What Is Anxiety?
Anxiety is one of the most common mental health disorder in the United States, and Black women tend to have more chronic and intense symptoms than their White counterparts. The key to managing your anxiety is being able to understand your symptoms and implement healthy coping skills to mitigate anxiety’s impact. Since awareness is key, here’s a few things to help you understand what anxiety looks like in your life and how to manage anxiety symptoms:
“Anxiety is a thin stream of fear trickling through the mind. If encouraged, it cuts a channel into which all other thoughts are drained.”
—Arthur Somers Rochet
What is Anxiety?
MayoClinic.com describes anxiety as “having frequent, intense, excessive and persistent worry and fear about everyday situations”. If you find yourself having repeated episodes of sudden feelings of intense anxiety and fear or terror that reach a peak within minutes, you may have an anxiety disorder.
To better understand if your anxious feelings could be a sign of an anxiety or panic disorder, let’s take a look at some of the symptoms:
If you feel your heart is racing and you can’t breathe correctly, this can be a symptom of anxiety that is severe enough for you to get professional help. We always want to rule out any underlying health issue first, before addressing anything else, so make an appointment with your primary care physician to check things out.
Some people have uncontrollable fears of things like crowded places, driving, or germs that cause complete avoidance of places or situations.
The consistent inability to concentrate can be a symptom of anxiety. This must be consistent behavior, and not just on those occasions when you lack sleep or are hungry, for instance.
Nervous behaviors, such as walking around the same area over and over again or twitching your fingers or toes repetitively.
A feeling a doom or that something will happen to you, such as an accident, heart attack, or even death, can be symptoms of an anxiety disorder or panic disorder.
Numbness in your hands, fingers, toes, and legs or feeling like you can’t stand are also common symptoms.
If you find you have trouble swallowing or unusual dry mouth episodes, these may be indications of anxiety.
Fear of people around you and the desire to be alone are feelings that many anxiety sufferers face.
The inability to leave your home can be a symptom of a severe anxiety or panic disorder.
If your normal activities become overwhelming to you, you could be suffering from anxiety or a panic disorder.
Anxiety looks different for everyone, so if any of these symptoms resonate with you, it may be an indicator that you may be struggling with an anxiety disorder. The good news is these symptoms and conditions are no longer thought of as being something people shouldn’t reveal or talk about, and the dial is changing in Black and Brown communities as well! Talks around mental health and quickly becoming the norm.
How to Manage Anxiety Symptoms?
Understanding your anxiety can help alleviate the stress and fear it causes and will also help you find a solution. The Anxiety & Depression Association of America suggestions that being proactive about managing your symptoms is the best way to reduce how much anxiety impacts your life. Here’s a few tips you can use to begin managing your anxiety:
Do things that bring you joy and peace: Practice yoga, listen to music, or learn relaxation techniques. Stepping away from the issue helps clear your head.
Eat: Proper nutrition will help with stabilizing your mood, so don’t skip meals and eat balanced meals throughout your day.
Limit alcohol and caffeine, which can aggravate anxiety and trigger panic attacks.
Sleep: When stressed, your body needs additional sleep and rest.
Exercise daily to help you feel good and maintain your health
Take deep breaths. Inhale and exhale slowly.
Do your best. Instead of aiming for perfection, which isn't possible, be proud of your progress.
Explore anxiety medication. It can be a great way to stabilize your mood so you’re able to be present and learn coping skills from a more grounded space.
Learn what triggers your anxiety. Is it work, family, school, or something else you can identify? Write in a journal when you’re feeling stressed or anxious, and look for a pattern.
Talk to someone. Tell friends and family you’re feeling overwhelmed, and let them know how they can help you. Talk to a physician or therapist for professional help.
Why Black women & Girls Need Support with Anxiety:
Know a Black women or teen who needs support with managing their anxiety? Click here to register them for our Teen Group Therapy and Support Groups:
Mental Health disorders and stress creates a particular negative impact on Black women, especially in the way it impacts physical health. Twenty-three (23%) of US Black women suffer from an anxiety disorder, and 50% of US Black women Black women suffers from some type of heart disease due to prolonged stress, diet, and underlying health issues. Stress and anxiety perpetuates (or sometimes create) these issues and it’s vitally important that black women and young girls are taught coping skills to manage symptoms and reduce overall stress.
There’s help for you if you suffer from anxiety. Many mental health clinics and hospitals offer affordable help if you’re on a lower or fixed income. Your health insurance may help you get treatment, and they cannot reveal your medical treatment to your employer. There are websites and directories dedicated to the mental health of Black women, and we’ve compiled a few for you to reference!
If you search “black therapist near me”, you’re bound to find any of these sites, and they get our stamp of approval:
As scientists and the medical world become more informed about disorders, more medications and other forms of relief are found to be effective in treating them. Relaxation techniques are very effective, and can even be done at home or in the workplace. Understanding your condition can help alleviate the stress and fear that anxiety cause and will also help you find a solution to reducing your symptoms altogether.
If you suffer from some of the symptoms above, click here to book a consultation with us. Getting the treatment that can put you back on the road to peace, health and happiness is essential to your quality of life. You’ll be glad you did!
Did you find this helpful? Let’s keep the conversation going. Here’s how you can connect with Anxious Black Girls™.
Individual Therapy: https://www.anxiousblackgirls.com/florida-black-female-therapists
Group Therapy: https://www.anxiousblackgirls.com/group-therapy-black-women
Support Groups: https://www.anxiousblackgirls.com/support-groups-for-women
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