Anxiety produces feelings of apprehension or fear that may be caused by stress. Sometimes anxiety can pop up for unknown reasons, which can cause even more distress, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center (UMMC). Anxiety is a normal part of life. Nervousness and agitation may occur before taking a test or going to a job interview. Anxiety becomes a deeper problem when it is persistent and a person worries too often about minor situations.
Physical Reactions
Anxiety may be accompanied by such nervous symptoms as twitching, trembling, muscle tension, headaches, abdominal pain, rapid breathing or irregular heartbeat. It may start affecting a person's daily life if it leads to fatigue, sleep difficulties, inability to concentrate and make decisions, or sexual problems. Normal emotional problems such as grief or upsetting situations can cause anxiety for a while. But if the feelings don't stop, anxiety can result in poor health, the UMMC notes, and set a person up for depression, infections or heart disease. It can also lead to eating disorders or substance abuse.
Ongoing Anxiety
When feelings of worry or fear persist for weeks or months, it may be called generalized anxiety disorder, the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) explains. The condition may cause a person to blow situations out of proportion, thinking only that the worst outcome will happen. A person may constantly worry about health, family, financial situations or work. It may result in physical symptoms such as muscle tension, trembling, shortness of breath, fast heartbeat, dizziness, nausea, irritability or insomnia.
Panic Disorder
A panic attack is another example of extreme anxiety, when certain situations may drive a person into a period of panic. It can be a particular situation or an unexpected episode that triggers a panic attack. This could lead to a phobia of the specific place where the attack occurred. Symptoms may include tightness in the chest, racing of the heart, dizziness, fainting, sweating, trembling or shaking, tingling or numbness in the hands or feet, and nausea, the AAFP says. The person suffering from a panic attack may have a sense of unreality or feelings of losing control. The attack can last for a few minutes or a half hour.
Phobias
Anxiety may eventually lead to phobias because the person wants to avoid places or situations where anxiety might arise. People may fear crowds, open places, enclosed spaces, elevators, bridges, heights, snakes or spiders. A phobia becomes a problem when it interferes with a person's life, such as being afraid to leave home or go to certain stores or business offices, the AAFP points out. For example, a person may avoid taking a job or an apartment in a high-rise building because of fear of heights or elevators.
