Feeling Anxious But Not Sure Why? Here’s How to Pinpoint What’s Going On

Have you ever woken up in the morning with a racing heart or your stomach in knots, but you have no idea why? Or maybe you are hit with overwhelming racing thoughts mid-day, but you aren’t sure what triggered them? This is an extremely common experience.

There are so many different factors that go into our feelings of anxiety. When you notice symptoms—whether it’s racing thoughts, nausea, shortness of breath, or trouble concentrating—it is your body speaking to you. However, many of us are so busy or checked out that we don’t take the time to sit down and examine what could be causing these emotions. This blog post highlights many of the factors that contribute to our anxiety. You can think of it as a checklist for trying to pinpoint your anxiety triggers. There’s a good chance that there are multiple factors at play. Either way, taking time to be mindful of your own triggers can make a huge difference in your mental health.

First, Tune in…

Before you delve into the investigative work of nailing down the cause of your anxiety, take a moment to notice how you feel.

• Where do you feel the anxiety in your body?

  • Is it tightness in your chest? Does your head hurt? Does it feel like your heart has dropped into your stomach? Are you shaking your leg or fidgeting? Are you clenching your jaw? Are your back muscles tight?

• Take a deep breath and truly FEEL. Sit with the discomfort for a moment. (I know this is hard!)

• Show yourself a little compassion, whether it’s placing a gentle hand on your heart, reminding yourself that’s okay to feel anxious, verbal affirmations, or even giving yourself a hug. Living with anxiety is painful - be kind to yourself!

Consider Physical Factors

There are a number of physical factors that can impact our anxiety without us even realizing it. Some of these factors include:

• Excessive caffeine

• Poor sleep

• Hormonal changes

  • Anxiety is often highest during the luteal phase for people who menstruate!

  • Puberty, pregnancy, postpartum, and menopause can alter our symptoms of anxiety

• Hangover from drugs or alcohol

• Low blood sugar

  • Has it been over 4 hours since you last ate?

• Taking new medications including birth control or medications for chronic illnesses

• Lack of oxygen (if you are at a high altitude, for example)

• Physical exhaustion

Consider Psychological Factors

The phrase “psychological factors” is very broad. It embodies our personality and how we may think, feel, and react to certain situations. Below are some common psychological stressors I see in my clients. See if you relate:

• Past trauma

  • Did you smell, see, hear, or feel something that could have triggered a difficult memory from the past?

  • Could you be feeling hyper-vigilant after being reminded of something you’ve been trying to forget?

  • Do you have to go back to a setting where you experienced something traumatic?

  • Is it an anniversary of a difficult time in your life?

• Life transitions

  • Moving, graduating, break ups, grief, changing jobs, pregnancy, having children, entering adulthood, new relationships, retirement, illness, the list goes on and on!

• Stress at work

  • Worries about performance or relationships

  • Worries about finances and job stability

• Interpersonal conflict

  • Did somebody say something that didn’t sit right with you?

  • Are you ruminating on a recent conversation with a loved one?

  • Could you be feeling more hurt than you realized by a recent interaction with a friend?

• Anticipation

  • Do you have a presentation or a performance coming up?

  • Are you dreading something you have to do?

  • Are you worried about doing something new or going somewhere new?

• Social concerns

  • Are you worried about an upcoming social event?

  • Maybe you are ruminating about something you did or said in the last few days?

  • Do you find yourself overthinking about what others might think of you?

• Socioeconomic factors

  • Are you concerned about paying your bills?

  • Do you feel like you can’t stop thinking about your debt?

  • Does it feel like no matter how hard you work you don’t move up in life?

Consider Biological Factors

Biological factors are things that tend to be out of our control, but that does not mean that we cannot get a hold of our anxiety and manage it in a healthy way. It is worth taking a moment to see if any of the following may be affecting you:

• Family history of mental health concerns

• Concussions, brain trauma, and having been knocked unconscious

• Co-occuring medical conditions

  • Diabetes

  • Heart disease

  • Thyroid dysfunction

• Individual differences in brain structure, neurotransmitters, and immune system

• Prenatal development

Still can’t figure it out?

That’s okay! Sometimes anxiety comes and goes and we just don’t know why. We will never be able to figure out the “why” behind everything our brain does, and we don’t want to get stuck in a cycle of intellectualizing our feelings. Do your best to allow the emotion in, acknowledge it, and let it go.

If you are looking for supporting in understanding and managing your anxiety, please reach out to me at eada@morningbirdtherapy.com!