Nigel Cares: Let's define anxiety

By Lauren Howard, associate director of Student Counseling Services

Anxiety is one of the most common concerns seen in college counseling centers. Almost everyone will experience some form of anxiety in their lives, likely without even knowing it. Within the UNG Student Counseling Center between January 2021 and January 2022, an estimated 25% of diagnoses given were anxiety-related.

It's also important to note that not all anxiety symptoms are linked to an official diagnosis. However, it is still helpful to identify the signs and symptoms to manage them from becoming more impactful in our lives. Before we learn how to help reduce any anxiety concerns, we must first know how to identify the signs and symptoms that something could be off within ourselves.

The most commonly discussed signs and symptoms of anxiety include:

• Feeling anxious
• Feeling nervous
• Heart racing
• Worrying
• Racing thoughts
• Intrusive thoughts
• Difficulty sleeping

However, there are many other signs and symptoms most people do not realize that could be linked to anxiety:

• Difficulty concentrating
• Shame or guilt spirals
• Overthinking or replaying conversations over and over in your head
• Needing to stay busy
• Being over-controlling
• Procrastination
• Perfectionism
• Irritability
• Difficulty making decisions
• Difficulty setting boundaries or difficulty saying "no" to others
• People pleasing
• Somatic symptoms like stomach pains and nausea

If you have any of these symptoms, it could be helpful to begin keeping track of them in a journal to better understand when they are happening, how often, and the intensity. This information can be taken to a mental health professional for further help and guidance. The next Nigel Cares article will continue to address ways to manage any anxiety signs and symptoms on your own or with the help of professionals.

If you have concerns or would like to meet with a mental health clinician within UNG Student Counseling, please contact us at any of the campus locations. We provide free, confidential services to all UNG students enrolled in one of our five campuses. Also, check out our mental health self-help resources.