“My mind won’t stop racing and worrying”

Let’s be real: anxiety sucks

You might have just exited an abusive relationship, or maybe you are still in one. Maybe you have to juggle so many life responsibilities, that it’s hard to keep up. Maybe you or others have high expectations placed on you and you fear judgment, shame, or guilt. You may struggle to relax your body, can’t sleep, and are overwhelmed by “what if” scenarios and “to do” lists. You feel like your thoughts about others and the world do not stop racing and you are losing connection with your true self.

You’re not alone. There are many people in the world who experience some form of anxiety. Anxiety is a form of your body’s natural alarm sensing danger. This usually appears as some fear or worry. The problem occurs when your natural bodily alarm does not shut off, and you are left with chronic anxiety and a dysregulated nervous system, despite the danger no longer being present.

Understanding what your triggers are is important to understanding ways to reduce the symptoms of anxiety. The enemy knows your weak spots, so you should too!

Each trigger usually has an origin attached to it — a trauma. Triggers normally stem from memories in the brain that have not been processed completely. For example, if you were in an abusive relationship and never processed that event, you may be left with your heart racing, negative core beliefs, and fear surrounding entering a relationship again. If you grew up in an environment where much was expected of you, you may become anxious, and restless when things are not perfect.

Take a moment and ask yourself, when do I become anxious?

Here are some symptoms of anxiety you might relate to:

Excessive worry

Restlessness/insomnia

Feeling on edge

Fatigue

Muscle tension

Sleep disturbances

Irritability

Mind going black