When is it more than just stress?

When are the symptoms of pressure and stress more than just that? Most people experience periods of stress and feelings of pressure. Whether it’s a list of tasks that have to be done that you feel you don’t have time to do or expectations from family members, employers, teacher and friends life can feel overwhelming. It’s normal to stress in the days before an assignment is due. It’s normal feel pressure the day of a competition. Even a slight disruption in sleep can be normal for a day or two. There are times when the symptoms exceed normal. When you start having difficulty getting things done and concentrating because you are afraid of failure or catastrophe. When you start having racing thoughts. When feelings of panic occur when small things go wrong. When you start having trouble sleeping regularly. When you have trouble eating or you start overeating. When you start to worry about how others see you and what you’ve said almost obsessively. All of these things can indicate a bigger issue. You might be suffering from anxiety.

There are several different types of anxiety. The truth is that no two people are exactly alike. Anxiety is treatable both with medication and therapy. Going through it alone isn’t necessary. Many people suffer from it. Many people get better. If you find that some of these things sound like you please ask for help. Talk to your doctor, talk to a therapist.