Anxiety is often a result of fear or stress about the future or control over one's life. There are many emotional and physical symptoms of anxiety. It may cause a patient to spend too much time involved in mentally rehashing problems and issues. Anxiety saps energy and causes an extreme sense of isolation. Anxiety wreaks havoc on emotional well being.
Difficulty Concentrating
Anxiety often leads to trouble concentrating or maintaining focus on tasks, according to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH). Anxiety diffuses focus and makes it hard to complete tasks or think through issues.
Problems Relaxing
Problems with relaxing and letting go of stress are typical symptoms of anxiety, notes the NIMH. The anxious patient loses the ability to participate in relaxing activities and instead spends much time worrying and obsessing over problems. Even trivial issues cause a lot of stress for an anxious person.
Tense and Jumpy
A patient with anxiety may be jittery and tense, reports the NIMH. Anxiety causes a high level of the startle reflex. A patient might often be startled by a tiny sound or by a touch.
Increase in Irritability
Irritability may increase when anxiety occurs, states the NIH. This irritability may be sudden, and it may seriously impact relationships with friends, family and coworkers.
Sweating
A high level of anxiety may cause excessive sweating, notes the NIMH. And as the sweating increases, anxiety levels may grow as the person worries about if the sweating is noticeable to other people.
Sleep Problems
Anxiety can cause insomnia and problems staying asleep, notes the NIMH. It may also cause nightmares and night fears.
Anger
Anger is a symptom of anxiety, according to the National Institutes of Health (NIH). As a patient becomes overwhelmed by anxiety, her anger may boil over and cause tantrums.
Shaking
The body may tremble or shake when anxiety occurs. This physical symptom of the emotion of anxiety causes an anxious person to get even more agitated. He may also worry that his shaking may be visible to other people.
Decrease in Desire
Interest in sexual activity may wane as anxiety continues, according to the NIH. People suffering from anxiety lose desire for pleasurable activities and become consumed with worry.
Racing Heart and Rapid Breathing
The heart may race when anxiety occurs. As the anxiety worsens, sometimes the heart may begin to beat irregularly, too. This may be linked to the rapid, shallow breathing that anxiety causes. These symptoms may lead to an intermittent feeling of dizziness.
