What Is Anxiety?

Anxiety is your body's alarm system. It's designed to keep you safe by alerting you to danger. The problem is, sometimes the alarm goes off when there's no real threat—or it stays on long after the danger has passed.

Anxiety Isn't All Bad

A little bit of anxiety is actually helpful. It's what makes you:

• Look both ways before crossing the street
• Prepare for an important meeting
• Notice when something feels off
• Stay alert in genuinely risky situations

This kind of anxiety is your nervous system doing its job. It shows up, helps you respond, and then settles back down.

When Anxiety Becomes a Problem

Anxiety becomes overwhelming when:

• It's constant: You feel on edge most of the time, even when nothing is wrong
• It's disproportionate: Small things trigger big reactions
• It interferes with life: You avoid situations, people, or activities because of how anxious they make you feel
• It doesn't shut off: Even when the stressor is gone, your body stays in high alert

What Anxiety Feels Like in Your Body

Anxiety isn't just in your head. Your whole body responds:

• Heart: Racing heartbeat, chest tightness, feeling like you can't catch your breath
• Stomach: Nausea, digestive issues, loss of appetite or stress eating
• Muscles: Tension, clenching jaw, headaches, body aches
• Skin: Sweating, flushing, feeling hot or cold
• Mind: Racing thoughts, difficulty concentrating, feeling like something bad is about to happen

All of this is your nervous system trying to protect you from a threat—even when there isn't one.

Common Anxiety Patterns

Anxiety shows up differently for different people:

• Generalized anxiety: Constant worry about many different things
• Social anxiety: Fear of judgment or embarrassment in social situations
• Panic attacks: Sudden, intense waves of fear with physical symptoms
• Health anxiety: Constant worry about being sick or getting sick
• Perfectionism: Fear of making mistakes or not being good enough

What Makes Anxiety Worse

Certain things can turn up the volume on anxiety:

• Lack of sleep
• Too much caffeine or sugar
• Isolation and loneliness
• Avoiding the things that scare you
• Ignoring your body's need for rest, food, or movement
• Major life stress or uncertainty

What Actually Helps

Anxiety feels terrible, but it is manageable. Things that help:

In the moment:

• Slow, deep breathing (anxiety lives in shallow breathing)
• Grounding techniques that bring you back to the present
• Movement—walking, shaking, stretching
• Cold water on your face or holding ice
• Naming what you see, hear, and feel around you

Long-term:

• Therapy, especially cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)
• Medication (for some people, this is life-changing)
• Regular sleep, movement, and eating patterns
• Learning what your triggers are and how to work with them
• Building a toolbox of coping strategies that work for you

You're Not Broken

If you have anxiety, it doesn't mean something is wrong with you. It means your nervous system is sensitive, probably for good reasons—maybe you've been through hard things, maybe it runs in your family, maybe you're navigating a stressful season of life.

Anxiety is your body trying to protect you. It's just working overtime.

The goal isn't to never feel anxious. The goal is to help your nervous system feel safe enough to settle.

When to Reach Out

If anxiety is making it hard to function—if you're avoiding things you need to do, feeling constantly on edge, or experiencing panic attacks—it's time to talk to someone. A doctor, therapist, or counselor can help you figure out what's going on and what will help.

You don't have to live like this. Anxiety is treatable.

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This resource is educational and not a substitute for professional medical advice. If you're struggling with anxiety, please reach out to a healthcare provider.