About Anxiety

What are symptoms of anxiety?

Anxiety is a very uncomfortable emotional state in which there is a feeling of apprehension and nervousness. A person may have a sense of impending doom and become fearful that something bad is going to happen. Anxiety is associated with physical symptoms of arousal. These symptoms may include sweating, trembling, heart palpitations, pounding or racing heart, shortness of breath, dizziness, feeling jittery or on edge.

Anxiety exists on a continuum, and having some level of anxiety is normal and adaptive. For example, a mild level of anxiety before an exam or a performance may help a person prepare for these events.

What are symptoms of a panic attack?

A panic attack can occur unexpectedly from a calm state or during a severe period of anxiety. A panic attack is an abrupt surge of intense fear in which many physical symptoms of anxiety are experienced all at once, and there is fear that something terrible is happening.  The person may think that they are going to die, have a heart attack, or go crazy and lose control.  A person with a panic attack may experience a rapid heart rate, sweating, trembling, feelings of choking, chest discomfort, nausea, dizziness, light-headed, chills/heat sensations, numbness or tingling sensation.

Anxiety can be problematic when it becomes difficult to control or cause significant distress.

Anxiety becomes an anxiety disorder when it becomes excessive and difficult to control, causing significant distress or disruption in daily functioning. 

When anxiety becomes difficult to control, a person may experience other uncomfortable symptoms.
These other symptoms may include 
sleep disturbance, fatigue, difficulty with concentration, irritability, muscle tension, feeling restless, keyed up or on edge. Recurrent headaches and gastrointestinal problems are also common.  

Anxiety disorders can be very debilitating, and can interfere with quality of life, work functioning, and social and family relationships. 

Anxiety disorders are the most common psychiatric disorders in the United States.   

There are many different types of anxiety disorders. These include social anxiety disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder, agoraphobia and specific phobia. 
Although anxiety disorders can be debilitating, many people do not recognize that they have an anxiety disorder and do not seek treatment until much later.  People with anxiety disorders often suffer in silence. 

Having an untreated anxiety disorder puts a person at risk for depression and substance use problems.

If you believes you may have an anxiety disorder, you should consult with a mental health professional for evaluation and treatment. 

Social anxiety disorder

People with social anxiety disorder feel uncomfortable in many social situations and have a fear of being judged by others.
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Generalized anxiety disorder

People with generalized anxiety disorder have difficulty controlling worries about many aspects of their life, including  daily tasks, finance, health, relationships, school/employment, career or future.
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Panic Disorder

People with panic disorder have recurrent, unexpected panic attacks, and have persistent worry about future attacks or change their life in some way related to the attacks.

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Agoraphobia

People with agoraphobia have anxiety and avoidance of certain situations for fear that they may not be able to escape or get help in the event that a panic attack or other incapacitating symptoms occur.

Specific phobia

People with specific phobia have a fear of  specific object or situation. These can include fear of animals, insects, heights, flying, enclosed spaces, needles or invasive medical procedures. The fear negatively impacts quality of life, causes distress or impairment of functioning. 

Adjustment disorder with anxiety

People with adjustment disorder may experience anxiety symptoms as a result of an identifiable stressor.  Anxiety symptoms are usually time-limited and goes away when the stressful situation resolves. 
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