Anxiety Disorders Symptoms

It's normal to feel anxiety and apprehension from time to the time. But when these feelings persist and interfere with everyday life, you could have an anxiety disorder.

A health professional can assist you in finding an appropriate treatment that matches your needs. This can include psychotherapy, antianxiety medications or natural remedies such as exercise, healthy diet, and sleep.

1. Worry and Fear

Everyone feels anxiety and fear from time time -- it's an inherent part of our body's "fight-or-flight" response to danger. If the fear or anxiety is intense and doesn't go away, or if it interferes with your daily activities and activities, then you could be suffering from anxiety disorder. Your doctor can identify anxiety disorders by having a discussion with you, a physical exam, blood or urine tests, and questions 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.

Symptoms of anxiety disorders vary by kind. For example, people with generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) suffer from constant excessive and irrational anxiety about everyday situations, even though they know there is no danger. They also have difficulty sleeping or relaxing. Other symptoms include a fast or fast heart (heart beating), trembling, and sweating. People suffering from panic disorders have frequent episodes of fear or terror that are intense that reach their peak within a matter of minutes. They also have trouble managing their emotions. They stay clear of certain areas and activities to avoid attacks.

People who suffer from phobias are extremely afraid of certain things like flying or snakes. They might have other symptoms such as breathing difficulties or headaches. People suffering from PTSD have anxiety after witnessing or experiencing traumatizing events, such as a war or car accident. Other symptoms include nightmares and flashbacks to the traumatizing event.

Other anxiety disorders include OCD (obsessive compulsive disorder) hoarding disorder, and social anxiety disorder. These disorders make you feel anxious when you are in social situations. You may also experience anxiety over a specific health issue, which is referred to as illness anxiety disorders types disorders worksheet (visit the next page) disorder. Other causes of anxiety are stress and an imbalance in the chemical system of your brain. Sometimes, anxiety is a side effect of some medicines.

2. Panic Attacks

People with anxiety disorders have recurring feelings of extreme panic and fear that are insignificant to the situation. These feelings can trigger severe physical reactions, such as rapid heart rate, breathlessness, and nausea. It is also possible to feel disconnected or unreal.

Although anyone can experience panic disorder however, it is more common to experience it in childhood, adolescence or in the early years of adulthood. It can be caused by many factors such as prolonged or severe stress that triggers an imbalance of chemicals in your nervous system and brain. Traumas that are severe, especially during adolescence or childhood can increase the risk of developing an anxiety disorder.

Panic attacks can occur without cause or in response to a situation that causes you to be anxious, for example, being in a large group. They differ from normal feelings of anxiety because they involve much more severe symptoms and are typically unexpected. People with anxiety disorders may also experience a mixture of unanticipated and expected panic attacks.

The most commonly used treatments for panic attacks and anxiety include medication and talking therapies. Talking therapies help you manage your fears and eliminate unfounded thoughts that cause anxiety. They can teach relaxation techniques, like deep breathing and mindfulness. Certain medications, especially SSRIs (such as Prozac and Paxil) and SNRIs (such as duloxetine and venlafaxine) -- can make anxiety and panic less severe.

It's important that you see your physician immediately if have frequent panic attacks. Your doctor can determine whether you have other health conditions with similar symptoms and recommend other treatment options.

3. Insomnia

When people are stressed, they may have trouble falling asleep or staying asleep during the night. This is known as insomnia. It can last for only a few minutes or can last for a long period. Insomnia can make it difficult to make it through the day and could lead to serious health problems. It is more prevalent among older adults and affects more women than men. It is also more common in those with psychiatric issues.

Sleepiness can be caused by a myriad of different factors. In the short term, illnesses such as colds or headaches; long-term illnesses like arthritis, acid reflux or Parkinson's disease, and medications can all affect your sleep. Stressful life situations could also be the cause. Around half of those who suffer from chronic insomnia suffer from mental health issues which is usually anxiety or depression.

The first thing a doctor will do is determine physical causes of the problem. They will examine your medical history and inquire about the symptoms making it harder to sleep. They'll also want to be aware of whether any medications you take are affecting it. They might also do an overnight sleep study so that they can observe your heart rate and breathing at night.

Behavioral therapy is the most effective treatment for insomnia. It helps you change the negative thought patterns that are keeping you awake. It also teaches you ways to relax before bed. There are methods for doing this, like progressive muscle relaxation, biofeedback and meditation. Your doctor can help find a therapist to teach you the methods. If you are not responding to behavioral therapy There are a variety of drugs that can help you get better sleep. These include benzodiazepines, which can be used to relieve symptoms temporarily and also antidepressant and antianxiety medications.

4. Eating Disorders

Eating disorders are defined by a preoccupation with body shape, weight, and food, as well as eating habits such as purging, binge eating vomiting, abuse of laxatives, and compulsive exercise. Many people who have an eating disorder also have anxiety, as do those who have a co-occurring mental illness like bipolar or depression disorder. When they are combined, these two conditions can result in a vicious cycle where the person's mood disorders can exacerbate the symptoms of their eating disorder.

There is a strong connection between anxiety disorders consequences and the severity of eating disorders. Anxiety levels that are higher symptoms are linked to the disorder. In fact those suffering from anorexia nervosa tends to endorse excessive levels of anxiety symptoms and the same applies to those suffering from the disorder of binge eating known as bulimia nervosa. In certain cases, anxiety may be the direct cause of an eating disorder. In other cases, it could be an additional manifestation of an eating disorder.

In one study, researchers found that comorbid anxiety and depression symptoms were significantly linked to more severe symptoms of eating disorders among young females. The study team utilized the Patient Health Questionnaire-4 (PHQ-4) as a four-item measure of the core depression and anxiety symptoms. They also assessed the severity of eating disorders, and asked participants to rate their ability to cope with anxiety.

The authors also examined three factors that may help explain the relationship between anxiety and eating disorders self-esteem, perfectionist tendencies and mood dysregulation. These factors moderated the relationship between anxiety/depression and eating disorders, but in different ways, depending on the subgroups. They hope the findings will enable more precise and specific treatment for eating disorders.

5. Anxiety-Related physical conditions

The majority of people have anxiety at some time in their lives, but it can become an illness if it becomes severe and causes problems in daily life. Some people also have specific physical symptoms, such as chest pain or stomach upset in response to the kind of high functioning anxiety disorder they experience.

The appropriate treatment can help people live happier and healthier lives. Many people benefit from psychotherapy or talk therapy. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is a very common kind. CBT teaches how to identify and change negative thoughts which can trigger anxiety and fear. It also helps you confront your fears and take small steps to overcome them.

It is also possible to get medication. Benzodiazepines like diazepam and Valium can ease anxiety or panic attacks. Antidepressants, such as SSRIs or tricyclic antidepressants can also be prescribed. These drugs are used to treat anxiety disorders by themselves or in conjunction with other treatments.

Medical conditions can cause anxiety and sometimes have the same physical symptoms as those of an anxiety disorder. Traumas to the head can trigger anxiety and depression for instance. Other conditions that can cause anxiety include chronic fatigue, chronic pain as well as rheumatologic diseases such as Lupus, and some nutritional deficiencies.

Certain factors increase the risk of developing anxiety disorders. These are referred to as risk factors. Certain risk factors are genetic, like the family history or anxiety disorders. Other factors, like sexual abuse in childhood or the presence of depression or other mental health problems and the accumulation of stress over a long period of time, can increase the risk of suffering from anxiety disorders. This is why it's important to get a thorough physical exam if you suspect you are suffering from anxiety.