What is Anxiety?

Many people are familiar with feeling like their heart is going to beat out of their chest. Maybe you feel panicked in a high stress situation, or talking in front of a group of people. Anxiety is a natural feeling that thousands of people live with on a general scale day-to-day, so learning what causes anxiety attacks is vital.

According to the American Psychological Association, anxiety is an emotion described by feelings of tension, racing thoughts, and an increased blood pressure. Anxiety releases hormones, cortisol and adrenaline, that attributes to the mental, emotional, and physical ways anxiety manifests. 

Anxiety and fear often coincide with one another. The things you fear may also contribute to your anxiety. Anxiety is viewed as long-term, looming, and broadly focused on a future possibility, whereas fear is short-term, almost immediate, and focused on one specific threat. Whatever the case may be, both emotions are valid and natural.

Anxiety disorders are diagnosed when general, day-to-day anxiety disrupts your everyday life. However, it is still common to feel anxiety symptoms without having a disorder. Some of these symptoms include:

  • Irrationals feelings of worry or dread
  • Muscle Tension
  • Increased heart rate
  • Fatigue
  • Shallow breathing
  • Sweating
  • Insomnia
  • Gastrointestinal distress
  • Socially withdrawing or isolating
  • Shaking or trembling
  • Loss of appetite

The early stages of recovery can often exacerbate anxiety symptoms. Know you are not alone and your anxiety is natural.

Anxiety in Recovery

It’s common to be highly anxious while going through major life changes such as addiction recovery. As anxiety is future focused, thinking about the future for someone recovering from substance use disorder can feel daunting. Furthermore, anxiety in recovery could be a result of post-acute withdrawal syndrome, or PAWS. PAWS is one of the first experiences people have in recovery, a withdrawal phase. Anxiety is one of the primary symptoms of PAWS. Other feelings of anxiety can come from a plethora of recovery related thoughts:

  • Fearing living in sobriety without a substance of choice to cope
  • Living in a sober living house
  • Repairing relationships broken due to addiction or substance use disorder
  • Feelings of loneliness

A new perspective on life through recovery can be overwhelming for anyone, regardless of how many times they experience recovery. But what happens when even anxiety becomes intolerable?

What Causes Anxiety Attacks?

The short answer? Life. Most times, they occur suddenly, but living with severe daily stress can (and will) eventually build up. A stressful job, substance of choice, caffeine, social interactions, driving, chronic illnesses or pain, and so many other factors can cause intense anxiety. When someone grows highly anxious due to stressors, the body can respond physically and emotionally. These intense symptoms can lead to anxiety attacks, or panic attacks:

  • Worry, or apprehension
  • Extreme distress
  • Fear of losing control
  • Fear of dying
  • Shortness of breath
  • Heart palpitations or accelerated heart rate
  • Feeling faint or dizzy
  • Headache
  • Dry mouth
  • Derealization or depersonalization, or feeling detached from the world/yourself

Anxiety attacks can be paralyzing. They can last minutes or hours. Anxious thoughts will be amplified and shine a spotlight on all your greatest fears. All of these symptoms are enhanced when an individual is withstanding PAWS. It’s imperative to learn how to manage anxiety while in recovery to best support your recovery journey. 

Coping with Anxiety in Recovery

Learning coping mechanisms to deal with anxiety in recovery is highly important, as anxiety can halt the recovery process. One of the leading causes of relapses is unmanaged stress and anxiety. Aside from therapy techniques that may be included in your treatment program, such as cognitive behavioral therapy, there are accessible ways to cope with anxiety to aid you through your recovery.

  • Breath work: breath work, or deep breathing exercises, help regulate your heart rate and thoughts while dealing with anxiety. The 4-2-6 breathing technique goes as follows: inhale for four seconds, hold for two seconds, and exhale for six seconds. Repeat as many times as needed. There are countless resources to learn different breathing techniques!
  • Working out: Despite physical activities being physically beneficial, physical exercise is also a great way to release cortisol and endorphins that contribute to anxiety. Working out can also increase dopamine and serotonin output, which can reduce anxiety and improve your mood.
  • Grounding: Reconnecting with nature is one of the most natural ways to increase your dopamine and serotonin. Walking barefoot in grass or sand are great ways for grounding. Grounding is also a method to practice being present
  • Yoga: Yoga includes many meditation and stretching techniques that can reduce anxiety by regulating your breathing and endorphins. There are also Yoga 12-step programs  that combine recovery with the practice.

Everyone experiences anxiety in one form or another. That’s why knowing what causes anxiety attacks is important. Talking about anxiety in recovery is one of the many ways we can work together to end the stigma. Elevate Recovery Centers hopes this blog will serve as a gentle guide on how to cope with anxiety throughout your recovery journey. If you or someone you know is looking for guidance through your sobriety, contact us today.