We all have mental health, just as we all have physical health.
Our mental health fluctuates on a daily basis on a spectrum between good and poor mental health. It’s perfectly normal to feel down at times and happy on other occasions, but if you, or someone you know, feel stuck in the lower end of the mental health spectrum for a prolonged period of time, then you could be experiencing poor mental health or develop a mental health problem.
While anxiety isn’t considered a mental health problem, if you are stuck in a constant state of anxiety for two or more weeks, you might be diagnosed with anxiety disorder. So how can you identify the signs of anxiety?
First and foremost it’s crucial to remember that only mental health professionals can diagnose a mental health problem and, when addressing such sensitive topic, it’s always useful to keep in mind the importance of not making assumptions and that everyone is different. The following should therefore be used as a guide only.
Common signs of anxiety are:
• Acting more nervous or anxious than usual
• Increased worry about things
• Not being able to control feelings of worry
• Unable to relax
• Being so restless that it is difficult to sit still
• Becoming annoyed or easily irritable
• Feeling afraid as if something awful might happen
Author: Sarah Speziali, Chief Therapist at InsideOut
Reference:
