“I didn’t know that anxiety could look like that”
Anxiety camouflages itself into all kinds of looks. It can look like overwhelming worry, disorganization, difficulty concentrating, racing thoughts. Other times anxiety presents as physical symptoms like stomach aches, poor appetite, difficulty eating, shaking, jitteriness and headaches. Racing thoughts, looping ideas, getting stuck on something in the middle of night and not being able to move on...all of these can be related to anxious symptoms. Part of the process of understanding what’s going on with people is taking time to hear what’s driving the thoughts, feelings and behaviors that are making life difficult.
Often when people come in for their first appointment, providers ask people to tell them what does their main problem look like and feel like, because sometimes when someone says, “I feel depressed" or, "I feel anxious", or "I’m overwhelmed…” A provider might have an entirely different picture in their head of what makes those things. Because we all experience things differently, right?
And it’s worth saying out loud that anxiety or stress is not all bad, it can be a driving force to help us make changes, finish tasks that are unfavorable, alert us to an unsafe situation, get our attention when we need help in a certain area, remind us of things undone, motivate us to connect, or be a natural response to trying something new.
It’s the degree to which the worry, the concern, the stress, the physical and mental strain is impacting people and all the areas that its overflowing. These are just a handful of things to consider when asking yourself whether it’s time to get a professional input:
- Are you experiencing physical health problems due to your stress and anxiety?
- Is it severely impacting sleep?
- Are your personal relationships suffering due to irritability and anger related to stress and anxiety?
- Are you functioning at work to your best?
If you’re wanting to get an expert to assess the level of anxiety and stress you’re experiencing and gain input on ways to get support, our Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioners are able to provide psychiatric assessment. Reach out to our office (720) 469-2845 or schedule an appointment online today!