Hello there, why do I keep having anxiety when there’s actually nothing happening?I feel uneasy, on and off scared ?
theres always a reason, r u in a place where there was trauma events happening there b4? be a detective n start looking?
Hi, user1478,
Thank you for reaching out to share your anxiety feeling.
Anxiety is a feeling that affects everyone in different ways. Sometimes, it feels like fear about what’s to come. When intense anxiety is experienced all of a sudden, it can be seen as anxiety attack, but it might not be a mental disorder as there might be other psychological reasons that can lead to anxiety attack. Generally, anxiety can be felt in the following situations:
- Uncertainty - when you are unsure about what’s about to happen, what to expect, who you will meet.
- Reminder of stressful situations that happened before in the past.
- When one experienced prolonged worries for other people/things.
- Living with or in close contact with people (like family member) with Anxiety issue/disorder for a long period of time.
- Discomfort feeling due to sensory issues. For instance, some people who might be sensitive to light may tend to feel anxious when they are gradually exposed to bright light.
- Expose to environment/situations that triggered a trauma experience in the past.
As anxiety is a common feeling, so it is possible to cope with the emotion when it is realised. Here are some ideas that might be useful for you to explore:
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engage a grounding activity like deep breathing, when you have just begun to experience anxiety, ie. Especially effective when the feeling is not too intense.
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think of a positive thought to remind yourself that you are safe , such as “it’s just a feeling, I am ok/safe”.
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go for a physical activity like brisk walk, do housework, etc.
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choose a mindfulness activity and make it your daily regime.
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keep a journal of your thoughts and feelings and you will like to realise their connections. You can work on changing your thoughts to reduce stress/ anxiety.
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if anxiety continues to persist/intensified for some time, despite applying emotional regulation methods, you may want to consult a professional to work on it.
Regulating one’s emotion is a lifelong effort to maintain good mental health. It has proven to be effective for those who practice an emotional regulation activity on a regular basis.
Hope my sharing helps. Take good care.