As a man, thinking that you might be experiencing anxiety can be a big hit on the ego.

According to society, men aren’t supposed to live in fear. Men are raised to be strong. To fight. And to hold the emotions in.
But believe it or not, anxiety is one of the most common mental disorders experienced in Australia.

According to Beyond Blue, one in five Australian men will experience male anxiety symptoms at some point.

Look around you.
When you’re next in the pub, at work or playing footy, one in five of the strong, loud men you see will experience anxiety.

Perhaps they already are.

You’re far from alone.

Is it possible you have male anxiety symptoms?

While popular opinion is that anxiety is just an overload of stress or worry, anxiety symptoms in men are significantly more than that.

Unfortunately, as a culture deep-rooted in the notion that a man with anxiety has some form of weakness, it can be hard for men to talk about what they’re going through to know if they’re experiencing male anxiety.

If you regularly experience a racing heart, sweating, clammy hands, butterflies in the stomach, and depersonalisation, rather than the weight of the demands of the job and family responsibilities, this could be male anxiety.

The difference between men’s and women’s anxiety symptoms

The way one man experiences anxiety might be completely different from the next.

You might have no energy, feel lost and afraid for the future, or might experience more physical symptoms such as headaches, nausea and body aches.

While women are more likely than men to experience anxiety, the symptoms for both men and women often present in the same way.

What causes male anxiety symptoms?

Male anxiety symptoms are a result of the body’s fight-or-flight response.

This physiological reaction is caused by a sudden release of cortisol that responds to specific triggers unique to the individual. Triggers might be a smell, a sound, a place or a memory of past trauma. Once activated, the symptoms of anxiety then take over.

When male anxiety symptoms are ongoing, they can impact normal life.

This can look like one too many beers after work a little too often. Another sleepless night. Or underperformance at work due to lack of concentration. Perhaps your motivation is gone, and you lack hope for the future.

When male anxiety escalates and takes over life in any of these ways, it won’t improve without intervention. In fact, it will only get worse.

How do I know my anxiety triggers?

There are many ways to manage male anxiety without medication.

A healthy diet, exercise, meditation, and reducing alcohol can all support your journey, but the key to fully curing anxiety is identifying triggers and working through them until they no longer cause fear.

When you first start to consider you’re living with male anxiety, it can be hard to know which way to turn.

Society is getting much better at understanding that men have anxiety too but finding solutions can still be a minefield.

So, what if we told you that you hold all the answers deep down within?

Meditation is a gentle practice that can help calm an anxious mind, relax the body and bring awareness to specific triggers.

While complete healing takes time, by starting very slowly on day one, an increased sense of calm can be introduced in just seven days of meditation.

Why do men need to cure anxiety?

While you might feel shame or worry about being judged for admitting you have anxiety, you must look for help to care for yourself, others and your family.

Anxiety triggers help us identify the parts of life that have been holding us back. The patterns we’ve followed and identifying them can help you live in peace today and completely change the whole course of your future. As someone who understands their triggers and manages anxiety, you will be a better father, husband, friend and son.

Anxiety is a very powerful sign that you’re not living in peace. Getting to know anxiety triggers on a deeper level isn’t just a band-aid to the current problem, it can actually lead to real transformation.

If you think you might be experiencing male anxiety symptoms, it no longer needs to take over your life.

We understand it can be hard to know how loved ones will react if you admit you have anxiety.

But the most powerful thing you can do is accept it and take the first small, tentative step.

Don’t wait to hit rock bottom.

Accepting the problem and admitting it to yourself and your environment is the beginning of the journey toward healing.