Anxiety Disorders Symptoms
It's normal for people to experience anxiety and fear from time to the time. However, when these feelings persist and cause problems in your everyday life, you could have an anxiety disorder.
A healthcare professional can help you in locating a solution that matches your symptoms. This may include psychotherapy, antianxiety drugs or natural remedies like exercise, a healthy diet and sleep.
1. Worry and Fear
Everyone experiences anxiety and fears at times. It's part of the body's "fight or fight" response to danger. If the feeling is extreme and does not go away or interferes with your daily activities and activities, then you could be suffering from anxiety disorder. Your doctor can determine whether you suffer from anxiety disorders by speaking to you and performing a physical exam by taking urine or blood tests, and examining your past health. You may be asked to fill out questionnaires that will aid your doctor in determining if you suffer from an anxiety disorder.
The different types of anxiety disorders have distinct symptoms. For instance, people suffering from generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) suffer from persistent, excessive and irrational worry about everyday situations, even though they know there is no real danger. They also have trouble getting comfortable or falling asleep. Other symptoms include a fast or racing heart (heart beating), trembling, and sweating. People who suffer from panic disorders experience repeated episodes of intense terror or fear that can reach a high in minutes. They also have difficulty controlling their emotions. They are advised to avoid certain activities and places to prevent attacks.
People who suffer from phobias have intense fears of certain things, like snakes or flying. They may also experience other symptoms as well, such as difficulty breathing or a headache. People suffering from PTSD experience anxiety after witnessing or experiencing traumatizing events, such as a war or car accident. Other symptoms could include flashbacks or nightmares that reminisce about the traumatic incident.
Other anxiety disorders include ocd (obsessive compulsive disorder), hoarding disorder, and social anxiety disorder. These disorders cause you to feel anxious when you are in social situations. There's also anxiety related to an individual health issue, known as illness anxiety disorder (formerly known as hypochondria). Other causes of anxiety are stress and an imbalance of chemicals in your brain. Sometimes, anxiety can be a side effect of some medicines.
2. Panic Attacks
People with anxiety disorders are prone to experiencing recurring sensations of extreme anxiety and fear that are out of proportion to their situation. These feelings can trigger extreme physical reactions such as rapid heart rate, breathlessness and nausea. You may also feel detached or numb.
While anyone can have panic attacks however, you're more likely suffer from this type of mental health condition in childhood, adolescence or early adulthood. Many factors can trigger it, including prolonged or extreme stress that triggers chemical imbalances in your brain and nervous system. A severe trauma, particularly during adolescence or childhood can increase your risk of developing anxiety disorders.
Panic attacks can occur for no apparent reason or in response to a specific event that causes you to be afraid for example, being in an en masse. They are distinct from normal anxiety symptoms because they are more intense and are usually unexpected. Individuals with anxiety disorders may also experience a mix of unexpected and expected panic attacks.
The most common treatments for panic attacks and anxiety include medication and talking therapies. Therapy sessions can help you control your anxiety and help you eliminate the unfounded thoughts that cause anxiety. They can also help you learn to relax by doing exercises like deep breathing and mindfulness. Some medications -- especially SSRIs (such as Prozac and Paxil) and SNRIs (such as duloxetine and venlafaxine) can help make your anxiety and anxiety less severe.
It's important that you see your physician immediately if experience recurrent panic attacks. Your doctor will be able to check for other health illnesses that share similar symptoms, and may recommend alternative treatments.
3. Insomnia
When people are anxious they may have difficulty getting to sleep or staying asleep during the night. This is known as insomnia. It could be a short-term issue or a longer-term one. Insomnia can make it hard to function during the day and can cause serious health issues. It is more prevalent in older adults and affects more women than men. It is more prevalent among people with psychiatric conditions.
Insomnia can be caused by a myriad of different factors. Temporary illnesses like colds or headaches; long-term illnesses like acid reflux, arthritis or Parkinson's disease; and medications can all affect your sleep. Stressful life events can contribute to it. Around half of people who suffer from chronic insomnia suffer from mental health issues which is usually depression or anxiety.
A doctor will first determine physical causes. They will ask you questions about your medical history, and the symptoms that make it difficult to sleep. They will also ask if you are taking any medications that might affect your sleep. They might also do a sleep study so they can monitor your heart rate and breathing at night.
The most effective method of treating insomnia is to use behavioral therapy. It helps you overcome the negative thoughts that keep you awake. It also teaches you ways to relax before bed. There are a myriad of methods to assist you in relaxing, including progressive muscle relaxation meditation, biofeedback, and biofeedback. Your doctor can help locate a therapist that can teach you the methods. If you don't respond to behavioral therapies There are a variety of drugs that can help you improve your sleep. These include benzodiazepines which can be used to ease symptoms temporarily, as well as antidepressant and antianxiety medications.
4. Eating Disorders
Eating disorders involve preoccupations with body shape, weight and food, as well as eating behaviors like restrictive eating, binge eating, purging (through vomiting or misuse of laxatives) and excessive exercise. A lot of people who suffer from an eating disorder also suffer from anxiety and have a mental illness co-occurring with it such as depression or bipolar disorder. Together, the two disorders can create a vicious circle where a person's mood problems can exacerbate the symptoms of their eating disorder.
There is a strong link between anxiety and the severity of eating disorders. Anxiety levels that are higher symptoms are linked to the disorder. In reality the person suffering from anorexia tends to exhibit high levels of anxiety symptoms and the same is the case for people suffering from the disorder of binge eating known as bulimia nervosa. In some instances, anxiety could be the primary cause of an eating disorder. In other instances, it could be an additional sign of an eating disorder.
Researchers discovered that the presence of comorbid depression and anxiety symptoms was strongly associated with more severe eating disorders in young females. The researchers employed a four-item scale called the Patient Health Questionnaire-4 that assesses anxiety and depression symptoms. They also assessed the severity of eating disorders, and asked participants to rate their ability to manage anxiety.
The authors of the study also looked at three aspects that could explain the connection between eating disorders and anxiety: perfectionism, self-esteem and mood dysregulation. They found that these factors played a role in reducing the connection between anxiety/depression symptoms and eating disorder symptomatology, and that they did this in different ways for different subgroups of the sample. They hope that their findings will enable more precise and targeted treatment of eating disorders.
5. Physical Conditions that are a result of anxiety
The majority of people experience anxiety at some time in their lives, but it can turn into an illness if it becomes extreme and affects your daily life. Certain people also experience specific physical symptoms, such as stomach discomfort or chest pain according to the kind of anxiety they experience.
disorders anxiety can help people live healthier and happier lives. Many people benefit from psychotherapy or talk therapy. A common type is cognitive behavior therapy (CBT). CBT helps you identify and change negative thoughts that trigger anxiety and fear. It also teaches how to face your fears and take small steps to overcome them.
It is also possible to get medication. Benzodiazepines, such as diazepam or Valium can help ease anxiety and panic attacks. Antidepressants, like tricyclic antidepressants or SSRIs, are also available for prescription. These drugs are used to treat anxiety disorders alone or in conjunction with other treatments.
Anxiety-related medical conditions can be caused by medical conditions and can have the same symptoms as anxiety disorders. Traumas to the head can trigger depression and anxiety for instance. Other conditions that can cause anxiety include chronic fatigue, pain, some rheumatologic illnesses, like Lupus, and a few nutritional deficiencies.
Certain factors make a person more likely to develop anxiety disorders. These are referred to as risk factors. Some risk factors are genetic, for example, a family history or anxiety disorders. Other factors, such as childhood abuse, depression, or other mental disorders, as well as the accumulation of stress over time can increase the risk of suffering from anxiety disorders. If you suspect you are suffering from anxiety it is essential to have an examination of your body.