In our society, anxiety is a common term that is often confused with feelings of worry and stress. These symptoms are your body’s reaction to shame, fear, and guilt. Anxiety is not genetic and cannot be inherited. Anxiety is triggered externally by people, places, and things, are manifested in physical symptoms. Working with a mental health professional (e.g., counselor, therapist, psychologist, psychiatrist, etc.) can help decrease these symptoms. Unchecked anxiety can develop into phobias (e.g., agoraphobia, social phobia, etc.).
Some symptoms of anxiety:
-Racing thoughts
-Increased heart rate
-Breathing faster
-Sweating (i.e., head, hands, or other parts of the body)
-Avoiding specific places or situations (e.g., social or other)