Most of us experience the feeling of anxiety in one way or another. But when the symptoms become persistent and severe, to the point of interfering with someone’s ability to function, it’s probably time to look under the hood and see what’s going on.
Anxiety disorders are among the most common mental health conditions in the world, affecting millions of people worldwide.
It’s estimated that 1 in 5 men experiences or will experience anxiety at some point in their lives, but unfortunately, men are less likely to talk about their situation, increasing the risk of anxiety going undetected and untreated.
If you suspect someone you know is struggling with this illness, below are the physical signs of anxiety you may observe that men may typically brush off.
What Can Anxiety in Men Look Like?
Anxiety can be defined as the unpleasant emotion “characterized by apprehension,” which is the feeling of fear or dread that something bad or dangerous will happen. When anxiety kicks in, physical symptoms typically follow.
When the body senses a threat (regardless of whether it’s real or not), it mobilizes the autonomic nervous system to prepare. Inducing a fight-or-flight response where the person can experience tensing muscles, faster breathing, increased heart rate, amongst other symptoms.
The varying physical symptoms someone exhibits, however, can sometimes manifest very differently between men and women.
Men who suffer from anxiety disorders can mask their intense feelings of worry and dread with anger, irritability, and emotional repression. That said, they may still display behavioral and physical manifestations of anxiety.
1. Physical Pain
While mostly considered a mental health issue, anxiety can result in real physical pain.
Headaches are a common symptom of many types of anxiety, such as generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) and panic disorder.
It’s unclear whether someone becomes more vulnerable to headaches due to anxiety or if it’s the other way around. Nevertheless, people who suffer from persistent migraines could be dealing with anxiety.
Experts also found a link between developing anxiety, migraines, and depression.
Stomach discomfort and other gastrointestinal (GI) issues are the other painful consequences of anxiety and chronic stress.
This happens because when you’re anxious or stressed, the body floods the gut with hormones and chemicals, such as adrenaline and cortisol. They alter your gut system, leading to various symptoms like cramps, diarrhea, constipation, and acid reflux.
Anxiety and nausea are common as well.
2. Shortness of Breath
Both anxiousness and panic are associated with fear. When exposed to fearful situations, the body responds by preparing to defend against the perceived threat, real or not.
The heart rate increases to pump sufficient blood to the muscles so they’re ready for action. At the same time, the breathing quickens to collect more oxygen to supply the body.
This is why people who struggle with anxiety and panic attacks often experience labored breathing or shortness of breath. It’s also usually accompanied by a racing heart, dry mouth, and dizziness.
Additionally, someone panicking from their anxiety may find speaking difficult, alongside a painful sensation in the chest area.
There are several ways to manage shortness of breath caused by anxiety disorders. Healthcare providers may recommend various relaxation techniques to reduce feelings of dread and improve breathing.
One such technique is diaphragmatic breathing, where the person uses their diaphragm muscles to expand the lungs, boosting oxygen intake and promoting relaxation. Pursed-lip breathing is another popular method of relieving shortness of breath.
If mindfulness and relaxation exercises fail to restore the normal breathing pattern, the person may need prompt medical assistance.
3. Anxious Sweating
Sweating is one of the ways the body regulates itself. But excessive perspiration can be a sign of anxiety in men and women. Stress, anxiety, and fear activate the special apocrine sweat glands.
Unlike our regular sweat glands, the apocrine gland reacts to adrenaline, which is increased during a panic or anxiety attack. This activation is automatic and near-instant when the body perceives danger.
Anxious sweat is different from normal sweat.
The moisture the body releases during exercise is mostly water. Apocrine sweat, on the other hand, is rich in lipids and proteins, which means it can come with a distinctly pungent odor.
4. Insomnia
Sleep directly impacts your mental health. Sufficient sleep improves mood, reduces stress, and enhances cognitive functions, such as memory and decision making, strengthening a person’s emotional resilience.
Lack of quality sleep, however, elevates the risk of contracting anxiety disorders or exacerbates their symptoms.
It’s not uncommon for people living with anxiety to experience sleep deprivation. This is primarily due to their bodies maintaining a constant state of hyperarousal, keeping the body on alert for potential dangers.
Plagued with worry, someone with GAD, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) could spend their nighttime ruminating about their concerns.
The constant worrying can make staying asleep hard, or even cause frequent nightmares. The daytime fatigue, irritability, and cognitive issues that follow can further lead to more stress.
These reactions can also worsen when facing tension from work, school, or relationships.
Besides mental health disorders, insomnia leaves you vulnerable to other serious ailments, including obesity, hypertension, depression, heart failure, and stroke.
See a doctor if your anxiety symptoms keep you from getting at least three nights of restful sleep in a week. While there are ways to improve sleep, consulting with a physician can help you uncover any underlying issues.
5. Changes in Appetite
One of the lesser-known effects of anxiety is how it changes a person’s appetite. With the body’s fight-or-flight response always turned on, it prioritizes survival functions and diverts focus away from hunger.
Survival functions include the cardiovascular, physiological, and respiratory changes that happen when facing danger. This suppresses needs that are considered secondary, such as the reproductive and digestive functions.
The gastrointestinal symptoms, like stomach pain and nausea, that may accompany an anxiety attack, can also make eating unappealing.
Cortisol is one of the primary stress hormones released when an individual undergoes stress. It floods the body with energy, but it increases stomach acids, which can result in a reduced appetite.
It’s essential to identify the stressors that contribute to your loss of appetite and tell your doctor about them. Finding foods you can tolerate and eat during high-anxiety situations can also help prevent malnutrition.
6. Anxiety Shakes
Although anxiety and panic attacks are different kinds of ailments, both can lead to many symptoms that are out of your control. Trembling or anxiety shakes are a typical example of this.
As the body undergoes great stress, one of its reactions is to go into fight, flight, or freeze mode.
However, with cortisol and adrenaline flooding the system, coupled with the tensed muscles, the individual can experience involuntary shaking or a sensation of trembling. This symptom can be felt in the hands or the entire body.
The uncomfortable feeling of losing control over their own bodies can make some people shake more and worsen other anxiety-related reactions.
That said, it’s worth noting that trembling is a natural stress response and is generally harmless.
For people with anxiety disorders, shaking can be triggered by certain situations. It can be as simple as eating out in public, making phone calls, meeting new people, or talking in front of a group.
In severe cases of anxiety, even the feeling of anticipation for an upcoming social interaction can cause trembling.
Exercising regularly, avoiding caffeine, and learning relaxation techniques can lessen instances of anxiety shakes. Experts also recommend “learning to sit with your feelings” as an effective way to cope.
7. Reduced Sex Drive
A low libido means you’re less interested in intimate engagement. It can be short-term or long-term, and is a typical side effect of many mental health issues, including GAD.
Your mental health can influence your body’s functions. And with anxiety, the constant stress and worry can interfere with enjoyment, even of the things that normally bring us happiness, such as lovemaking.
It’s not unusual for people suffering from anxiety disorders to also have a sexual desire disorder.
Someone with anxiety may become unable to fulfill their partner’s sexual needs. They want to, but they don’t feel arousal or physical longing, making them more anxious, which turns into a vicious cycle.
Conversely, without sexual fulfillment, their partner can falsely view themselves as less desirable, causing friction in the marriage or committed relationship.
Addressing the anxiety with professional help is the first step to reigniting sexual desire. Communicating your situation honestly with your partner can also prevent difficulties from arising.
8. Fatigue
Anxiety and fatigue go hand in hand. The torrent of hormones released during a stressful event can result in a crash when the adrenaline, cortisol, and other stress-related hormones finally subside.
A healthy individual can quickly recover their energy levels after a good night’s rest after an adrenaline rush. With GAD, however, fatigue can persist for long periods.
Low and severe instances of anxiety disorders are often accompanied by persistent exhaustion.
Individuals who feel incessantly anxious can get stuck in a loop of worry and fatigue: Something stressful happens, physical symptoms follow, the anxiety passes, and the body becomes drained of energy.
That’s not mentioning the mental exhaustion from repetitive negative thinking.
Paired with inadequate sleep, the weariness from an anxiety or panic attack can last for hours or several days. Other serious cases can experience ongoing fatigue for months or longer.
Chronic fatigue syndrome, a condition that makes a person tired regardless of the amount of rest, is generally correlated with anxiety.
Meditation, regular exercise, and avoiding sugary and fatty foods can help lower stress hormones and alleviate crashes.
9. Avoidance
It’s natural for humans to avoid situations that feel dangerous or uncomfortable. This behavior helps keep us safe and ensures our survival.
For those who live with anxiety, this avoidance behavior can be taken to the extreme. So, instead of helping, it does the opposite, bringing more harm than good.
Despite feelings of relief, excessive avoidance can impact a person’s relationships and lower their quality of life.
The cycle starts with a trigger, which can be a stressful thought or a panic attack. It caused discomforting emotions, so the person began to avoid the very situation that resulted in their feeling anxious.
To escape feeling uneasy, they may start cancelling plans, procrastinating on important tasks, relying on their phones for distraction, or isolating themselves from their friends and loved ones.
Ultimately, the brain becomes convinced it can no longer handle the anxiety or fear associated with the stressful situation, diminishing the individual’s confidence.
As avoidance continues, self-confidence can further drop, which can exacerbate anxiety, feeding the toxic cycle.
10. Substance Abuse
Men have increased odds of “self-medicating” as an avoidant response.
They may develop a habit of drinking to help with their unease. Or use drugs to deal with any painful emotions or symptoms.
Self-medication is dangerous because it can lead to dependence and substance use disorder (SUD). It’s estimated that over half of the individuals living with addiction also struggle with a mental illness like depression and anxiety.
Common Methods to Treat Anxiety
Like many mental health issues, anxiety can be managed and treated using a combination of medication and therapeutic interventions.
IFS Informed Therapy
Internal Family Systems (IFS) is an evidence-based psychotherapy that aims to help patients identify and understand different parts of themselves and how they respond to stress, anxiety, and trauma.
Founded by Dr. Richard Schwartz, IFS sees that each person is composed of different parts. Each part has their own desires, secret histories, and burdens that they carry.
These inner personalities are further grouped into three categories: the firefighters, the managers, and the exiles.
During treatment, the goal is to unify the “internal family” around your higher Self, healing the vulnerable parts to reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression.
Somatic Therapy
Unlike traditional therapies dealing with the mind, somatic therapy is a mind-body approach to treating anxiety and other serious mental health disorders.
It works under the presumption that trauma and negative experiences leave a lasting mark on the body. The body, then, becomes the focus and starting point of healing.
To alleviate anxiety, your healthcare provider may recommend various somatic exercises that blend mindfulness and body awareness.
Pendulation is an example of a somatic exercise that promotes balance between the body’s anxious and calm states. The process involves guiding the patient from a relaxed to a tense state and then back to a state of comfort.
Titration and resourcing are other examples of somatic treatment.
Integrative Therapy
Integrative therapy is a personalized treatment combining methodologies and practices from other therapeutic schools to provide holistic intervention for anxiety and panic disorders.
By tailoring the intervention based on the patient’s unique needs, integrative therapy increases the likelihood of success.
Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) is standard in many integrative treatments. In CBT, the goal is to identify and change problematic thinking and behavioral patterns that reinforce the underlying issue.
Psychodynamic and humanistic therapies can also be used in conjunction with CBT and mindfulness.
Overcome Anxiety With Professional Help
Feeling nervous and anxious from time to time is entirely normal. But if you or someone you care about exhibits symptoms that interfere with your school, work, or relationships, it’s time you consider seeking help.
Wild North Men’s Therapy is a trusted provider of in-person and online therapeutic interventions for anxiety and other mental health conditions in Toronto and Ontario. We aim to empower men struggling with GAD to develop healthy emotional resilience.
Finding help isn’t a sign of weakness, and you’re not alone in the fight. Reach out to Wild North Men’s Therapy today.
