How Anxiety Can Isolate You

Anxiety disorders are, unfortunately, one of the most common mental illnesses in the world. In the US, only, it affects over 18% of the population. In the UK, experts estimate that over 5% of the population struggle with the condition. In Australia, mental health services reveal that almost 15% of the population can experience anxiety disorders. The prevalence of the condition – which can take a variety of shapes and forms – brings at least one reassuring piece of knowledge: You are not alone. However, even though doctors and therapists are equipped to help you, very few people choose to look for treatment and support. For many others, anxiety is left unmanaged. It becomes a stigma and an obstacle in your everyday life. More importantly, in a world where anxiety is one of the best understood mental health issues, it is also one of the most isolating disorders.

It increases the risk of depression

Anxiety and depression are two completely different mental health conditions. Anxiety is an unpleasant sensation that makes you think you are losing control. It consequently altered your perceptions of events and situations, creating an abnormal amount of stress. Depression, on the other hand, is a medical illness that battles feeling of deep sadness. When you are depressed, you can experience sensations of worthlessness. However, the disorders have a lot of negative energy in common. The fear that causes anxiety can encourage you to reduce social interactions to avoid risks, which facilitates depressive disorders. 

Chronic anxiety affects your hearing

Anxiety increases your stress levels. Anxiety disorders are typically connected to chronic stress health issues, such as increased blood pressure or even dull skin completion. However, what you may not know is that chronic stress can have a devastating effect on your interaction skills, keeping you isolated from the people around you. Indeed, high stress levels can act as a trigger for a hearing condition called tinnitus. You can find free reading resources for tinnitus treatment here, but, ultimately, it’s a condition that interferes with your hearing and makes it hard to maintain a conversation. In some cases, stress management practices can help to get tinnitus under control. 

Not everybody understands your suffering

Opening up to friends and relatives about your issues is the first step in finding help and fighting off your anxiety. However, for a lot of people, their honesty isn’t met with support. Anxiety disorder can be challenging to understand. If your social circle fails to perceive your suffering, people might display impatient behaviors rather than offering emotional help. Faced with unpleasant comments and lack of understanding, people who struggle with anxiety feel isolated. 

Learning to deal with anxiety

Dealing with anxiety is not easy. However, the consequences of not managing your anxiety disorder could be worse. Being isolated with your disorder can make you feel inadequate and ashamed. It’s important to understand anxiety is common. A lot of people respond to dangerous situations through anxiety-induced reactions. Developing healthy coping mechanisms can make a difference and put you back in charge. 

Anxiety doesn’t have to be a prison that keeps you away from the rest of the world. With dedicated support from specialists and effective coping strategies, you can stop it in its tracks and maintain a healthy social circle.