Anxiety Disorders Symptoms

Everyone experiences anxiety and fears at times - it's an inevitable part of our human condition. If these feelings are persistent and are affecting your daily life, you might have an anxiety disorder.

A health professional can assist you in locating a treatment that matches your symptoms. This could include anti-anxiety medication, psychotherapy or natural remedies like exercise, healthy diet, and sleep.

1. Worry and Fear

Every person experiences anxiety and fear at times. It's part of the body's "fight or fight" response to danger. However, if the fear or anxiety is extreme, doesn't go away and interferes with your daily activities you could be suffering from an anxiety disorder. Your doctor can diagnose anxiety disorders through a chat with you, a physical exam, blood or urine tests, and inquiries regarding your past health. You could be asked to fill out questionnaires that will aid your doctor in determining if you have an anxiety disorder.

The different types of anxiety disorders have distinct symptoms. For instance, those with generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) suffer from constant excessive and irrational worries about everyday events even when they know there is no danger. They also have trouble getting comfortable or falling asleep. Other signs include a rapid, fluttering or pounding heart (heart palpitations), trembling and sweating. People with panic disorder have frequent moments of intense terror or fear that rise to a peak within minutes, and they experience difficulties controlling their emotions. They usually try to avoid certain locations or activities to stop these attacks from happening.

People with phobias have very strong fears about certain things, like snakes or flying. They may also experience other symptoms, too like breathing problems or headaches. People with PTSD experience anxiety after witnessing or experiencing traumatizing events like a war or car accident. They might have other symptoms, too, such as flashbacks and nightmares about the traumatizing incident.

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 disorder. Stress and a chemical imbalance can also cause anxiety. Certain medications can trigger anxiety as a side-effect.

2. Panic Attacks

Everyone is anxious or scared at some point, those suffering from anxiety disorders are prone to recurring feelings of extreme fear and panic that are in contrast to their personal circumstances. These feelings can cause severe physical reactions such as rapid heart rate, shortness in breath and nausea. You may also feel detached or numb.

While anyone can have an anxiety attack but you're more likely to suffer from this type of mental health issue in your the adolescent years, childhood or early adulthood. It can be caused by many factors such as prolonged or severe stress that creates an imbalance of chemicals in your brain and nervous system. Traumas that are severe, especially during childhood or adolescence can increase the risk of developing an anxiety disorder.

Panic attacks can occur for no reason or in response a situation that causes you to be afraid, like being around a large number of people. They are distinct from the usual anxiety symptoms since they cause more intense symptoms and are usually unexpected. Individuals with best anxiety disorder treatment disorders may also experience a mix of unanticipated and expected panic attacks.

Talking therapies and medication are the most common treatments for anxiety and panic attacks. Talking therapies can help you manage your anxiety and help you eliminate the irrational thoughts that fuel your anxiety. They can teach you relaxation techniques such as mindfulness and deep breathing. Certain medications, particularly SSRIs (such as Prozac and Paxil) and SNRIs (such as duloxetine and venlafaxine) can help reduce anxiety and make anxiety less severe.

It's important that you see your doctor immediately if you suffer from frequent panic attacks. Your doctor will determine if you have other medical conditions that have similar symptoms and suggest other treatment options.

3. Insomnia

When people are stressed they may have difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep during the night. This is known as insomnia. This can be only a few minutes or may last for a long time. Insomnia can make it hard to function during the day and may cause serious health issues. It is more prevalent among older adults and is more common in women than men. It is more prevalent among those with psychiatric disorders.

Insomnia can be caused by a myriad of different factors. Sleep can be affected by temporary illnesses such as headaches or colds or chronic illnesses like acid reflux, Parkinson's disease or arthritis and medicines. Stressful life situations can also cause it. Around half of those who suffer from chronic insomnia have a mental health condition which is usually anxiety or depression.

The first thing a doctor will do is look for physical causes for the problem. They will check your medical history and ask about the symptoms making it harder to sleep. They'll also want be aware of whether any medications you are taking are affecting it. They can also conduct a sleep study to observe your breathing and heart rate at night.

Behavioral therapy is the most effective treatment for insomnia. It helps you change the negative thoughts that keep you awake. It also teaches you ways to relax before bed. There are a variety of methods to do this, including biofeedback, progressive muscle relaxation and meditation. Your doctor can assist you to find a therapist who can teach you the techniques. If you are not responding to behavioural therapies there are many medications that can help you get better sleep. They include benzodiazepines, which are used to treat symptoms for a short period of time as well as antidepressant or antianxiety medication.

4. Eating Disorders

An eating disorder is characterized by a preoccupation with weight, body shape and food, as well as eating habits like restricting eating, binge eating purging (through vomiting or laxative misuse) and compulsive exercise. Many people who suffer from an eating disorder suffer from anxiety. This is also the case for those who suffer from mental illness such as bipolar disorder or depression. Both conditions can lead to an unhealthy cycle where eating disorder symptoms are made worse by the person's mood issues.

There is a strong link between anxiety and eating disorder severity. More anxiety symptoms are associated with the disorder. In fact those suffering from anorexia tends to exhibit excessive levels of anxiety symptoms and this is true for those with the disorder of binge eating known as bulimia nervosa. In some cases anxiety can be the primary cause of an eating disorder. In certain cases anxiety could be a supplementary sign of an eating disorder.

In one study, researchers discovered that comorbid anxiety and depression symptoms were significantly associated with more severe symptomatology of eating disorders in females who were young. The team of researchers used the Patient Health Questionnaire-4 (PHQ-4) which is a four-item measure of core anxiety and depression symptoms. They also analyzed the severity of an individual's eating disorder and asked participants to rate their strategies for anxiety.

The authors of the study also analyzed three factors that may aid in understanding the relationship between eating disorders and anxiety: self-esteem, perfectionism and mood dysregulation. These factors may have influenced the relationship between depression/anxiety and eating disorder symptoms however in different ways based on the subgroups. They hope the findings will enable more precise and targeted treatment of eating disorders.

5. Physical Conditions that are a result of anxiety

The majority of people experience feelings of anxiety at some moment, but it turns into a problem when it's extreme and causes of generalized anxiety disorder problems with daily living. Some people might be experiencing physical symptoms, such as chest pain or stomach discomfort according to the kind of anxiety they're experiencing.

The right treatment can help people live more healthy and happier lives. Psychotherapy, or talk therapy, can help many people. A common type is cognitive behavior therapy (CBT). CBT teaches you to recognize and overcome negative thoughts that trigger anxiety and fear. It also teaches you how to deal with anxiety disorder without medication to confront your fears and take small steps to overcome them.

Medication can be helpful. Benzodiazepines like diazepam or Valium can help ease anxiety and panic attacks. Antidepressants, such as SSRIs or tricyclic antidepressants can also be prescribed. These drugs increase levels of certain brain chemicals that regulate mood and can be used on their own or together with other treatments to treat anxiety disorders.

Medical conditions can cause anxiety and may have the same symptoms as anxiety disorders. Head trauma, for example, can lead to anxiety and depression. Other conditions that can cause anxiety include chronic fatigue, chronic pain, some rheumatologic illnesses, such as Lupus, as well as some nutritional deficiencies.

Certain aspects make a person more likely to develop an anxiety disorder. These are known as risk factors. Some are genetic, for example, an ancestral history of anxiety disorders. Other factors, such as childhood addiction, depression or other mental disorders, and an accumulation of stress for a long time can increase the risk of anxiety disorders. If you suspect you suffer from anxiety, it is important to undergo an examination of your body.