Anxiety
is one of the most common experiences a person can have, and it can
also be one of the most frustrating, annoying, and problematic. If
you are wondering if you may be struggling with anxiety, ask yourself
if these sound familiar:
-
Do you have trouble focusing or become easily distracted by things?
-
Do you feel like your brain is always going and will not stop?
-
Do you feel sore and like your muscles are always tense?
-
Do You find yourself snappier or more irritated at your loved ones?
-
Do You often feel restless or fidgety and cannot seem to relax?
If
any of those sound like you or a loved one, they could be
experiencing an increased level of anxiety. These symptoms can have
negative impacts on our relationships, occupations, and academic
performance, which can often lead to anxiety symptoms becoming worse
and worse. If you feel like maybe you or a loved one have been in or
are starting to have these struggles, our therapists at Shiloh are
ready to help you regain control of your life.
One
Person’s Anxiety Can Influence an Entire Family.
Anxiety
has a sneaky way of making a person’s life harder and harder once
it starts. In families, if a parent is experiencing increased
anxiety, they may become short, snappy, or more irritable towards
their children. These situations can cause children to wonder if they
did something wrong or are in trouble, which may result in them
acting out, displaying the same symptoms as the parent, and having
trouble at school.
Anxiety
can also negatively impact a marriage. If one partner is always on
edge and is not getting enough sleep, arguments and loss of
connection may happen. This can result in two partners having more
and more conflicts, making daily interactions more tense and
stressful. Unfortunately, suppose two parents are arguing because of
anxiety-related reasons. In that case, any children will see those
arguments and begin displaying anxiety symptoms as well.
As
you can see, anxiety can be messy for an entire family, even if one
person is struggling with it. To remedy this, therapy for anxiety
works to increase a person’s control over their lives, examine the
areas of life that may be causing the anxiety, and then create
solutions to reduce the negative influence those areas have on a
person’s life. This is also helpful for families in that the person
receiving the therapy will learn coping strategies and methods of
communicating with their loved ones to reinforce the skills and
strategies to overcome anxiety.
Children,
Teenagers, and Adults can All Experience Anxiety.
Yep,
anxiety does not care who you are, how old you are, or what you do.
For children and teens, bullying, social anxiety, peer pressure,
trying to fit in, and the social environments in which they interact
can all influence their level of anxiety. Children and teens can
display all symptoms of anxiety in key areas of life that can let
parents know anxiety may be developing. Several clues that may
indicate anxiety in your child or teen include tummy aches at
specific times during the day or in the mornings before school,
wanting to skip school or not attending a certain activity, or
randomly beginning to struggle in their coursework. While this is not
a full list of anxiety clues, they are often associated with an
increase in anxiety.