How To Identify Your Fears & Anxiety Triggers & Boost Your Mental Health (Free Anxiety Journal)!
Last Updated on 01/22/2022 by Nicky
How To Identify Your Fears & Anxiety Triggers
A bad break-up.
A sick child.
Medical bills piling up with no idea of how you’re going to pay for it.
The truth is there are so many potential fears & anxiety triggers that it can be hard to know how to get to the root of your anxiety and figure out what in the world is causing those knots to tighten in your stomach.
I know everyone experiences anxiety from time to time.
There are unexpected circumstances that come up in life that leave us feeling more worried, scared, or anxious than usual.
Experiencing anxiety every now and then is normal.
But I’m talking about the kind of fear that hovers over you to the point where you can’t enjoy activities that you used to love.
The kind of anxiety that debilitates you.
If that’s the kind of fear you have and you want to know the root cause of it then please stick around.
Why?
Because digging deep and learning the root of your anxiety issues can help you stop an anxiety attack from happening in the future.
So let’s dive right in so you can start to get the help you need.
Oh yeah, and this post contains affiliate links to great products that will help you in your health journey. I will get a commission if you decide to buy from these links but I’m only recommending products that I feel confident about.
Which Fear & Anxiety Symptoms Do You Have?
Before we learn what is triggering your anxiety, let’s take a look at what some symptoms of anxiety are.
You might be quick to dismiss these symptoms as just being signs of a physical malady but we have to remember that our minds and bodies are connected.
God created us to where if our minds are struggling, our bodies show symptoms of that mental struggle as well.
While anxiety varies from person to person, there are some common symptoms that people suffering from anxiety regularly report.
These symptoms include:
● Unwanted sweating
● Irritability
● Feeling restless
● Unnecessary nervousness
● Rapid heart rate
● Feeling lightheaded or faint
● Difficulty sleeping
● Muscle tension (Source)
If you have been experiencing any of these symptoms on a regular basis, it’s very possible you are dealing with anxiety.
However, these symptoms can stem from other medical conditions as well, so it can be helpful to talk to your doctor, just to be sure.
But if you talk to your doctor and he gives you the all-clear on all other medical issues, then anxiety might be what’s plaguing you.
Your doctor might then refer you to a mental health professional to get a proper diagnosis of an anxiety disorder like generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). (Source)
Once you’ve learned you actually are dealing with anxiety, we now need to figure out why you are suffering.
Knowing some common anxiety triggers will help you identify your personal triggers.
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Getting To The Root Of Your Fears: Common Anxiety Triggers
When you read through the list, you’ll see why – it’s common for our minds to react to traumatic or unforeseen situations like these!
Okay, ya’ll so these fear & anxiety triggers, when you read them, probably seem like no brainers, right?
Of course, these life events would make anyone anxious.
But the thing is, sometimes when you’re in the midst of a life event, you don’t always put two and two together.
So take a gander below at some of the root causes or triggers of anxiety that are common in so many people.
- Health conditions – Receiving a new health diagnosis can churn anyone’s stomach, especially if it’s a scary one like cancer. Then if you’re diagnosed with a chronic illness that becomes more and more debilitating and painful? That can shoot your anxiety up through the roof!
- Caffeine – I know I know…I love coffee too. And for some people, it doesn’t bother them at all. But for some caffeine can trigger anxiety (Source). I know it stinks but drinking too much coffee can induce anxiety and related symptoms, including rapid heart rate, trouble sleeping, and nervousness. These side effects aren’t helpful for someone already dealing with anxiety before consuming caffeine. So as delicious as caffeine can be, let’s try and limit it to 1 cup a day (sad face).
- Crowded places – Too many people in a small space can make you feel confined, bringing on feelings of anxiety. Parties, social events, and other large gatherings can have the same effect – especially if you’ve spent extended periods of time at home due to quarantine and are just getting back out into the “real” world.
- Medications – It’s also true that some over-the-counter and prescription medications can cause anxiety. You can do your own research on any particular prescription that’s been prescribed to you (and I urge you to do this). You can also ask your doctor if this is the case with your medications.
- Financial worries- Do not discount the power of money to cause anxiety. I remember how depressed and anxious I was when I was in debt and earning very little money. You can’t discount just how stressful and anxiety-inducing money challenges can be. When you don’t know how you’re going to pay your bills or pay for your children’s school fees, you for sure will feel the strain. And then if money is a constant issue for you? Then anxiety more than likely is too.
- Social Events (not necessarily crowded places) It shouldn’t be the case but I have social anxiety at church. I wonder who I will talk to after church, what I will say if anyone will even notice me. That’s one place where that shouldn’t happen but it is what it is. Regardless of where you feel it, social events can certainly be an anxiety trigger. (Source)
- Unhealthy eating– The old adage “you are what you eat” strikes again. There’s no getting around it. When you eat unhealthy foods like I talk about in this post, you are more likely to have anxiety. Unhealthy fattening and processed foods mess with your mind. When I eat more brain-boosting foods like blueberries and salmon, my mood is brighter and more joyful. (Source)
- Stress – Is your home or work life stressful? Do you have a boss who yells at you or nitpicks everything you do? Do you have a spouse that criticizes you or children who make choices that worry you to death? All of these situations cause stress which of course causes anxiety. Then on top of the already stressful situation, you might start indulging in other behaviors that just make anxiety worse like skipping meals or eating too much, drinking too much coffee, or consuming alcohol. We do these things so we can escape the stresses of life but unfortunately, all they do is make things worse. I know…super frustrating!
How To Identify YOUR Specific Fears & Anxiety Triggers
It’s good knowing what some common triggers are but you really need to know what YOUR own triggers are so let’s talk about that.
Once you ID them, then you can be proactive in trying to solve some of these problems which will, in turn, alleviate some of your anxiety.
The past can be a great place to start looking when seeking out personal anxiety triggers.
There can be traumatic events that happened to you long ago, like during childhood, that are the deep-seated cause of your anxiety.
People with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) especially notice anxiety that stems from traumatic events that happened to them years ago.
Learning about your own anxiety triggers is the first step in managing the condition and learning how to cope with it in a healthy way.
Here are some methods you can use to learn more about what causes your anxiety…
More Posts To Help You Overcome Fear & Anxiety:
Overcoming A Spirit Of Fear: 31 Life-Changing Scriptures To Battle Anxiety
13 Most Powerful Bible Verses For The Girl Struggling With Anxiety Attacks
9 Creative Ways To Jazz Up Your Boring Journals & Boost Your Mental Health!
How To Figure Out What Your Personal Anxiety Triggers Are
1) Journaling
Writing down your thoughts and feelings when your anxiety is triggered is a purposeful way to notice patterns.
You can do this digitally or use a physical journal.
Keeping a daily journal and writing in it for just 10 minutes a day not only gets those negative feelings out of your head, but you can start to see how your anxiety manifests.
And you can also write in it when you’re not feeling anxious.
That way you’ll be able to discern the differences in your thoughts when you’re anxious vs when you’re not.
These details can help you figure out the causes and how to overcome those unwanted feelings.
More Posts To Help You Overcome Fear & Anxiety:
25+ Beautiful Adult Coloring Pages Christian Women Can Use To Boost Their Mental Health
9 Creative Ways To Jazz Up Your Boring Journals & Boost Your Mental Health!
20+ Creative Lists To Write In A Journal When You’re Bored Or Anxious
2) Online Therapy
I am a huge advocate of getting therapy.
Speaking with someone with experience in mental health disorders may be the best way for you to identify your personal anxiety triggers.
I’ve done both online therapy and in person.
I totally attribute therapy to helping with my mental growth.
Online therapy gave me the courage to seek further help with traditional therapy.
The online counseling platform that I recommend is online-therapy.com.
I write about it extensively in this post called Should I Try Online Therapy.
I talk more about online-therapy.com, how you can try it for free, and who online therapy is and isn’t good for.
Or if you’re interested you can create a free account by clicking below. It isn’t a free trial.
There are tools on this platform that you can use for free as long as you want.
Be I do highly recommend using the therapy sessions as they will be the most helpful to you when identifying anxiety triggers.
Click Here To Open A Totally Free Online Therapy Account!
They can ask questions and help expose you to new ways of thinking that you may not have done on your own.
A therapist can be partially responsible for new “breakthroughs” and insights in your quest of identifying your anxiety triggers.
More Posts About Online Therapy:
5 Ways To Know If Online Therapy Is Right For You!
3 Amazing Benefits Online Therapy Has Over Traditional Therapy (From Someone Who’s Done Both
3)Listen to your Body
Take note of the times when you feel anxious, and how your body is working during these times.
Do you feel more anxiety after a day or two of unhealthy eating or too many cups of coffee?
Maybe you feel more annoyed or anxious when you haven’t slept well in the last 2-3 nights.
Sometimes our own bodies can be the greatest indicator of what is causing anxiety to appear.
You can use mood trackers to help with this as well.
4)Be honest with yourself and don’t run from your feelings
It can be uncomfortable to reach down deep and determine your anxiety triggers.
It’s so much easier to just hide and bury your entire body in the sand (not just your head).
Why?
Because most people want to avoid talking about what they are feeling and feel they have to silently deal with it.
We want to appear “strong”.
However, this is not helpful, nor is it true.
It’s actually stronger to admit that you need help and are afraid.
It’s brave to say I can’t do this on my own and I need help from God and those around me.
5)Be honest with yourself and the people you confide in.
Share how you are feeling and what events led to the anxious thoughts.
Avoid sweeping past events or possible triggers under the rug.
Learning more about what triggers your anxiety can help you overcome the symptoms and negative feelings.
It can also assist you with preventing anxiety from occurring as often.
If you know what makes something happen, you can do your best to fight it and reduce its effects on you.
The most important thing to do is keep an open mind when identifying your anxiety triggers.
Know that you are not alone in feeling anxious and that it is okay to talk to others struggling with this mental condition to get help for your own issues.
6)Pray And Ask For Healing
This really should be the first thing we do and also the most consistent thing we do when dealing with a broken spirit and mind.
God made our bodies and our emotions.
He can heal our emotions and our mental struggles when we cry out to Him and ask for help. I know we have wrestled many nights with each other.
I believe God would want me to get help professionally (because that is sometimes how His healing comes) but I wouldn’t want to admit that I needed it.
So I would struggle, unnecessarily, against God and His desires for me because I felt like I knew best.
Fortunately, I grew out of my stubborn phase and got the help I needed and prayed and still pray for healing from anxiety.
The more I surrender to Him the more anxiety is defeated in my life.
I sincerely pray that you will also stop struggling against God and go to Him and ask for what it is that you need. If you are His child, He will hear you and help you!
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Medical Disclaimer: While Healthy As You Can strives to provide the most accurate information, anything you read on this site is purely for informational or entertainment purposes and should NOT be considered medical advice or as a replacement for a doctor’s care, diagnosis, appointment, advice, etc. I am not a medical professional at all. Any information, tips, or ideas that you try as a result of reading this blog is tried at your, the reader’s, own risk.
Mental Health Disclaimer: While I care deeply about your mental health, please know that I am NOT a licensed medical professional, therapist, counselor, social worker, or mental health professional. Any advice here is not to be taken as medical advice or a diagnosis. IF you need to talk to a licensed mental health professional you can use online-therapy.com (affiliate link) or call a mental health hotline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).
