Anxiety and Panic are as American as apple pie.

You’ve probably been told at some point in your life that your symptoms are all in your head. That anxiety and panic are leading you to feel the way that you are feeling. As it turns out, the people who told you that may be right.

A google search for  anxiety and panic U.S.A. turned up this result regarding adults:

Anxiety disorders are the most common mental health concern in the United States. Over 40 million adults in the U.S. (19.1%) have an anxiety disorder.

There are tens of thousands of lists online describing what you might feel as a “symptom” of anxiety and panic.

  • Nausea
  • Twitching, cramping, and achy limbs
  • Numbness
  • Insomnia
  • Shaking and trembling
  • Feeling of hot or cold, sweating
  • Difficulty focusing
  • Digestive issues
  • Fear of dying, losing control or “going crazy.” Irrational fears.
  • Fatigue
  • Muscle spasms or pain
  • Depression
  • High blood pressure

These are pretty common symptoms that could also be related to other issues. But what if they are all due to anxiety and panic? What if your stress level has been deceptively high, sustained and for a great deal of time? The result could overwhelm your system, and feed itself with more worry and panic, leading down a rabbit hole of self-sustained symptoms and anxiety. We call this “Sympathetic Dominance.” When your body is stuck in a state of “fight or flight” for too long, your body starts to change, to misfire, to fall apart. For the anxious individual, these changes often lead to the snowball effect of stress and body changes that become the rabbit hole mentioned above.

Breaking this cycle of anxiety and panic may prove very difficult for some. Seeking help in the way of a psychologist, therapist, or psychiatrist may be crucial. Calming the nervous system with meditation, exercise, chiropractic, acupuncture, music or other methods may be helpful to you.

Learn to “Self Soothe.”

If your body is powerful enough while under the influence of anxiety and panic to create symptoms, your body is powerful enough to take the symptoms away. Learning to calm oneself down naturally is a really important, albeit difficult, tool to cultivate. Deep breathing, positive affirmations, and empowering self-talk are just a few of the tools that may benefit you.

Seek help if you are losing control.

If you feel like you are losing control, wishing to harm yourself or you are unable to perform daily tasks, you need to seek help immediately for your anxiety and panic.