I have anxiety every day: why is it and what can I do?

“I have anxiety every day, I live with the chaos of always threatening thoughts and with that eternal pressure in my chest that prevents me from breathing.” There are many people who describe this psychophysical reality, as exhausting as it is exhausting. It’s hard to be productive in these circumstances, it’s hard to maintain a relationship and even find the courage to get up every morning.

Some people describe this state as if someone suddenly turned on a switch. And then you go from calm to absolute overwhelm in an instant. Tachycardia appears, emotions are disrupted and the worry factory starts up. Thus, although anxiety is a normal physical and mental state, The problem comes when it exceeds the person’s management capabilities..

It’s like driving a car, and suddenly feeling like the steering isn’t working. The world gains speed and the feeling of anguish and that “something terrible is going to happen” is a constant. It is important to understand that When this state becomes everyday, we may be facing a more complex psychological condition. We analyze it.

Why do I have anxiety every day?

The truth is that we all feel some anxiety on a daily basis. Our pace of life instills in us, from time to time, that feeling of shortness of breath, of emptiness in the stomach and of relative pressure, which, after all, most of us know. However, they are experiences that we master and that disappear when we relax and enjoy moments of leisure.

However, There are those who feel incapable of resting, thinking clearly and enjoying something. because anxiety is persistent and overshadows everything. Certain thoughts become intrusive and threatening. They often suffer from insomnia, fatigue is a constant, tomorrow is always full of threats, health worries, work worries, the future, the probable and even more the improbable.

Life itself becomes a suffocating tangle of anguish even though the person himself knows that everything he fears is unjustified. What is the cause? Why can a person suffer from persistent anxiety?

Generalized anxiety, as common as it is neglected

anxiety disorder generalized (GAD) is a psychological condition that is stable over time and that, in many cases, has its beginning already in adolescence. We are not wrong if we say that this reality is what is behind the question of why I have anxiety every day.

This disorder completely conditions the life of those who suffer from it. The most complicated thing is that many people suffer from it in silence without receiving a diagnosis. Sometimes, it is assumed that this way of thinking and reacting to things is a personality trait.

When the truth is that we are facing a disorder that is as prevalent as it is serious. Research work such as those carried out at the University of Sherbrooke, for example, emphasizes that In many cases, along with generalized anxiety, depression is comorbid..

These are the characteristics that define this type of anxiety according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5):

The evolution of the disorder is fluctuating and chronic (He leaves sometimes, but he always comes back) and worsens during times of stress. Persistent worries appear that are difficult to control. They arise along with other clinical problems, such as phobias, depression and panic disorders. People with generalized anxiety suffer from exhaustion almost every day. Rest disturbances. Problems of concentration. They experience numerous somatizations such as headaches, dizziness, digestive problems, tachycardia, etc.

Generally, people who wonder “why do I have anxiety every day” They suffer, above all, the physical effect of this disorder, which causes their quality of life to be greatly reduced.

If I have anxiety every day, what should I do?

If I have anxiety every day, I must understand that I cannot continue like this. It is necessary to request specialized help. I must understand that this clinical condition leads in many cases to major depression and it is not advisable to go to this extreme.

Likewise, it must also be taken into account that This condition is the result of multiple factors, including genetic and also psychological trauma.

Therefore, Rather than focusing on the classic “why is this happening to me?”, let’s focus on “what can I do for myself?” The most appropriate strategy in these cases is psychotherapy and pharmacological treatment. In the latter case, the most common are antidepressants and benzodiazepines.

Regarding the psychological approach, the most common and effective is cognitive-behavioral therapy. Thanks to it, the interaction between thoughts, emotions and those behaviors that reinforce anxiety is worked on.Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) can also help. It allows us to manage anxious thoughts, accept/understand uncomfortable sensations, the complexity of life and clarify our values ​​to engage in goals and a more meaningful lifestyle.

Finally, just keep in mind that each reality is unique and that each person will benefit from a particular treatment/therapeutic approach. Generalized anxiety is a complex condition and we need a high commitment to understand it, navigate it and overcome it.

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