The kitchen window in my mother’s home sometimes affords views of hummingbirds and baby quail. It’s also where the uneasy feeling of heavy weights on my shoulders and the pain of a washcloth being squeezed in my stomach first occurred.
Two friends had recently died. My wife was enduring a stressful situation at her workplace that affected her health. My then 80-year-old mother was recovering from a broken hip and needed help getting in and out of bed.
A few times, while visiting her or at my home, and seemingly with no reason or warning, I began to shake and cry uncontrollably.
A visit to my primary care physician was scheduled, but he was on vacation, and I visited instead with the chair of the department. We’d never met, but less than 30 seconds into our conversation, she stopped me and said no further explanation was necessary. What I was experiencing was situational anxiety.
I couldn’t accept a discussion of stress management classes and possible medication until the physician explained that anxiety is not a sign of weakness. Rather, it’s a feeling of worry, fear or nervousness about a certain situation or event, and can be an abrupt reaction to stress. An anxiety attack may feel like a sudden feeling of fear without any threat.
According to Counseling of Southwest Florida, in Fort Myers and Naples, “anxiety disorders can cause various issues including sadness, low motivation and substance abuse, and can leave individuals unable to maintain normal activities and relationships.”
Common symptoms, the organization notes, include “sweating, muscle tension, increased heart rate, upset stomach and shortness of breath … with varying severity. Therapy often includes medication, cognitive behavioral therapy and lifestyle changes for successful recovery.”
The physician who explained my situation used an analogy geared toward a layperson experiencing situational anxiety for the first time. She asked if I played sports in my youth. When I replied yes, she asked what happened when I fell. My response was that I got up and started playing again.
Returning to play at life as an adult often doesn’t occur as quickly. The physician detailed the connection between serotonin and anxiety and how levels of serotonin, a chemical messenger that helps brain and nervous system cells communicate, stabilizes mood and contributes to regulating the digestive system and sleep cycles.
When a person is frequently anxious, the brain begins to produce excess fear-related neurotransmitters, such as adrenaline, while reducing the production of serotonin. The brain creates more receptors to handle excess fear neurotransmitters and reduces the amount of serotonin receptors.
Two long-time friends have also experienced anxiety in life-changing moments. We shared our respective circumstances one night at dinner several years ago. One friend’s wife died suddenly at age 47 and later experienced discomfort similar to my anxiety symptoms; the other friend escaped a natural disaster minutes before many people died. Within a few weeks, he’d lost all his body hair.
During our dinner conversation, I shared that my physician had prescribed a low daily dose of Citalopram (brand name Celexa). It rebalances chemicals in the brain, such as serotonin, that are imbalanced in people diagnosed with anxiety. My friends had already been prescribed the same medication, and we all agreed that the drug greatly helped.
Anxiety, of course, is experienced in many ways and with varying degrees of severity. It can be a contributing factor in depression, but the two mood disorders are not mutually inclusive.
Physicians’ recommendations for anxiety disorders also vary, but one common theme is that the effects of stress and anxiety can be helped by lifestyle choices and guidelines.
Regular fitness or other activities, from running to gardening and singing to yoga, can help to support mental health and boost a sense of well-being. Relaxation techniques, such as deep breathing, meditation and aromatherapy, may help reduce stress and anxiety. Support groups and volunteer work assist in mental well-being.
What I also know now, after years of thinking otherwise, is that anxiety is not a weakness or a reason for shame.
Local resources
Blue Zones Project
311 9th St. N., Naples
paradisecoast.com; bluezonesprojectswfl@sharecare.com; 239.624.2312
Clarity Counseling of
Southwest Florida
Multiple locations
claritycounselingswfl.com; claire@claritycounselingswfl.com; 941.500.4201
Counseling of
Southwest Florida
2345 Stanford Court, Ste. 601, Naples
counselingswfl.com; 239.775.0039
Counseling of
Southwest Florida
12811 Kenwood Lane, Suite 203, Fort Myers
counselingswfl.com; 239.775.0039
Solutions Counseling
of Southwest Florida
1620 Medical Lane, Fort Myers
npiprofile.com;
239.895.4472
The Mental Health Association of Southwest Florida
2335 9th St. N., Naples
mhaswfl.org;
239.261.5405
