple of times can help manage your anxiety in the moment.
Understanding the root cause of anxiety empowers us to better manage it, fostering a healthier mindset and even stronger relationships.
Marielisa Reyes is a writer with a bachelor's degree in psychology who covers self-help, relationships, career, and family topics.