I had anxiety for many years without even knowing it.

I didn’t feel concerned when I read headlines on Facebook about being anxious. I thought anxiety meant fear, and since I’ve always considered myself courageous and adventurous, I wasn’t interested in learning more about it.

But anxiety doesn’t mean fear; it’s a reaction to fear. The stimuli can be something from the present, the past, or even the future. It has no timeline or rules. When it hits, it throws us completely off balance and disturbs our entire day.

It took me many years to recognize the symptoms and work on reducing them.

When I watched this video on Psych2Go, I found myself nodding in agreement and saying yes!

You definitely have anxiety if:

1. You’re always tired.
2. You’re disorganized.
3. You’re on edge and easily frightened.
4. You experience unexplained pain or illness.
5. Rumination.

Anxiety is often mistaken for other random symptoms; this is why we might not take it seriously. But please know that it’s not “all in your head.” Anxiety is real and we need to acknowledge it.

There are ways that can help us calm down and live a happier life. Identify anxiety when it hits and try to name the feeling. Are you feeling fear, worry, anger, confusion? Practice breathing exercises and give your body a few minutes to recover. Take a walk or distract your mind by doing something you love—such as reading, drawing, singing, planting, or cooking.

Know that with willingness, patience, and perseverance, we can redirect our thoughts and reduce our anxiety symptoms.

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