Understanding Anxiety: Causes, Symptoms, and Effective Calming Techniques

The DSM-5 describes anxiety as different from fear, which is “the emotional response to real or perceived imminent threat, whereas anxiety is anticipation of future threat.” While everyone understands feeling anxious, for some, anxiety is more acute or frequent.

Anxiety is often caused by stress, but those stressors can vary widely depending on the person. Work, relationships, health and even general social upheaval can all contribute to stress and our own feelings of anxiety. When we aren’t in control, it tends to trigger our stress and anxiety responses.

Causes

The DSM-5 lists several types of anxiety disorders:

  • Separation anxiety – Extreme distress at being separated from an important person or people – more common in children who refuse to be separated from a parent or caregiver.
  • Selective mutism – Inability to speak in certain situations, especially new ones or when meeting new people.
  • Specific phobia – An extreme response to a specific animal, situation or environment like claustrophobia (fear of enclosed spaces) or arachnophobia (fear of spiders).
  • Social anxiety – Being fearful or anxious in social situations where they are worried about being scrutinized.
  • Panic disorder – When the person experiences recurrent panic attacks and is worried about having more, and may even change their behavior to avoid them.
  • Agoraphobia – Fearful and anxious about at least two types of being in public: using public transportation, being in open spaces, being in enclosed spaces, standing in line or being in a crowd, or being outside of the home alone.
  • Generalized anxiety – “Persistent and excessive anxiety and worry about various domains, including work and school performance, that the individual finds difficult to control.
  • Substance/medication-induced anxiety – Substance/medication-induced anxiety disorder involves anxiety due to substance intoxication or withdrawal or to a medication treatment.
  • Anxiety disorder due to another medical condition – Anxiety can co-exist with many other conditions (it has a strong comorbidity with depression, for example). Sometimes, the anxiety symptoms are the physiological consequence of that other medical condition.
  • Other/unspecified anxiety disorder – Not all types of anxiety fit well into one category, but it can still cause major disruption to a person’s life.

Symptoms

  • Restlessness or feeling keyed up or on edge
  • Being easily fatigued
  • Difficulty concentrating or mind going blank
  • Irritability
  • Muscle tension
  • Trouble sleeping
  • Continual sense of impending danger, panic or doom
  • Increased heart rate
  • Breathing rapidly (hyperventilation)
  • Sweating
  • Trembling
  • Upset stomach or digestion problems
  • Avoidance (wanting to avoid things that trigger anxiety)
  • Panic attacks (abrupt surges of intense fear or discomfort that can include trouble breathing, tunnel vision, chest pains and nausea)

Effective Calming Techniques

1 Deep breathing

When you start to feel overwhelmed, take a minute or two to focus on your breathing. Focusing on deep breaths can help lower your heart rate and gives your mind something to focus on that isn’t the cause of your anxiety. It helps you physically relax, which can help your brain relax as well.

CleveDeep breathingland Clinic recommends different breathing techniques as well, like:

2 Focus on your senses with 5-4-3-2-1

Focusing on your physical body can help you get out of your head. One way to do that is the 5-4-3-2-1 exercise:

  • 5: Identify five things you can see around you.
  • 4: Find four things you can touch.
  • 3: Listen for three things around you.
  • 2: Name two things you can smell.
  • 1:  Identify one thing you can taste.

3 Move around

Physical movement can help alleviate restlessness and agitation, even if it’s just a walk around the block or a few jumping jacks. Exercise releases those happy endorphins that also help you focus and get better sleep, which can help you manage anxiety, as well. Bonus points if you’re able to head outside – a little sunshine can do wonders.

4 Try something soothing

Even if you don’t have time for a full exercise session, maybe you can do some stretches. Some doctors recommend running a tennis ball under the soles of your feet. You can also try massaging your temples or the sides of your face, or even using a stress ball. If you have time, run a hot bath and add some soothing scents to the water. Get a massage. Even little things can help your body release some of its tension so you can relax more easily.

5 Laugh (or cry) with a friend

Laughter may not be medicine, but it still improves your life. Watch a funny video, read a funny story or give your best friend a quick call and giggle about your favorite memory together. If you need to cry first, that’s OK too. The point is to reach out to someone and talk about what’s going on, and allow them to support you.

Some anxiety is likely unavoidable in life – there will always be uncomfortable unknowns, after all. But for people with severe, persistent anxiety, it can be debilitating. When anxiety starts to affect our daily lives – maybe we start avoiding people or places because we’re worried about the potential discomfort – that’s when it’s good to ask for professional help.

If your anxiety is starting to impact your work and relationships, or if you’re experiencing suicidal thoughts, please reach out. In the U.S., call or text 988 to reach the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, which is available 24 hours a day, every day. Or use the Lifeline Chat. Services are free and private.