Anxiety Disorders Symptoms
Everyone experiences anxiety and fears at times. It's a natural part of our human condition. However, when these feelings are persistent and become a problem in the daily routine, you could suffer from an anxiety disorder.
A healthcare professional can help you in finding a treatment that matches your symptoms. This may include antianxiety medications or psychotherapy and natural remedies like exercise as well as a healthy diet and sleeping.
1. Worry and Fear
Everyone experiences feelings of anxiety and fear from time to time -- it's an inherent part of our body's "fight-or-flight" response to danger. But if the feeling is severe, doesn't disappear and is a hindrance to your daily routine it could be an indication of anxiety disorder. Your doctor can identify anxiety disorders by speaking to you and conducting an examination by taking urine or blood tests and asking about your health history. You may also be provided with questionnaires to complete to help your doctor determine whether you have a specific anxiety disorder.
Different types of anxiety disorders exhibit distinct symptoms. For instance, people suffering from generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) suffer from constant excessive and irrational worries about their daily routines even though they are aware that there is no danger. They also have difficulty relaxing or falling to sleep. Other signs include a rapid heartbeat, fluttering or pounding (heart palpitations), sweating and trembling. People suffering from panic disorder experience repeated periods of intense feelings of terror or fear that rise to an extreme within minutes. They also have difficulty managing their emotions. They tend to avoid certain places or activities to avoid these attacks happening.
People who have phobias have strong fears about certain things, such as snakes or flying. Other signs include headaches or difficulty breathing. People with PTSD have anxiety when they witness or experience a traumatic incident, like a war, or car accident. They might have other symptoms, too, including nightmares and flashbacks of the traumatic incident.
Other forms of anxiety disorders include ocd hoarding disorder and social anxiety disorder, which causes you feel anxious when you are in social situations. You may also experience anxiety due to a specific health issue, which is referred to as illness anxiety disorder. Stress and chemical imbalances can also trigger anxiety. Certain medications can trigger anxiety as a side effect.
2. Panic Attacks
People with anxiety disorders experience recurring feelings of extreme panic and fear that are out of proportion to their circumstances. These feelings can cause severe physical reactions like a racing pulse, breathing problems and nausea. You might also feel disengaged or numb.
Although anyone can experience a panic disorder but it's more common to develop it in adolescence, childhood or in early adulthood. There are many factors that can trigger it, including chronic or extreme stress that creates chemical imbalances in your brain and nervous system. Trauma, especially in childhood or adolescence can increase the risk of developing anxiety disorders.
Panic attacks can occur for no reason or in response to a circumstance that causes you to feel anxious, for example, being in an entire group. They are distinct from the usual anxiety-related symptoms because they cause more severe symptoms and are typically unexpected. People with anxiety disorders can also experience a mix of expected and unexpected panic attacks.
The most popular treatments for anxiety and panic attacks include medication and talking therapies. Therapy sessions can help you control your anxiety and reduce the unfounded thoughts that cause anxiety. They can help you learn relaxation techniques, like deep breathing and mindfulness. Some medications -- especially SSRIs (such as Prozac and Paxil) and SNRIs (such as duloxetine and venlafaxine) -- can make your anxiety and anxiety less severe.
It's important that you see your doctor right away if you suffer from frequent panic attacks. Your doctor can check whether you have other health conditions with similar symptoms, and may suggest alternative treatment options.
3. Insomnia
If people are stressed, they may have trouble sleeping or staying asleep during the night. This is known as insomnia. It could be a short-term issue or a long-term. Sleep deprivation can make it difficult to function during the day and may cause serious health issues. It affects women more than men and is more common in older people. It is more prevalent among people with psychiatric conditions.
Many different things can cause insomnia. Many different things can trigger it. It can be caused by temporary illnesses like colds or headaches; long-term illnesses like acid reflux, arthritis or Parkinson's disease; and medication can all affect your sleep. Stressful life circumstances can also contribute to it. Around half of people who have chronic insomnia also suffer from mental health issues that is most often depression or anxiety.
The first thing a doctor will do is determine physical causes of the problem. They will ask you questions regarding your medical history and the symptoms that make it difficult to sleep. They will also inquire whether you are taking any medications that might affect your sleep. They may also conduct a sleep study to ensure they can track your breathing and heart rate during the night.
The most effective treatment of insomnia is a form of behavioral therapy. It helps you overcome the negative thoughts that keep you awake. It also shows you how to unwind before going to sleep. There are techniques for doing this, like biofeedback, progressive relaxation and meditation. The doctor can assist you to find a therapist to teach you these techniques. If behavioral therapy does not work then you can explore a range of medications to aid in sleeping better. They include benzodiazepines, which are used to treat symptoms for a short period of time and antidepressant or antianxiety medication.
4. Eating Disorders
Eating disorders are characterized by a preoccupation with body shape, weight, and food as well as eating habits like eating excessively, purging frequently vomiting, abuse of laxatives or exercise. Many people with an eating disorder have anxiety. The same is true for those who also suffer from mental illness such as bipolar disorder or depression. Both conditions can lead to an unhealthy cycle where the eating disorder symptoms are exacerbated by the person's mood issues.
There is a strong connection between anxiety and severity of eating disorders. Higher levels of anxiety symptoms are associated with the disorder. In fact the person suffering from anorexia nervosa is more likely to have high levels of anxiety symptoms, and the same is the case for people suffering from an eating disorder called bulimia, also known as binge eating disorder. In some instances, anxiety could be the main cause of an eating disorder. In other cases, it could be an additional sign of an eating disorder.
In one study, researchers found that comorbid anxiety and depression symptoms were significantly related to more severe symptoms of eating disorders in females who were young. The research team used a four-item scale known as the Patient Health Questionnaire-4 that measures depression and anxiety symptoms. They also assessed the severity of an individual's eating disorder and asked participants to rate their strategies for anxiety.
The researchers of the study also looked at three factors that could help explain the relationship between eating disorders and anxiety: self-esteem, perfectionism and mood dysregulation. They discovered that these variables affected the relationship between depression and anxiety symptoms and symptomatology of eating disorders and that they did this in different ways for different subgroups of the sample. They hope that the results will help them develop more precise and focused treatment of eating disorders.
5. Physical conditions that are a result of anxiety
Most people have anxiety at some time in their lives, but it could turn into an illness if it's extreme and affects your daily life. Some sufferers also experience physical symptoms, like stomach discomfort or chest pain in response to the type of anxiety they have.
Finding the best treatment for anxiety disorders can make people feel better and live happier lives. Psychotherapy, also known as talk therapy, can help many people. The most popular type is cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). CBT is a method of helping you identify and alter negative thoughts that trigger anxiety and anxiety. It also teaches you to face the things that make you anxious and conquer your fears through small steps.
Medication can also help. Benzodiazepines like diazepam or Valium can reduce anxiety and panic attacks. Antidepressants, such as tricyclic antidepressants and SSRIs are also available for prescription. These medications increase levels of certain brain chemicals that regulate mood, and they can be used alone or in conjunction with other treatments for anxiety disorders.
Medical conditions can cause anxiety and sometimes have the same physical symptoms as an anxiety disorder. Head trauma can trigger depression and anxiety for instance. Other conditions that can trigger anxiety include chronic fatigue, pain and rheumatologic conditions such as Lupus, as well as some nutritional deficiencies.
Certain circumstances make someone more likely to develop an anxiety disorder. These are known as risk factors. Some are genetic, such as the family history of anxiety disorders. Other factors such as childhood abuse, depression or other mental disorders, as well as a long-term buildup of stress can increase the risk of anxiety disorders. If you suspect that you suffer from anxiety it is crucial to have an examination for physical health.