Anxiety Disorders Symptoms
It's normal to experience anxiety and fear from time the time. However, if these feelings become constant and interfere with the daily routine, you could have an anxiety disorder.
A healthcare professional can help you in locating a treatment that is compatible with your symptoms. This can include anti-anxiety medication, psychotherapy or natural remedies such as exercise, a healthy diet and sleep.
1. Fear and Worry
Everyone 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 life it could be an indication of anxiety disorder. Your doctor can diagnose anxiety disorders by talking with you and conducting a physical exam, taking blood or urine tests and asking about your previous health. You also might be given questionnaires to fill out to help your doctor determine whether you have a specific anxiety disorder.
The symptoms of anxiety disorders can vary by kind. For instance, those with generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) suffer from constant, excessive and irrational worry about everyday events even though they are aware of no danger. They also have trouble relaxing or falling asleep. Other signs include a fast or fast heart (heart pounding) and trembling. They also experience sweating. People with panic disorder have regular episodes of intense feelings of terror or fear that can reach a peak within minutes. They also have difficulties managing their emotions. They avoid certain places and activities to avoid attacks.
People who have phobias have strong fears about certain things, like snakes or flying. Other signs include headaches, or difficulty breathing. People with PTSD are anxious after experiencing or witnessing traumatizing events like a war, or car crash. Other symptoms include flashbacks and nightmares of the traumatizing incident.
Other types of anxiety disorders include ocd hoarding disorder, and social anxiety disorder, which causes you feel anxious in social settings. There's also anxiety about a specific health problem, called illness anxiety disorder (formerly known as hypochondria). Stress and a chemical imbalance may also cause anxiety. Some medicines can cause anxiety as a side-effect.
2. Panic Attacks
Individuals with anxiety disorders experience recurring feelings of extreme anxiety and fear that are not proportional to the situation. These feelings can trigger extreme physical reactions, including a racing heartbeat, shortness of breath and nausea. They may cause you to feel disoriented or disconnected from reality.
While anyone can have a panic attack, you're more likely to develop this mental health issue in your childhood, adolescence or early adulthood. It can be caused by a variety of factors, including severe or prolonged stress that triggers a chemical imbalance in your brain and nervous system. Trauma, particularly during childhood or adolescence can increase your chances of developing anxiety disorders.
Panic attacks can happen for no apparent reason or as a result of a specific situation that makes you afraid for example, being in a large crowd. They are different from normal anxiety symptoms in that they exhibit more severe symptoms and are often unavoidable. Individuals with anxiety disorders may also experience a combination of unexpected and expected panic attacks.
Therapy and talk therapy are the most common treatments for panic attacks and anxiety. Talking therapies help you manage your fears and eliminate irrational thoughts that fuel your anxiety. They can also help you learn to relax through exercises like deep breathing and mindfulness. Certain medications, like duloxetine and SNRIs, such as SSRIs and venlafaxine, can aid in reducing anxiety and anxiety.
If you're experiencing a regular panic attack, it's important to consult with your doctor and get immediate treatment. Your doctor can check for other medical conditions that have similar symptoms, and may recommend alternative treatments.
3. Insomnia
If people are stressed they may have trouble falling asleep or staying asleep during the night. This is called insomnia. It could be a short-term issue or a long-term. Sleep deprivation can make it difficult to function during the day and could cause serious health problems. It is more common among older adults and affects more women than men. It is also more prevalent for those suffering from psychiatric disorders.
A variety of things can cause insomnia. Temporary illnesses like colds or headaches; long-term illnesses such as arthritis, acid reflux or Parkinson's disease, and medication can affect your sleep. Stressful life circumstances could also be the cause. Around half of people who have chronic insomnia also suffer from mental health issues which is usually depression or anxiety.
A doctor will first determine physical causes. They will ask you questions regarding your medical history and the symptoms that make it difficult to sleep. They will also ask if you are taking any medication that may be affecting your sleep. They may also conduct an overnight sleep study so that they can observe your breathing and heart rate at night.
Behavioral therapy is the most effective treatment for insomnia. It assists you in changing the negative thinking patterns that are keeping you awake. It also shows you how to unwind before you go to bed. There are a variety of methods to do this, such as progressive muscle relaxation, biofeedback and meditation. Your doctor can help you find a therapist to teach you these methods. If behavioral therapy does not work it is possible to try a variety of medications to assist you in sleeping better. They include benzodiazepines, which are employed for short-term relief of symptoms as well as antidepressant or antianxiety medication.
4. Eating Disorders
The most common symptoms of eating disorders are obsessions with weight, body shape and food, as well eating habits like restricting eating, binge eating purging (through vomiting or laxative misuse) and compulsive exercise. Many people who have an eating disorder also suffer from anxiety and have a mental illness co-occurring with it like bipolar or depression disorder. The two conditions can result in an unhealthy cycle in which the eating disorder symptoms are further aggravated by a person's mood issues.
There is a strong link between anxiety and eating disorder severity. Anxiety levels that are higher symptoms are linked to the disorder. Patients with anorexia nervosa tend to have high levels of anxiety-related symptoms. The same is true for binge-eating disorders, bulimia, or the condition known as bulimia. In certain cases, anxiety may be the direct reason behind an eating disorder. In certain instances anxiety could be a indication of an eating disorder.
In one study, researchers found that depression and anxiety symptoms were significantly linked to more severe eating disorder symptomatology in females who were young. The research team used the Patient Health Questionnaire-4 (PHQ-4) as a four-item measure of core anxiety and depression symptoms. They also analyzed the severity of eating disorders, and asked participants to rate how they manage anxiety.
The authors of the study also examined three aspects that could explain the relationship between eating disorders and anxiety: perfectionism, self-esteem and mood dysregulation. They discovered that these variables moderated the link between anxiety/depression symptoms and symptomatology of eating disorders, and that they did differently for different subgroups of the sample. They hope that the findings will help them develop more precise and targeted treatment of eating disorders.
5. Anxiety-Related physical conditions
The majority of people suffer from anxiety at some point in their lives, but it could turn into a disorder if it is severe and causes problems in with daily activities. Certain people also experience specific physical symptoms, such as stomach pain or chest pain in response to the kind of anxiety they experience.
The appropriate treatment can allow people to live happier and healthier lives. Many people benefit from psychotherapy or talk therapy. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is a popular type. CBT helps you identify and overcome negative thoughts that cause anxiety and fear. It also teaches how to face your fears and take small steps to overcome them.
Medication can help. Benzodiazepines, such as diazepam and Valium can help reduce anxiety or panic attacks. Antidepressants, such as SSRIs or tricyclic antidepressants are also prescribed. These medications increase levels of certain brain chemicals that control mood, and can be used alone or with other treatments for anxiety disorders .
Certain medical conditions can trigger anxiety and may have the same symptoms as anxiety disorders. For instance, head trauma, can lead to depression and anxiety. Other conditions that can trigger anxiety include chronic pain and fatigue disorders and rheumatologic conditions like lupus and some nutritional deficiencies, such as iron deficiency.
Certain factors make a person more likely to develop anxiety disorders. These are called risk factors. Some risk factors are genetic, like the family history or 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 have anxiety issues, it is important to undergo a physical exam.
