SYMPTOMS OF ANXIETY - OVERVIEW
If you've landed here, it's likely you are trying to get help for problems with Anxiety. The symptoms of anxiety will be covered in detail, and it is hoped you will get a good understanding about whether you could benefit from professional help or not. Of course, if you're truly worried about your level of anxiety and feel it's disrupting your life in a significant way - you can always schedule an appointment with a doctor or Psychologist to get their clinical opinion.
A little Anxiety can actually be useful in keeping us alert and ready to react accordingly. For example, if you're getting ready to give a speech and you can really feel the butterflies in your stomach - this is a "normal" level of anxiety - you're still able to think clearly and, possibly, more quickly when feeling anxious. You may be able to focus better on your speech too...as long as you're not TOO anxious.
But when anxiety gets to the point when it can no longer be managed, and it starts to rule our lives - more help is needed. An example of this could be that you are feeling too anxious to leave the house to meet your friends for dinner for fear you'll have a panic attack at the restaurant. Or, you stay home from school for fear that if you go, everyone will see how anxious you are - that your hands will shake, you'll begin sweating profusely, and your thoughts will race to the point where you can hardly hold your train of thought.
These are only examples...but if you have symptoms of an anxiety disorder, you'll know how real these scenarios could feel. However, there are many effective treatments for anxiety disorders available today.
I've included links to some of the best programs available for treating anxiety disorders. The links are listed in the left margin of the page. They are also listed further down, under the heading "Proven Treatments For Anxiety," where there is also a brief description of what they offer. Many of these programs can be done independently, if that's something you'd prefer.
SYMPTOMS OF ANXIETY DISORDER
The symptoms of anxiety disorders can be broken down into 2 categories - physical symptoms of anxiety, and emotional symptoms of anxiety.
Physical Symptoms of Anxiety:
-Muscle tension
-Insomnia
-Frequent need to urinate
-Dizziness
-Sweating
-Intense heart pounding
-Feeling short of breath
-Trembling or shaky hands
-Overall feeling of fatigue
-Stomach or intestinal distress (diarrhea)
Emotional Symptoms of Anxiety:
-feeling jumpy or restless
-difficulties concentrating
-increased irritability
-having troubles collecting your thoughts
-always feeling like the worst is going to happen
Anxiety attacks (also called Panic Attacks)
Anxiety attacks are the most frightening of anxiety related dilemmas. They can occur without warning or in anticipation of some event which will happen in the near future (going to a family reunion, meeting a friend who may be angry with you, seeing a large group of friends at a restaurant etc.) and can last up to 20 or 30 minutes. Most anxiety attacks are much shorter in duration, usually lasting just a few minutes. But those few minutes can feel like an eternity in the throes of a full fledged panic attack. Many people who have experienced anxiety attacks feel like they are having a heart attack, regardless of their age or how healthy they are. Here are a few of the most common symptoms of an anxiety attack:
-hyperventilating
-difficulties breathing, similar to choking and gasping for air
-chest pain and increase in heart rate
-nausea
-intense shaking
-sweating
-racing thoughts
-a sudden surge of panic
After having an Anxiety attack, many people begin fearing if or when they will have another, and may stop going places. If this is you - please know there are many excellent treatments for anxiety attacks! You do not have to live with these symptoms of anxiety forever. More on treatment for anxiety disorders further down.
SIX TYPES OF ANXIETY DISORDERS
I will only outline these disorders briefly since the theme of the site is to discuss the symptoms of Anxiety disorder. But I wanted to provide you with an overview of all the Anxiety disorders so you can appreciate just how complex the issue is.
OCD, or Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
This disorder, as the name suggests, has both "obsessive" and "compulsive" characteristics. The Obsessive part is when a person has recurrent thoughts or impulses that may deemed as inappropriate and cause an increase in Anxiety. The Compulsive part is the repetitive behavior or actions that a person performs in response to the thoughts or impulses. The person feels the need to follow these actions in a very set, or methodical way. In so doing, they believe they are reducing their stress level. These Obsessive Compulsive episodes can take up a great deal of time each day. Eventually, the individual needs to realize how irrational their thoughts/behavior are, and seek help with the disorder.
Generalized Anxiety Disorder, or GAD
GAD can be described as excessive worry over things that will not likely happen. It's common to worry about being late for work or school. It's also common to get anxious about missing the bus or getting your bills paid on time. But for a person with GAD, the individual may fixate on small dilemmas like this and blow them out of proportion. They may feel that if they do not get the electric bill paid on time, they'll have no electricity the next day. People with GAD have great difficulties letting go of these negative thoughts, and tend to focus on potential disasters. They also have a hard time taking action to make their situation better. The symptoms people experience are stomach distress, headaches, nausea, poor sleep, chest pains, fatigue - to name a few of the most common physical symptoms of GAD. They also have troubles concentrating, difficulty falling asleep, and can be irritable.
Panic Disorder
Panic Disorder is described above and under the heading "anxiety attacks," or "panic attacks." With Panic disorder, unlike GAD, the person's level of anxiety has increased to the point where they can no longer manage it and have Anxiety attacks.
Phobias
Simply stated - phobias are irrational fears of things, events, or the anticipation of something they dread. Common examples are being excessively afraid of heights, spiders, animals etc. A person who has a phobia, may know that his or her fear is unreasonable but are powerless to overcome the fear on their own. It can even impact their personal lives if not dealt with. For example, their partner may leave them, they lose their job etc. With treatment, phobias can be overcome.
Social Anxiety Disorder, also called Social Phobia
Social Anxiety Disorder occurs when an individual has a fear of embarrassing themselves in front of others. The person's fear of being humiliated or embarrassed goes beyond what is considered normal, and creates a strong internal fear. They may believe that they are the only ones who experience this and think that others are always more popular or competent in social arenas than they are. Again - the fear or anxiety they feel is exaggerated. For example, if they blush, it may trigger a panic attack. The person is well aware their fear is irrational but have a hard time understanding how to overcome it. Also, it is different from simply being shy. A shy person may be uncomfortable in social situations, but does not feel an intense anxiety from just being in a social situation. A person with Social Anxiety disorder may not actually be uncomfortable around people, but will have intense anxiety around a particular event (public speaking), place etc. As with other anxiety disorders, there are many effective treatments for Social Anxiety Disorder.
PTSD, or Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
PTSD is an anxiety disorder brought on by some horrific, traumatizing event or series of events. For example, veterans may have PTSD after experiencing trauma from war. Or, someone who has been sexually abused as a child may have PTSD as an adult. PTSD symptoms (like flashbacks), can be triggered by various sights, sounds, places etc. People who have PTSD try to avoid encountering any situation which may invite a flashback. For example, a veteran may suddenly re-experience a traumatic event from the war after hearing the booming sounds of fireworks on the 4th of July. When this type of event occurs, they essentially re-experience the event in their minds. This causes a high level of anxiety. A high percentage of all people accessing mental health agencies have PTSD. With treatment, people can develop ways to manage the symptoms of it.
THE SIGNIFICANCE OF ANXIETY AND DEPRESSION
Although "Depression and Anxiety" together are not part of the different types of Anxiety disorders as described above, the combination of the two are worth mentioning since they are so commonly linked. In fact, the research indicates that up to %70 of peope with one of these disorders, also has the other. In the field of Psychology, this means they are "comorbid," or exist at the same time.
Both disorders tend to fuel one another, making the situation worse. Depression tends to slow the person's thinking down, making them feel less energetic overall. Couple this with anxiety, which makes people feel more stressed and negative about what harm could come to them.
The good news or "silver lining," is that many of the medications and therapies used to treat one of these disorders, can work well for treating the other. For example Cognitive Behavioral therapy works great for treating both Depression and Anxiety. And many of the medications target both as well. It's important to talk to your doctor or therapist about this when discussing your symptoms so they can then better know how best to help you.
ANXIETY DISORDERS IN CHILDREN AND TEENS
Much of the above information is seen in adults. In children and teens, the symptoms of anxiety disorders can look somewhat different. Children and teens can get anxious in relation to a specific event such as starting a new school, losing a grandparent or parent, moving to a new geographic area, to name a few examples. These are situational events and many kids and teens, with time, will learn to cope with these events and move on.
For some, however, events like these can trigger more serious anxiety conditions. Research indicates that kids and/or teens who develop high levels of anxiety when they are young, have a more difficult time adjusting socially and are more apt to abuse substances.
For Counselors, it can be difficult to decipher between what may be the beginnings of an anxiety disorder and what is simply a normal level of anxiety because kids are always growing, developing and changing.
Perhaps your child is excessively worried about their grades at school, or have an intense fear of making mistakes. They may make "what if" statements about events in the future or feel that they are to blame if things go wrong. They may also be looking for your parental approval all the time. If you feel that your child or teen may be showing signs or symptoms of anxiety that appear more concerning than a "normal" level of anxiety, consult your doctor or School Counselor.
TREATMENT FOR ANXIETY DISORDERS
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
One of the most effective and common therapy models used for treating anxiety disorders is Cognitive Behavioral therapy. The therapist and individual will work on identifying and understanding the irrational thoughts or perceptions accompanying their anxiety (the Cognitive part).
They will then work at replacing or modifying the unwanted behavior (the Behavioral part). Often, the therapist will work with the person’s irrational fear or anxiety by exposing them to it in a controlled manner. This way, the person will experience the uncomfortable symptoms in front of the therapist and can learn to work through it with the help and support of the therapist.
The treatment can get more complicated if the person has another illness accompanying the Anxiety disorder. For example, Depression is very commonly associated with Anxiety disorders. Therefore, the treatment program will have to be individually tailored to each person.
Medications
There are many medications which target the symptoms of Anxiety. These medications are called Anxiolytics. Many Anti-Depressants also work well in treating anxiety disorders. Each person has to discuss this with their own Doctor or Psychiatrist. Medications are most effective when used in conjunction with other therapies, such as Cognitive Behavioral therapy.
PROVEN TREATMENTS FOR ANXIETY
There are many other treatments available as well. I’ve included the links to some of the most effective treatment programs on the margins of the page, and will also add them here. These programs have helped many people find the ultimate relief they’ve been looking for in managing their Anxiety Disorder. All of these programs have been very successful. Most of them use holistic or all natural ways to manage symptoms of Anxiety Disorder. I'll add them here, but in no particular order.
Click Here! for "Easy Calm," which was developed by someone who had panic attacks.
Click Here! for "The Linden Method" a tried and true program which has worked for thousands of people worldwide.
Click Here! for the "Conquering Stress" program.
Click Here! "Panic Away" - uses all natural methods for treating anxiety.
Click Here! for "Panic and Anxiety be Gone" which also uses all natural methods to treat anxiety.
Click Here! for this program, which targets GAD and Panic Attacks.
Click Here! for "Calming Words" which offers an eclectic approach to managing symptoms of anxiety disorder.
Click Here! for "The Natural Anxiety Cures", as the name suggests - offers holistic ways to manage stress and anxiety.
Click Here! "PTSD and Fast Phobia Relief" - this program specifically targets how to treat PTSD and other Phobias.
HOW TO FIND A THERAPIST
There are many good Psychologists, M.A. (Masters) level Therapists, Psychiatrists, Psychiatric Nurse Practitioners (PNP), and Doctors trained in dealing with Anxiety Disorders. If you believe you have an Anxiety disorder - call your insurance company and describe the types of symptoms you are having and ask for a Professional who works specifically with Anxiety disorders. You may also consider calling your EAP (Employee Assistance Program) through your Employment, as this can be an excellent resource as well.
Once you get the name and number of a Therapist, call them. You can usually get an initial consultation free of charge. It gives you a chance to ask the person about their credentials, experience etc. It's also a good opportunity to see how you'll feel in talking to them face to face.
ANXIETY DISORDER SUPPORT GROUPS
There are many good support groups for anxiety too, and many of these are free. It's a great way to meet others who are having similar experiences to yours, and to feel a greater sense of support. You can find support groups by calling your insurance company or EAP as well. There may also be some groups listed in your phone book. Or, you can simply type in "Anxiety Disorder Support Groups" in your favorite search engine, specifying what city you're looking to find them in.
If you don't have health insurance, call NAMI or your local crisis line to find out if they know of any low cost (sliding fee scale) counseling resources. They may also know of some free Counseling resources. On occasion, there are colleges who provide free counseling for people without insurance. It is usually comprised of Student counselors who are studying for their Master's degree in Counseling or Social Work. You may not get a Counselor with a lot of experience, but you can still learn a lot about ways to manage your symptoms of anxiety.
I've also included the links to NAMI, or the "National Alliance on Mental Illness." They are a premier resource for both the people who have a mental illness, and their families. It's an excellent support and educational resource. They can also be reached by phone at 1-800-950-NAMI (6264). The link for NAMI can be found on the left side of the page.
The link to the ADAA, "Anxiety Disorders Association of America" is also included on the left margin of the page. It's an excellent informational site about anxiety, and what types of support are available.
CRISIS LINE
Also - if you are really struggling with your symptoms of anxiety, you can call your local crisis line. It is especially important to call the crisis line if your anxiety feels like too much to live with and you're having thoughts of suicide. Know that you're not alone if you're feeling this way! Also know there is help available to get you through! Crisis phone numbers will be listed in your phone book, or you can find them on-line. Crisis lines can also be a useful source of information - you don't necessarily have to be in crisis to call them. Crisis line workers are trained Mental Health professionals who can help you in the moment, and also provide a list of available agencies or therapists who can best help you in your geographic area. Best of luck!
