6 Unexpected Anxiety Triggers That are Draining You Out
Anxiety is a mental health condition that causes feelings of worry, fear, or tension.
Anxiety can also cause panic attacks and extreme physical symptoms, like chest pain in some people.
Common symptoms and feeling of anxiety, Image Credits: Commons Wikimedia
With around 275 million people affected by anxiety disorders, you can say that they are incredibly common.
A combination of factors, that includes genetics, daily habits, and environment play a role, in what can possibly cause anxiety.
There are events, emotions, or experiences that a person undergoes that may cause symptoms of anxiety to begin or make them worse. These elements are known as triggers.
Though different people may have different anxiety triggers, there are some that are definitely common to them all.
It is important to discover any anxiety triggers that you have in order to manage them.
There may be many reasons that may not be so obvious that are triggering your anxiety.
Let’s have a look at a few of these triggers.
1. Caffeine
Caffeine is literally a mood-altering drug.
The main role of caffeine is to block the effects of adenosine that causes sleep in the human body.
For a few, the result would be a pleasurable sense of energy and focus. But for those with anxiety, caffeine’s effects can be bad.
Once this happens, anxiety can take on a life of its own.
It is thus recommended for anxiety patients to opt for decaffeinated coffee and herbal or green tea.
2. Sugar
The sweet tooth in you will always cry for this one. Sugar can be one of the worst triggers for anxiety.
The reason for this is like that of caffeine.
Usually sugar has the tendency to cause blurry vision, difficulty in thinking and fatigue.
All of this increases worry and fear in a person, when interpreted as signs of a panic attack.
Anxiety tends to get worse when there is a rush of sugar and consecutive crashes. The body starts shaking and you feel stressed.
Nobody is asking you to stop your sugar intake totally, but it is necessary to limit the quantity being consumed.
Sugar can be a major factor in triggering anxiety. Image Credits: Flickr
3. Environment
Have you ever gone outside and just felt free and relaxed? It’s not your imagination!
Studies prove the fact that getting out and looking at nature and breathing some fresh air can soothe the mind.
There can be multiple components of nature that are beneficial like viewing, hearing, and just being in it.
The visual aspects of nature have a soothing effect and clear the mind from disturbing thoughts.
Also Read – 6 Types Of Eating Disorders
4. Social Media
Social media is a great platform to connect with different people and learn new things.
But what can be the problem?
Social media usage causes a lot of negative thoughts and emotions within a person and is easily addictive.
In addition to this, over usage of such platforms often lead to comparison traps where one individual compares their lifestyle to that of another who’s is better.
This can make you feel lonely, sad, and depressed and get you over thinking especially when you see a situation that you wish you were part of.
Social media can instigate anxiety. Image Credits: Pixabay
5. Medications
Some over the counter medicines and few prescription medications also tend to trigger anxiety.
Active ingredients present in such medications make you feel unwell and uneasy.
Such feelings of restlessness and uneasiness can set off a series of events in your mind and body that often lead to additional symptoms of anxiety.
Medications that can trigger anxiety are:
Birth control pills
Medicines for weight loss
Medicines for cough and congestion
It is advisable to talk to a doctor about alternative medicines that can be taken to avoid anxiety issues.
6. News
News stories can be really triggering and get a person feeling depressed or anxious.
One should consume the right amount of news. Image Credits: pixels
Depending on the story being told, it can lead to people not wanting to go to specific places, take extra precautions etc.
The key to this is to know when to turn it off. People must be mindful to consume only what is required.
The way that negative news affects a person mentally can have a larger effect on how they interpret and interact with the world around them.
Never Forget!
Remember if you are suffering from anxiety, you are not alone. Avoiding some of these common and unusual triggers of anxiety whenever possible can help. If you feel it’s getting worse, it is best to reach out to a mental health professional to understand better about coping techniques and treatment options to help fight the anxiety disorder.