Anxiety can manifest itself in many ways, including how you think, how you feel and the physical sensations in your body. When people are highly anxious, they often experience a common range of physical symptoms that are the result of a heightened sense of arousal and tension.
The following symptoms may also be indicators of various medical illnesses. If you are concerned, seek medical advice to rule out any other causes.
Accelerated Heart Rate, Sweating and Shortness of Breath
These three symptoms are often hallmarks of a panic attack. Panic attacks are surges of physiological arousal in response to high levels of anxiety. These symptoms can occur together or alone; they can also occur outside the context of a panic attack.
Accelerated heart rate and increased sweating occur as a result of an elevated fight-or-flight response to a stressor. People often report a fear that they might be having a heart attack when they experience these symptoms of anxiety. Although it may not feel like it, panic attacks are generally harmless to physical health.
When people are under stress, they tend to breathe shallowly and quickly, which actually increases the sensation of anxiety. Shallow breathing also contributes to other symptoms, such as accelerated heart rate, muscle tension and psychomotor agitation.
Muscle Tension
Shallow breathing and anxious thinking often leads to tension in the muscles. The physical pain of muscle tension may make it difficult to sleep or move freely, which is likely to further add to the emotional distress of anxiety.
Psychomotor Agitation
Feeling restless and keyed up is another common physical symptom of high anxiety. This symptom typically goes hand-in-hand with a restless mind buzzing with worries and concerns. It is difficult to relax physically when your thoughts are tense.
Stomach Upset
Digestive problems are often linked to anxiety, ranging from the sensation of "butterflies" in the stomach to diarrhea and/or nausea.
Fatigue
Anxiety can drain your mental and physical energy, leaving you feeling tired and fatigued. Enduring stress and anxiety can feel like an exhausting full-time job, which may take attention away from activities that could help you relax and recharge, such as exercise and fun experiences.
References
- "Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders -- Fourth Edition -- Text Revision"; American Psychiatric Association; 2000
- "The Anxiety and Phobia Workbook"; Edmund J. Bourne, Ph.D.: 1995
