You may already know that anxiety is caused by uncertainty and danger, and can be triggered by nothing in particulary or by something specific, such as a smell or sound. When we are anxious we experience a variety of symptoms that can be annoying, confusing or scary, depending on their intensity.

These symptoms all have a function- to increase our chances for survival. So what are these symptoms and what is their distinct purpose? Let’s take a look!

Our thoughts race: This is because quicker thinking helps us to assess danger and swiftly make decisions.

Our mouth gets dry: Our mouth is part of our digestive system and our digestive system shuts down during anxiety in order to redirect energy to your large muscles.

Our heart beats faster: This occurs so that more blood gets to our muscles which enhances our ability to fight or flee.

Our hands get cold: Blood from our extremities goes to our large muscles.

Our muscles tense: They may also shake or tremble; this is all to prepare you to fight or flee.

Our breathing becomes more quick and shallow: This type of breathing allows us to take in more oxygen to power our muscles. This also helps us get ready to fight or flee.

We feel dizzy or lightheaded: If we don’t run or fight or have other movement, we dont use up the extra oxygen from our quicker breathing.

We feel nausea and ‘butterflies’ in our stomach: Blood is diverted from our digestive system. We need this energy for survival rather than to digest food. It is possible that blood is also redirected from the front of our body so that if we were to be injured in this area there would be less blood loss.

Bladder urgency: The muscles in the bladder may relax during times of stress.

Our body sweats: Sweating keeps our body cool; it would be dangerous for us to overheat.

We have changes in our vision: Our vision can become sharp in order to pay more attention to danger. However, we can also experience blurry vision, tunnel vision, light sensitivity, visual snow, and potentially seeing flashes of light when we are anxious.

Adrenaline rush:  Our adrenal glands release adrenaline. This signals the body to get ready to respond to danger.

If you are experiencing anxiety I can help you learn coping skills to manage your anxiety. Don’t wait- make an appointment with me now! I am currently able to schedule people in one or two weeks.

Love yourself, you deserve it!