Life in Idaho can be beautiful—mountains, open skies, wide stretches of quiet. But that same stillness can sometimes make anxiety feel louder. Whether you're living in Boise, tucked into a smaller town, or somewhere in the vast space in between, you might be doing a great job keeping it all together on the outside while quietly falling apart inside.

Millions of people across the globe struggle with the effects of anxiety. Millions also deal with chronic pain every day, sometimes making it difficult to complete even the simplest of tasks or feel any kind of comfort.

The two might have a closer connection than you realize.

Having anxiety doesn’t automatically mean you’ll struggle with chronic pain, or vice versa. However, there can be an intersection if you’re dealing with pain and anxiety simultaneously. One can fuel the other, creating a sort of vicious cycle that might feel impossible to escape.

Let’s dig a little deeper into that intersection, why it can happen, and what you can do about it.

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While anxiety impacts millions of people, it isn’t a one-size-fits-all issue. Some people deal with generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), which often means they struggle with anxious thoughts and feelings around the clock without anything specific causing them trouble.

People with trigger-specific anxiety, on the other hand, might not struggle with anxiety all of the time. Certain events, situations, or even people can trigger their anxiety and make it feel nearly impossible to be around whatever is causing such intense symptoms.

Let’s take a closer look at the differences between generalized anxiety and trigger-specific anxiety. Recognizing these differences and the signs of both can help you learn more about why you might be dealing with anxiety, and what you can do to start your healing journey.

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Anxiety tends to be fueled by the “what ifs” in life, and that includes questions that arise from things that haven’t happened yet.

This is often referred to as anticipatory anxiety. If you feel a sense of worry or dread about a future event, it can cause you to become anxious before that situation arrives. There’s a difference between feeling nervous about something and letting your negative thoughts cause mental turmoil.

Let’s take a closer look at what anticipatory anxiety looks like and strategies you can use to overcome it.

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