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you know that feeling when your stomach
drops when you ride a roller coaster
that's just about to fall over the edge
or feeling your heart beat widely
against your ribs so loud you can almost
hear it
that's what anxiety feels like and a lot
of people all over the world struggle
with it most of their lives
according to a recent survey by the
national institute of mental health
it's the most common mental illness with
over 40 billion adults in the us
alone being diagnosed every year the
american psychological association
defines anxiety as a future-oriented
concern
that may lead people to avoid situations
that trigger or worsen their distress
often called the common cold of
psychology along with depression
it's one of the most prevalent and
widespread mental health concerns today
anxiety is an uncomfortable feeling to
say the least
but we mustn't let it rent space in our
minds otherwise it can end up taking
control over everything
from your thoughts to your attitudes and
behaviors an important first step
in overcoming anxiety is acknowledging
it and understanding where it's coming
from
so if you've been having a hard time
figuring it out yourself here are six of
the most common causes of anxiety
one overthinking also called rumination
in psychological terms this is when you
make a big deal out of everything to the
point where every experience and
interaction you have
starts to seem negative reading too much
into everything from the slightest
change in someone's voice to the subtle
facial expressions it can be enough to
drive anyone mad
sweating the small stuff and never
letting anything go can keep you up at
night
obsessively thinking about that small
mistake you made years ago
overthinking can make you worry about
the most unimportant details
and twist everything in your mind into
something much much worse
than it actually is 2.
overachieving while the high of
excelling at something can be a
wonderful feeling
in the end it's not worth all the
anxiety you end up giving yourself in
the long run
overworking yourself and feeling
stressed out all the time leads you to
becoming more susceptible to anxiety and
depression
when you strive for unrealistically high
goals you're only setting yourself up
for failure and disappointment
you may feel compelled to busy yourself
with work or school all the time
and feel guilty about relaxing and
having fun you never feel contented with
yourself
or what you've achieved because there's
always some other mountain you think you
need to climb
three low self-esteem in today's day and
age when popularity comes at the price
of your privacy
the internet makes it easy for you to
feel like you always need to impress
everyone
some people think that their social
media presence defines who they are
so the pressure to be accepted and
well-liked by others has reached an
all-time high
this is probably why having a negative
self-image has become one of the most
common causes of anxiety
everywhere insecurity is something that
all of us struggle with
but failing to overcome it can cost you
a great deal of happiness
energy and peace of mind self-doubt can
make the prospect of being judged and
criticized by those around you
absolutely horrifying however
caring too much about what other people
think and letting this fear rule your
life
is not healthy 4.
pessimistic thinking similar to
overthinking
pessimistic thinking is another kind of
mind trap most people with anxiety find
themselves falling into
a lot of the time this means you're
always worrying about the worst things
that could happen in any given situation
having a negative mindset about yourself
your circumstances
or those around you makes it difficult
for you to feel calm
because you're forever finding something
new to worry about
you can't turn even the smallest
inconvenience into a downward spiral of
anxiety and depression
it's hard to escape 5. traumatic events
any negative experience you may have had
in the past plays an important role in
shaping your fears and anxieties
even if you don't know it our sense of
self-preservation is so strong
that oftentimes our minds will do
everything they can
to keep us happy and safe this can mean
avoiding anything that may have
previously given us distress or anxiety
in fact this is one of the most common
reasons why we develop phobias
when it comes to anxiety on the other
hand traumatic events teach us what to
fear and be wary of
no matter how irrational it may seem so
if you find yourself feeling anxious for
seemingly no reason at all
it might be because you have some
deep-seated trauma or lingering issues
you still need to resolve
and six new experiences finally
trying new things and stepping out of
your comfort zone is another one of the
leading causes of anxiety
certainly the most positive point on
this list the anxiety you feel here is
actually a good sign
that you're being brave and making a
conscious effort to grow
as a person this kind of anxiety is more
of a nervous excitement
than a dreadful worry change can be
scary
especially if it's sudden and stressful
but it's also one of the many constants
in life
learning to embrace change takes a lot
of emotional maturity
of course the nervousness and worry that
accompanies it
is only normal in fact it can even drive
you to do better and try harder if you
let it inspire you
and remind you of all the possibilities
life has to offer
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you