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Anxiety, also known as Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD), is an emotion that can have both physical and psychological impacts on you.
Your mind becomes fixated on a thought or an issue, and your body tenses up. It gets hard to concentrate on other things when you are having an anxiety attack. It can also affect your sleep cycle and appetite.
That said – a little anxiety can help at times. For instance, being anxious about an upcoming job interview or an exam can motivate you to prepare well.
However, you must know how to keep it under control, or anxiety can easily take over you. For example, anxiety is not good if you are too anxious for an exam, as it will not let you concentrate.
If you let anxiety get the better of you, it will start having adverse effects on your daily life, and you may develop an anxiety disorder. There are various types of anxiety disorders, however, all of them have one thing in common. The sufferer experiences an overwhelming anxiety that does not necessarily equate to the actual reality.
Types of Anxiety Disorders
Apart from GAD, experts classify anxiety into the following:
- OCD –Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder
- Panic Disorder
- PTSD – Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
- SAD – Social Anxiety Disorder
- And specific phobias
However, DSM – 5, “Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders,” has split anxiety disorder into three main categories.
- Anxiety disorders
- OCD and other related disorders
- Trauma and stress-related disorders.
10 Symptoms of Anxiety Disorders
All of us experience anxiety in some form and at some stage in our lives. In fact, it is a normal psychological response to stressful situations like anticipating upcoming events, changing jobs or dealing with financial turmoil.
When the anxiety outgrows the event that caused it in the first place, it starts to affect your life. Anxiety order can be debilitating, but you can manage it with adequate and prompt medical assistance. However, first, you must learn to identify the symptoms. Here are ten of them:
- Agitation
When you feel anxious, your sympathetic nervous system goes into overdrive mode, kicking off a cascade of adverse physiological effects. For instance, you may experience effects such as racing heartbeat, shaky hands, dry mouth, and sweaty palms.
These symptoms manifest as a defense mechanism because your brain interprets an event as an imminent danger and prepares your body to react accordingly. However, a person with an anxiety disorder may experience these symptoms for an extended period of time.
2. Fatigue
Another potential sign is becoming easily fatigued. It may come as a surprise because anxiety is usually associated with arousal or hyperactivity. However, fatigue can manifest in some people occasionally, while for others, it can be chronic.
That said – fatigue is also a sign of depression. Therefore, you can speak to your doctor, as it is possible to develop other mental health issues with anxiety disorders.
3. Irrational Phobias
Developing extreme fears and phobias about a certain situation or things such as enclosed spaces, spiders, heights, etc. can point to possible anxiety disorder.
Some common phobias may include fear of natural disasters, fear of blood, fear of specific insects and animals, or certain situations such as elevators and flying on airplanes.
4. Irritability
According to a recent study with 6,000 adult participants, over 90 percent with GAD reported experiencing high irritability during their worst phase of an anxiety episode. It does not come as a shock because anxiety is generally associated with excessive worrying and high arousal.
5. Excessively Worrying
Excessively worrying over something is one of the most common signs of an anxiety disorder. However, a one-off event of excessive worrying does not make it an anxiety disorder. The behavior must trigger on most days for a minimum of six months while you struggle to control it.
6. Panic Attacks
Recurring panic attacks or panic disorders are an alternate term used for anxiety disorder. It invokes an overwhelming or intense sensation of fear that is very real and debilitating for the sufferer.
A person suffering from a panic attack may experience shortness of breath, sweating, rapid pulse, shaking, nausea, chest tightness, losing control, or fear of dying.
7. Restlessness
This one is another common sign of anxiety order, especially amongst children and teenagers. When experiencing restlessness, you feel on edge with an uncomfortable itch to move or switch positions. A study conducted on 128 children found 74 percent to report restlessness as the main symptom of their anxiety.
8. Sleeping Disorders
If you suffer from anxiety disorders, you may experience trouble going to sleep or staying asleep. Sleeping disorders are strongly associated with all types of anxiety disorders. Two of the most common problems are struggling to fall asleep and waking up during the night and struggling to fall asleep again. Childhood insomnia is another cause linked to developing an anxiety disorder.
9. Struggling to Concentrate
Having a tough time concentrating is one of the most reported symptoms of an anxiety disorder. In a study of 157 children and teenagers, over two-thirds experienced difficulty concentrating. Whereas, a study conducted on 175 adults saw almost 90 percent struggling with concentration.
10. Tensed Muscles
People with anxiety disorder can experience tense muscles frequently. Although a common symptom, researchers are still trying to understand what causes it during anxiety.
Treatment for Anxiety Disorder
If you believe you have any of the above symptoms, do not panic. An anxiety disorder is treatable via various methods, including coping strategies, medications, and psychotherapy.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is one of the most effective psychotherapies to help people suffering from anxiety disorders.
Therefore, if you or any of your loved one is suffering from an anxiety disorder, several treatment options can help ease the problem and live life to the fullest.
That said – you must remember, it may take some time before your therapist and you discover a treatment that is best for you. Keep communicating with your GP, be patient, and stay open-minded while your therapist or mental health expert figures out the best plan of action that works for you.
