Module 10 common anxiety triggers. An anxiety trigger is something that sets off our feelings of anxiety. Sometimes recognizing the trigger is not so easy since a trigger can come on suddenly, while others are well known and expected. If we can identify our own anxiety triggers, we can avoid them or even stop them from happening. But other times if the trigger is unknown or not as obvious, we may have to find ways to just adapt around it. Uncertainty or fear of the unknown.
Fear is a big cause of many anxiety triggers and symptoms. One of the biggest fears associated with anxiety is uncertainty or the fear of the unknown. Not knowing how a situation will result can make some people simply shut down. The fear of not knowing how a project went over or not knowing how well or poor a speech will be delivered, can make some people Simply avoid the situation causing a lot of missed opportunities. Others may try to find out as much information as they can so that they can feel more informed. But if it doesn't satisfy the need to know, then they may just quit altogether.
Questions that make us anxious? What will happen if I do? What will happen if I don't do? Will this change anything? Will something bad happen? Holding in feelings.
When we hold in our feelings, we are not allowing our body to express how it naturally feels. This forces our brain to hold in our negative thoughts or emotions and creates a large storage bin for them to grow. Oftentimes, we suppress our feelings because we become anxious about how others may perceive them or react to them. But if we keep them inside, they can cause more anxiety since we have to keep more control over them which Then leads us to continue to think about them and dwell on them. While we cannot always say whatever we want when we want, there are ways of coping with our feelings and keeping them from attacking us on the inside. simple ways to express feelings.
Keep a journal, talk with a friend or a counselor, start a blog. public speaking, speaking up. When it comes to speaking in front of others, we are allowing them to hear what we have to say and possibly pass judgment on it, which can cause us to take these feelings of judgment or rejection personally and cause anxiety. When speaking in public or in front of a group we become anxious because we feel as though we are in the hot seat and cannot escape if we start to feel uncomfortable. We begin to fear making a mistake or having someone not like us. When we fear speaking up such as to a manager or a co worker.
We are second guessing Assessing ourselves and fear repercussions if we do not agree with them or like what they have to say. Although most of these fears are generally unfounded, they can be a strong cause in many cases of anxiety. Trying to be perfect. Some people strive to be perfect and some come pretty close. Others want to be perfect in many areas, such as our work and personal lives, but feel anxious in the process or when we fail to do so. When we make a mistake, we don't feel as though we did a perfect job and can make us feel as though everyone is watching us which leads to more anxiety.
Not being perfect or not even being the best at something can make us feel as though we are not good enough and that others may be passing judgment on us. This can cause further anxiety since we are obsessing about what other people think of us. Remember the age old saying no one is perfect. Perfection won't make others happy. Perfection will not make you happy. imperfection is how we learn and adapt