11 signs and symptoms of anxiety disorder

  


  
  Many people experience anxiety at some point in their lives.

  In fact, anxiety is a very common response to stressful life events such as moving, changing jobs or financial troubles.

  However, when the symptoms of anxiety become magnified by the events that trigger them and start interfering with your life, they can be signs of anxiety disorder.

  Anxiety disorders can be debilitating, but they can be managed with appropriate help from a medical professional.  Recognizing the symptoms is the first step.

  Here are 11 common symptoms of an anxiety disorder, as well as how to reduce anxiety naturally and when to seek professional help.

  1. to worry too much


  One of the most common symptoms of anxiety disorder is highly anxious.

  Anxiety associated with anxiety disorders is disproportionate to the events that trigger it and usually occur in response to normal, everyday situations (1Trusted Source).

  Considered a sign of generalized anxiety disorder, anxiety should occur on most days for at least six months and should be difficult to control (2Trusted sources).

  Anxiety should also be severe and intrusive, making it difficult to concentrate and complete daily tasks.

  People under the age of 65 are at the highest risk of generalized anxiety disorder, especially those who are single, have low social status and have many life stressors (3Trusted Source).

  SUMMARY  Excessive worrying about daily affairs is a hallmark of generalized anxiety disorder, especially if it is severe enough to interfere with daily life and lasts almost daily for at least six months.

  2. Feeling Excited

  When someone is feeling anxious, a part of their sympathetic nervous system goes into overdrive.

  It strikes a cascade of effects throughout the body, such as a racing pulse, sweaty palms, unstable hands, and dry mouth (4).

  These symptoms occur because your brain believes that you realize the danger, and it is preparing your body to react to danger.

  Your body sheds blood from your digestive system and towards your muscles if you need to run or fight.  It also increases your heart rate and increases your senses (5Trusted Source).

  While these effects will be helpful in case of a true threat, if those fears are in your head, they can be debilitating.

  Some research also suggests that people suffering from anxiety disorders are not able to reduce their arousal as quickly as people without anxiety disorder, meaning they may feel the effects of anxiety over a longer period of time.  (6Trusted Source, 7Trusted Source).

  SUMMARY  A Rapid heartbeat, sweating, shivering, and dry mouth are all common symptoms of anxiety.  People suffering from anxiety disorders may experience this type of excitement for extended periods of time.

  3. Restlessness

  Restlessness is another common symptom of anxiety, especially in children and adolescents.

  When someone is experiencing discomfort, they often describe it as feeling "on edge" or as an "uncomfortable urge to move".

  A study in 128 children diagnosed with anxiety disorders found that 74% reported restlessness as one of their main anxiety symptoms (8Trusted Source).

  While discomfort does not occur with anxiety in all people, it is one of the red flags that doctors often see when making a diagnosis.

  If you experience discomfort over the majority of the days beyond six months, it may be a sign of an anxiety disorder (9TrustGet Source).

  SUMMARY  Restlessness alone is not sufficient to diagnose an anxiety disorder, but it can be a symptom, especially if it occurs frequently.

  4. fatigue

  Being easily fatigued is another possible symptom of generalized anxiety disorder.

  This symptom may be surprising to some, as anxiety is usually associated with hyperactivity or excitement.

  For some, fatigue can be an anxiety attack, while for others, fatigue can be chronic.

  It is unclear whether this fatigue is due to other common symptoms of anxiety, such as insomnia or muscle tension, or whether it may be related to the hormonal effects of chronic anxiety (10Trusted Source).

  However, it is important to note that fatigue can also be a sign of depression or other medical conditions, so fatigue alone is not sufficient to diagnose an anxiety disorder (11Trusted Source).

  SUMMARY Fatigue can be a sign of an anxiety disorder if it is accompanied by extreme anxiety.  However, it may also indicate other medical disorders.

  5. Difficulty focusing

  Many people with anxiety report have difficulty focusing.

  One study, including 157 children and adolescents with generalized anxiety disorder, found that more than two-thirds had difficulty focusing (12Trusted Source).

  Another study in 175 adults with the same disorder found that about 90% reported having difficulty concentrating.  The worse their anxiety, the more trouble they had (13Trusted Source).

  Some studies suggest that anxiety can disrupt working memory, a type of memory that is responsible for holding short-term information.  This may help explain the dramatic decrease in performance that people often experience during periods of high anxiety (14Trusted Source, 15Trusted Source).

  However, difficulty concentrating may also be a symptom of other medical conditions, such as attention deficit disorder or depression, so this is not sufficient evidence to diagnose anxiety disorder.

  SUMMARY  Difficulty can be a sign of anxiety disorder, and it is the reported symptoms in most people diagnosed with generalized anxiety disorder.

  6. Irritability

  Most people with anxiety disorders also experience extreme irritability.

  According to a recent study involving over 6,000 adults, more than 90% of people with generalized anxiety disorder reported feeling highly irritable during periods when their anxiety disorder was at its worst (16Trusted Source).

  Compared to self-reported concerns, young and middle-aged adults with generalized anxiety disorder reported more than twice as much irritability in their daily lives (17Trusted Source).

  Given that anxiety is associated with high arousal and extreme anxiety, it is not surprising that irritability is a common symptom.


SUMMARY People with Most generalized anxiety disorder report feeling highly irritable, especially when their anxiety is at its peak.



7. Stressed Muscles

  Another frequent symptom of anxiety is having strained muscles for most of the week.

  Although stressed muscles may be common, it is not fully understood why they are associated with anxiety.

  It is possible that feelings of anxiety only increase due to muscle tension, but it is also possible that anxiety increases muscle tension, or that a third factor causes both.

  Interestingly, muscle tension has been treated with muscle relaxation therapy to reduce anxiety in people with generalized anxiety disorder.  Some studies also describe it as effective as cognitive behavior therapy (18Trusted Source, 19Trusted Source).

  SUMMARY   Muscle stress is strongly associated with anxiety, but the direction of the relationship is not well understood.  The treatment of muscle tension has been shown to help reduce symptoms of anxiety.

  8. Getting into trouble or sleeping

  Sleep disturbances are strongly associated with anxiety disorders (20Trusted Source, 21Trusted Source, 22Trusted Source, 23Trusted Source).

  Waking up in the middle of the night and having trouble sleeping are the two most commonly reported problems (24Trusted Source).

  Some research suggests that childhood insomnia may be linked to anxiety developing later in life (25Trusted Source).

  A study conducted on approximately 1,000 children over 20 years of age found that insomnia was associated with a 60% increased risk of developing anxiety disorder by age 26 (26Trusted Source).

  While insomnia and anxiety are strongly linked, it is unclear whether insomnia contributes to anxiety, if anxiety contributes to insomnia, or both (27Trusted Source, 28Trusted Source).

  It is known that when the underlying anxiety disorder is treated, insomnia often (29Trusted Source) also improves.

  SUMMARY  SLEEP problems are very common in people with anxiety.  Treating anxiety can usually help improve sleep quality.

  9. panic attack

  One type of anxiety disorder called panic disorder is associated with recurrent panic attacks.

  Panic attacks cause an intense, overwhelming sensation of fear that can be debilitating.

  This extreme fear usually occurs with rapid heartbeat, sweating, shaking, shortness of breath, chest tightness, nausea and fear of dying or losing control (30Trusted Source).

  Panic attacks can occur in isolation, but if they occur frequently and unexpectedly, they can be a sign of panic disorder.

  An estimated 22% of American adults will experience a panic attack at some point in their lives, but only 3% experience them often enough to meet the criteria for panic disorder (31Trusted source).

  SUMMARY Panic attacks with unpleasant physical symptoms produce extremely intense feelings of fear.  Panic attack can be a sign of panic disorder.


  10. Avoiding social situations

  If you find yourself, you may display symptoms of social anxiety disorder:

  Feeling anxious or fearful of upcoming social situations

  Worry that you can be judged or investigated by others

  Fear of being embarrassed or humiliated in front of others

  Avoiding some social events due to these fears

  Social anxiety disorder is very common, affecting about 12% of American adults at some point in their lives (32Trusted Source).

  Social anxiety develops early in life.  In fact, about 50% of people are diagnosed by age 11, while 80% are diagnosed by age 20 (33Trusted Source).

  People with social anxiety may appear extremely shy and calm in groups or when meeting new people.  Although they may not look distressed from outside, they feel extreme fear and anxiety from inside.

  This imprudence can sometimes be seen to dab or stagnate people with social anxiety, but the disorder is associated with low self-esteem, high self-criticism, and depression (34Trusted Source).

  Summary avoidance of social conditions can be a sign of social anxiety disorder, one of the most commonly diagnosed anxiety disorders.

  11. Irrational Fear

  Excessive apprehensions about specific things, such as spiders, enclosed spaces or heights, may indicate a phobia.

  A phobia is defined as extreme anxiety or fear about a specific object or condition.  The feeling is quite serious that it interferes with your ability to function normally.

  Some common phobias include:

  Animal phobia: fear of specific animals or insects

  Natural environment phobia: fear of natural phenomena such as hurricanes or floods

  Blood-injection-injury phobia: fear of blood, injection, needle or injury

  Circumstantial phobia: Fear of riding in some situations such as airplanes or elevators

  Agoraphobia is another phobia that involves fear of at least two of the following:

  Using public transport

  Being in open spaces

  Being in enclosed spaces

  Standing in line

  Being alone outside the house

  Phobias affect 12.5% ​​of Americans at some point in their lives.  They develop in childhood or adolescence and are more common in women than men (35Trusted Source, 36Trusted Source).

  SUMMARY  Irrational fear that interruptions in daily functioning may be a sign of a specific fear.  There are many types of phobias, but all include avoidance behavior and feelings of extreme fear.

  Natural ways to reduce anxiety

  Many natural methods reduce anxiety and help you feel better, including:

  Eating a healthy diet: Diets rich in vegetables, fruits, high quality meats, fish, nuts and whole grains can reduce anxiety disorders, but diet alone is not enough to treat them (37Trusted Source,  38Trusted Source, 39Trusted Source, 40Trusted Source).

  Probiotics and consuming fermented foods: Taking probiotics and fermented foods is associated with improved mental health (41Trusted Source, 42Trusted Source).

  Limiting caffeine: Excessive caffeine intake can worsen feelings of anxiety in some people, especially those with anxiety disorders (43Trusted source, 44Trusted source).

  Avoiding alcohol: Anxiety disorder and alcohol abuse are strongly linked, so it may help to stay away from alcoholic beverages (45Trusted Source, 46Trusted Source).

  Quitting smoking: Smoking is associated with the risk of developing an anxiety disorder.  Quitting improves mental health (47Trusted Source, 48Trusted Source).

  Exercising frequently: Regular exercise is associated with a lower risk of developing an anxiety disorder, but research is mixed on whether it helps people who are already diagnosed (49Trusted Source, 50Trusted Source  , 51Trusted Source, 52Trusted Source).

  Attention meditation: Meditation-based therapy, a type of meditation-based stress reduction therapy, has been shown to significantly reduce symptoms in people with anxiety disorders (53Trusted Source, 54Trusted Source, 55).

  Practicing Yoga: Regular yoga practice has been shown to reduce symptoms in people diagnosed with anxiety disorders, but more high-quality research is needed (56Trusted Source, 57Trusted Source).

  SUMMARY  Consuming A nutrient-dense diet, releasing psychoactive substances and applying stress-management techniques can all help to reduce anxiety symptoms.

  When to get professional help

  Anxiety can be debilitating, so if your symptoms are severe, it is important to seek professional help.

  If you feel anxious for most of the day and experience one or more of the symptoms listed above for at least six months, it may be a sign of an anxiety disorder.

  Regardless of how long you have been experiencing symptoms, if you ever feel that your feelings are interfering with your life, you should seek professional help.

  Licensed psychologists and psychiatrists are trained to treat anxiety disorders through a wide variety of means.

  This often includes cognitive behavioral therapy, anti-anxiety medications or some of the natural remedies listed above.

  Working with a professional can help you manage your anxiety and reduce your symptoms quickly and safely.

  Summary If you are experiencing chronic symptoms of anxiety that are interfering with your life, it is important to seek professional help.

  Bottom-line

  Anxiety disorders are characterized by a variety of symptoms.

  One of the most common is excessive and intrusive anxiety that impedes daily functioning.  Other signs include agitation, restlessness, fatigue, difficulty concentrating, irritability, strained muscles, and trouble sleeping.

  Recurrent panic attacks may indicate panic disorder, fear and avoidance of social situations may indicate social anxiety disorder, and excessive phobia may be a sign of specific phobia disorders.

  Regardless of what concerns you may have, there are many natural remedies that you can use to relieve it in working with a licensed healthcare professional.