Many people experience anxiety at some point in their life.
In fact, anxiety is a fairly normal response to stressful life events like moving, changing jobs, or having financial problems.
However, when anxiety symptoms become more significant than the events that triggered them and begin to interfere with your life, they could be signs of an anxiety disorder.
Anxiety disorders can be debilitating, but can be managed with the proper help of a medical professional. Recognizing the symptoms
Excessive worry
One of the most common symptoms of an anxiety disorder is excessive worry.
The worry associated with anxiety disorders is disproportionate to the events that trigger it and usually occurs in response to normal, everyday situations.
To be considered a sign of generalized anxiety disorder, worry must be present on most days for at least six months and be difficult to control.
The worry must also be serious and intrusive, affecting the ability to concentrate and perform daily tasks.
People under 65 are at higher risk of developing generalized anxiety disorder, especially singles, with a lower socioeconomic status and many stressors in their life.
Feelings of agitation
When someone is anxious, part of their sympathetic nervous system is boosted.
This triggers a number of effects throughout the body, such as a racing pulse, sweaty palms, shaky hands, and a dry mouth.
These symptoms occur because the brain believes that it has sensed a danger and begins to prepare the body to react to the threat.
The body diverts blood from the digestive system to the muscles in case running or fighting is needed. It also increases the heart rate and heightens the senses.
While these effects would be helpful in the event of a real threat, they can be debilitating if fear is in your head.
Restlessness
Restlessness is another common symptom of anxiety, especially in children and adolescents.
When someone is feeling restless, they often describe it as feeling “nervous” or having an “uncomfortable need to move.”
A study of 128 children diagnosed with anxiety disorders found that 74% reported restlessness among their main anxiety symptoms.
While not all people with anxiety experience restlessness, it is one of the red flags that doctors frequently look for when making a diagnosis.
Fatigue
Easily fatigued is another potential symptom of generalized anxiety disorder.
This symptom may be surprising to some, as anxiety is often associated with hyperactivity or agitation.
In some cases, fatigue can follow an anxiety attack, and in others, the fatigue can be chronic.
It is not clear if the fatigue is due to other common anxiety symptoms, such as insomnia or muscle tension, or if it may be related to the hormonal effects of chronic anxiety.
Summary
Anxiety disorders are characterized by various symptoms.
One of the most common is excessive and intrusive worry that interrupts the performance of daily activities. Other signs include agitation, restlessness, fatigue, trouble concentrating, irritability, tight muscles, and trouble sleeping.
Recurrent panic attacks can indicate panic disorder; Fearing and avoiding social situations could indicate a social anxiety disorder, and extreme phobias could be a sign of specific phobia disorders.