Anxiety produces apprehension, nervousness or uneasiness that all people face once in awhile. It should not interrupt your daily life or overall happiness. If you find anxiety is consuming too much of your time, take a look at these symptoms and see if your experiences are similar. Anxiety disorders are easily treatable with professional counseling or even medication, if necessary. Do not let anxiety ruin your life when you can control it.
Excessive Worrying
Anxiety arises for many people when they are concerned about situations, such as an upcoming test or speaking during a public event. However, anxiety becomes a disorder if you worry excessively, especially about circumstances that are blown out of proportion. The anxiety develops into a problem when normal functioning, sleeping or regular eating habits are disrupted, according to Medical News Today. Worrying constantly about family troubles, financial conditions, health issues or job-related concerns can turn into distress. Each of these problems may cause concern at times, but excessive worries become unrealistic and unproductive. Some stress in life is expected, but not disruptive.
Physical Reactions
Anxiety can result in strong physical reactions, including headaches, irritability, restlessness, muscle tension, sweating, hot flashes, twitching or trembling, Psych Central notes. You might always feel on edge and become easily fatigued. Concentrating becomes difficult. Nausea may result. Constant worry is sometimes referred to as being "sick with worry." The feelings can make you become easily startled. Heart palpitations, numbness in the extremities, lightheadedness or blurry vision can occur. Anxiety disorders lead some people to make vague physical complaints, such as backaches or chest problems that cannot be pinpointed or diagnosed by a doctor. Insomnia can occur because of obsessive worries.
Fears
Anxiety that intensifies fears may include phobias, obsessive-compulsive disorders or post-traumatic stress disorders. Phobias interfere with normal living, the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) points out. Social phobias can make you fear being embarrassed in public or being around people. Specific phobias include fears of situations, such as fear of flying or fear of elevators. Claustrophobia creates fears that may result in staying near doors or exits in a room to get away as soon as possible. Obsessive-compulsive disorder includes fears of being contaminated or of something terrible happening if certain rituals are not performed, such as repeatedly checking locked doors. Post-traumatic stress disorder causes fears based on a horrible or violent act witnessed in the past. The disorder leads to fears of similar situations and avoiding them.
Anxiety Attacks
A panic or anxiety attack is an anxiety disorder that produces unprovoked or sudden reactions that may cause tightness in the throat, shortness of breath or dizziness, according to the AAFP. You might fear you are losing control or even that you are going crazy. Other possible symptoms include pounding heart, chest pressure or pain, racing pulse, shaking, tingling in the hands or feet, sweating, and nausea.
