Identifying Anxiety Triggers

When it comes to anxiety, I’ve had a hard time with it this summer. However, today something has come up that has me worried. I’m soon to be put in an unknown place, to talk about an unknown thing, at an unexpected time with someone who I don’t know understands my personal needs and situation. If you’re familiar with anxiety disorders; this whole sentence will have filled you with discomfort and dread. A lifetime of overwhelming anxiety leads you to get good at identifying your triggers. Knowing them helps you manage and sometimes even use your anxiety productively. Today hit more than one of my triggers; there is little I can do about that.

1) Health

When something isn’t right, my anxiety takes over and I panic. As someone who is familiar with close family members having long-term health issues, you would think I’d learn not to panic and just see what will be. The thing is, anxiety disorders simply don’t work that way. So, when something unexpected changes with my body or its routine; I worry. Similarly, I worry frequently about changes in others.

What worries me more? When a diagnosis is actually obtained, as my mind rushes to the worst-case scenario.

The best way to deal with health anxieties is to talk to a loved one and your doctor. If it helps, you’re not wasting anyone’s time.

2) Finances

Unexpected bills and expenses are a big concern; as is debt! The fear of being a financial burden of those closest, of not having what I need to support the ones I love or just being unable to keep myself afloat is very scary to me. It can resort in a full-on panic attack.

When it comes to money and debts, there are advisors out there and visiting them is often warranted. Before you do, talk through with a loved one; a partner, family member or friend. The emotional support can make all of the difference.

3) Impossible Situations

I’m not a ‘control freak’. I don’t need all things to go my way.

I accept and go with the flow more often than not. In fact, that’s exactly how I prefer to float through life. However, sometimes people put you in impossible situations; you end up trapped in your own personal Kobayashi Maru. It’s pointless and illogical to fixate and worry, as there isn’t anything you can do to change it. That doesn’t stop your anxieties getting the better of you though, so fixating is exactly what happens.

To be honest, I’ve never really found a way to manage these sorts of problems. Impossible is impossible (unless it isn’t and that’s just what you’re telling yourself) but having someone to confide in who genuinely understands and cares makes them much more bearable.

4) Work Issues

To quote Blink-182; “work sucks, I know” or at least it’s sometimes complicated.

Difficult work issues can sometimes lead to lower sense of self-worth or fear of losing your livelihood.

When work becomes a constant source of anxiety, there is a reason. It can be the people, place or your personal situation. Once you have addressed this, you can talk to either a colleague or a loved one about whether the issue is resolvable and tackle the problem head-on.

5) Social Gatherings

Being in a strange place with people I’m not comfortable with sets my mind ablaze with worries and doubts. I guess this is actually quite a common one.

If this is a situation that you especially struggle with, attend these events with a companion who can understand and support you. This makes the situation much easier to deal with and helps you build your self confidence.

6) Conflict

Very few people thrive in conflict but some do actively seem to seek it. I’ve never understood this but I’ve seen it time and time again as a child and an adult. Someone seeking a fight will always make me uneasy and in the wrong situation will cause a full-on anxiety meltdown. The world is full of bullies who will do this and it doesn’t stop when you leave school.

In terms of dealing with conflict, personal support is a must. Distancing yourself from people who make you feel this way is also important. Finally, speak to a professional about techniques for resolving conflict and how to manage feelings caused by other people.

7) Stress

When it comes to identifying my personal anxiety triggers, stress is the one that I’ve spend the most time thinking about. I’ve struggled with stress from a very young age. For me stress and anxiety are a self-encouraging cycle of torment. If I get stressed, I get anxious. When I get anxious, I get stressed. When we face stress on a daily basis in our lives, this can become a significant health concern.

Stress can be dealt with by speaking to a doctor, if you need to; accept medication and practicing wellness techniques like self-love (not that kind), meditation and talking (yes this again) to your loved ones. I cannot emphasise enough how much this helps, bottling things up achieves nothing.

If you find yourself frequently anxious and can’t relate to any of my own triggers but haven’t identified your own causes, make an event journal. Log when you felt this way, what events happened prior and what thoughts you’ve been having since. This can help a great deal!