When we are releasing stress hormones on a daily basis, both our minds and bodies are greatly affected.
In this article, we will take a look at what science says about the long-term effects of anxiety.

As a person with anxiety, you have probably realized that there can be tons of physical symptoms coming from it. Some of the most common definitely include headaches, depression, and dizziness.

Yet, there are some other things that are rarely talked about. For example, if you have noticed that your memory and concentration have gotten worse since experiencing a lot of anxiety episodes, science has an explanation for it.
The Hippocampus, a part of our brain that has a major role in learning and memory tends to shrink after a long-term anxious state.

After the anxiety affects our hippocampus, it will continue to affect other parts of our body, such as the amygdala. This will cause your body to respond with fear in literally any situation you may recognize as a threat.

Can anxiety affect the way our body looks too? Shaking and trembling are most common, but you can also experience dry mouth. Some people tend to sweat more, others will lose weight due to insufficient appetite.
Irregular heartbeats, also known as heart palpitation can appear too, together with tensed muscles and joint aches and pain.

Irritable bowel syndrome is linked to severe anxiety as well, but I will create a separate blog post for this topic. Chronic digestive issues are very common among people who have anxiety. Usually, it is nothing serious, but your anxiety is making you feel sick.

What happens if you leave anxiety untreated, and it worsens with time? For some people, anxiety can pass on its own. This happens mostly if it was triggered by an event you need some time to accept and get through.
Yet, for some people, severe anxiety that is left untreated can lead to isolation and clinical depression.
Anxiety can affect your ability to learn, work, and even have functional and healthy relationships with other people. 
Severe anxiety can stop you from enjoying your daily activities as well, such as hobbies.

What is the 3-3-3 rule in anxiety?

Did you know that you can help yourself instantly when feeling completely anxious or experiencing a panic attack?
Implement an easy 3-3-3 rule - this means that you will have to name the 3 objects you see around yourself, name 3 things you hear, and 3 parts of your body.
This easy yet effective trick will make your anxiety or panic attack vanish.

Learn more about the best types of therapy for generalized anxiety disorder in this article.