Anxiety disorders are the most common mental health concern in the United States, with an estimated 40 million adults – about 19% – suffering from an anxiety disorder. Although anxiety can be a normal response to stressful situations and can help people cope with temporary feelings or emotions, experiencing consistent anxiety can disrupt a person’s daily life. When anxiety interferes with daily function, anxiety can become a real problem in a person’s life and may warrant a diagnosis. Experiencing symptoms of anxiety is normal — it’s when they become persistent that it’s a cause for concern.
What is Anxiety?
Anxiety is a mental health condition that affects one-third of Americans at some point in their lives. Anxiety is an emotion characterized by feelings of tension, worried thoughts, and physical changes.
There are different types of anxiety, and untreated anxiety can also contribute to additional psychological and medical conditions, including depression and risk of heart disease. Individuals may be unaware of the fact they are developing anxiety disorders, and as a result, symptoms can worsen over time.
Typically, the emotional symptoms of anxiety are well known, but this condition can also cause a range of physical symptoms. Although anxiety disorders are highly treatable, many people suffer for a long time before receiving appropriate treatment. Therefore, it’s important to understand the different types of anxiety disorders and recognize anxiety symptoms as early as possible in order to prevent the symptoms from getting worse.
Types of anxiety disorders
Several types of anxiety disorders exist, and while many have similar symptoms, other anxiety disorders on this list present themselves in different ways.
Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD)
Generalized anxiety disorder is a condition of persistent, excessive anxiety and dread about situations, activities, and events that interfere with a person’s daily life. Those who live with generalized anxiety disorder frequently feel anxious and panicked for months (or sometimes years) at a time.
Generalized anxiety disorder symptoms typically include:
- Easily fatigued
- Feeling restless or on-edge
- Difficulty concentrating
- Being irritable and wound up
- Insomnia
- Muscle tension, headaches, stomachaches
Social anxiety disorder
Social anxiety disorder is a chronic mental health disorder where normal social interactions cause irrational and intense anxiety. Social anxiety disorder can interfere with relationships and everyday tasks, like grocery shopping or eating a meal in a restaurant.
Symptoms of social anxiety disorder include:
- Fear of being judged in social situations
- Intense fear of talking to strangers
- Fear of embarrassing yourself
- Anxiety leading up to a social event
- Irrational fear or anxiety during social events
- Blushing, trembling, or sweating
- Upset stomach, nausea
- Rapid heartbeat and lightheadedness
Separation Anxiety Disorder
Separation anxiety disorder is a very common anxiety disorder that develops during childhood and involves intense distress when someone is separated from home and people they care about.
Symptoms of separation anxiety disorder include:
- Nightmares about separation
- Difficulty concentrating
- Separation avoidance
- Difficulty sleeping
- Recurrent experiences of distress
- Fear of being alone
- Excessive worry
- Restlessness
Panic disorder
Those with panic disorder have frequent, unexplained panic attacks that often come out of nowhere. Panic attacks are a typical symptom of panic disorder. However, if you experience a panic attack, that does not mean you will develop panic disorder.
A panic attack is a sudden episode of intense fear that triggers physical and psychological symptoms. People who experience panic attacks may feel like they are having a heart attack or even dying 1.
Regular panic attacks are a significant indication of a panic disorder, and they come with their own panic symptoms. Some of these include:
- Dizziness, lightheadedness
- Sweating, shaking, or trembling
- Choking sensation
- Chest pains, nausea
- Limb numbness
Physical Symptoms of Anxiety: How Does It Feel?
Physical anxiety symptoms can vary in intensity from person to person. Some people experience very intense feelings, while others feel a milder form. These are some of the most common symptoms of physical anxiety:
Sleep problems
Many people with anxiety experience changes or inconsistencies in their sleep patterns. People experiencing chronic anxiety or chronic stress often either get too little sleep (less than 6 hours) or too much sleep (more than 9 hours). In addition to impacting sleep quantity, anxiety may also impact sleep quality, causing non-restorative sleep, or restless sleep. When a person isn’t getting enough quality sleep, their anxiety symptoms may become even worse, compounding the problem. Sleep changes related to mood or anxiety disorder recurrence can include:
- Taking a long time to fall asleep
- Waking up frequently
- Lying awake in bed for hours or having unexplained pain
- Not feeling refreshed after a full night’s sleep
Related: The Interplay Between Sleep Disorders and Mental Health
Appetite or weight changes
Eating too much or too little can be signs of anxiety. For those with anxiety, just the task of preparing a meal can feel overwhelming and lead to a spike in stress hormones. This ‘fight-or-flight’ response can decrease appetite, ultimately making a person more susceptible to physical illness.
Anxiety can also result in emotional eating. Emotional eating is when a person’s need to eat is not associated with physical hunger. When patients eat in response to their emotions, they are soothed by the food as it changes the chemical balance in the brain, produces a feeling of fullness that is more comfortable than an empty stomach, and improves mood through positive association with happier times. This unhealthy eating pattern is often associated with post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD, and can lead to many health problems down the road.
Heart palpitations
When you’re nervous, your heart starts pumping faster, and you may feel your chest tightening or your heart beating irregularly. This is due to the fact that your body produces adrenaline and other stress hormones in response to perceived threats. Chest pain and moments of high blood pressure are likely not dangerous on their own, but they can be uncomfortable and feel scary. The best thing you can do in this situation is to breathe deeply and evenly.
Shortness of breath
Another major physical symptom of an anxiety disorder is the sensation of not being able to breathe properly. This is accompanied by the feeling of suffocation or of being smothered. You may feel like you’re drowning or like your chest is collapsing in on itself. In this case, it’s very important to connect with your body. Breathe in and out as deeply and evenly as you can. You may be experiencing a panic attack. Panic attacks are a sudden and overwhelming sense of anxiety and doom and can be extremely disturbing. If you are struggling with recurring panic attacks, you should seek the help of a mental health professional.
Excessive sweating
Anxiety disorders can cause you to sweat more than usual, and during a panic attack, you may even feel like you’re sweating from every pore in your body. This is because your body is preparing for fight-or-flight.
Dry mouth
When you’re nervous, you may experience dry mouth, which can make it difficult to speak. This is because your body is trying to conserve water so that if you need to fight or run a long distance, you can go longer without needing a drink or using the bathroom.
Dizziness
Anxiety can often cause your blood pressure to increase, which can result in dizziness or increased heart rate.
Irritability and anger
Everyone feels irritable sometimes. But changes in the frequency or severity of your irritability — a reduced control over one’s temper that results in outbursts — could signal anxiety. Signs of irritability can include feeling like you ‘woke up on the wrong side of the bed’, saying things you don’t mean, using sarcastic humor to put people down, struggling to stay productive at work because you’re annoyed by people around you or you just can’t stay focused, or even just experiencing road rage. Anxiety symptoms related to anger and irritability may include mood swings, feeling guilty or ashamed about anger, being prone to stress over small criticism, or even being easily annoyed by the close physical or emotional proximity of others.
Getting sick more than usual
Because the immune system doesn’t function as well when the body’s fight-or-flight response is activated for a long time, people with anxiety also tend to get sick more often.
GI upset or frequent urination
The anxiety-related fight-or-flight response can cause feelings of gastrointestinal distress, including digestive problems, irritable bowel syndrome, diarrhea, as well as frequent urination. You shouldn’t be embarrassed to discuss these symptoms with your doctor as they are a normal part of the body’s stress response.
Headaches or muscle tension
Headaches are one of the most common physical symptoms of anxiety disorders. This is because anxiety can cause your blood pressure to rise. This can result in pressure building up inside your skull, which leads to a headache. Anxiety can also cause other unexplained instances of muscle tension, ‘pins and needles’ sensation and pacing or shuffling of the feet.
Cognitive Symptoms of Anxiety
In addition to the physical symptoms of anxiety that are more visible, there are other symptoms of anxiety that are not always as obvious. Anxiety also affects the mind. The way we think and perceive situations is altered. Here are some cognitive symptoms of anxiety:
Fear of going crazy
When we are anxious, our minds may start to play tricks on us. We may begin to have irrational thoughts and fear that we’re going crazy. This is because anxiety can cause us to misinterpret things and see them in a negative light.
Intrusive thoughts
Anxiety disorders and other mental health conditions can also cause us to have intrusive thoughts. These are unwanted, repetitive thoughts that we cannot control. Intrusive thoughts can be about anything, but they often involve themes of violence or harm.
Obsessive thinking
Anxiety disorders can also lead to obsessive thinking. This is when we fixate on a certain thought or worry and cannot let it go. We may obsessively ruminate on what could happen, or what we should have done differently.
Fear of losing control
Generalized anxiety disorder can make us feel like we’re out of control. This can make us afraid that if we don’t get things under control, we will never get them back again.
Fear of making a fool of yourself
When we are anxious – or have a social anxiety disorder – we may fear that we will say something stupid or embarrassing. We may fear that we will act in an awkward way or that we will do something that will make us look bad. In these situations, it’s important to be mindful of our thoughts and actions. Slowing down and doing things deliberately – with the mindset of “I’m going to do this well” – can really help bring your mind and body back into focus.
Fear of dying
Anxiety can also cause us to fear that we are going to die. This may seem like an irrational fear, but it is actually quite common. Anxiety disorders can cause us to have a heightened sense of awareness of our bodies and our surroundings. This can make us feel like something is wrong, even when nothing is actually wrong.
How to Cope with Physical Symptoms of Anxiety
Here are some ways you can cope with physical symptoms of anxiety and other mental health conditions:
Lifestyle Changes
Lifestyle changes can have a significant impact on stress management and the symptoms of anxiety disorders. If you have severe anxiety, lifestyle changes can be helpful when paired with other treatments like therapy and medication. Here are some lifestyle changes worth making:
- Prioritize sleep and try going to bed earlier
- Stay active and get exercise daily
- Eat a healthy, well-balanced diet
- Avoid alcohol and other substances
- Practice positive thinking, forgiveness, gratitude, and kindness
Breathe mindfully
When you feel your anxiety symptoms worsening, try taking deep breaths. Try box breathing, which is breathing in for four seconds, holding for four seconds, breathing out for four seconds, and holding again for four seconds. Repeat until you feel like your symptoms are improving.
Grounding Skills
Grounding yourself when you experience anxiety can help alleviate symptoms in the moment. You can try counting down using the 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 method, progressive muscle relaxation, and tapping. These are all great mindfulness exercises that will keep you in the present moment.
Relaxation techniques
If you are having trouble relaxing, try some relaxation techniques. Here are some simple relaxation or self-care techniques that you can try:
- Take a warm bath
- Use a hot water bottle
- Massage
- Listen to calming music
- Try listening to music that calms you down.
- Take a shower
- Do yoga
- Take deep breaths
These are just some ideas for how you can cope with physical symptoms of anxiety. You can come up with other coping mechanisms that work best for you.
What to Do When Your Anxiety Symptoms Are Not Going Away
Sometimes, anxiety and panic disorder symptoms do not go away and can last for days or weeks. Anxiety symptoms can cause a great deal of distress and make it hard to continue with your daily life. In these situations, it is a good idea to seek help from a mental health professional.
There are many resources and treatments available to help you cope with anxiety, and there is no shame in seeking help. Remember, you are not alone. Millions of people suffer from anxiety, and many of them have found ways to manage their symptoms and live happy, fulfilling lives.
Some of the most common treatment options for anxiety include:
Talk Therapy
Talk therapy, also known as psychotherapy, helps patients identify issues that can cause emotional distress and worsen anxiety disorders.
Through anxiety therapy, undiagnosed individuals may receive an anxiety or depression diagnosis after talking with a therapist for several sessions.
Once diagnosed, patients will build coping skills to reduce their anxiety, along with identifying triggers and the impact they have on their lives. There are many types of therapy that can help patients develop stress management techniques to lessen the severity of their anxiety symptoms and positively impact their lives. It can also reduce the risk factors associated with long-term mental health conditions.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
Cognitive behavioral therapy is an effective form of talk therapy that is highly beneficial for people with anxiety and depression.
CBT focuses on interrupting negative thoughts and problematic behaviors that feed into mental disorders like anxiety disorder. CBT is effective in relieving anxiety symptoms.
Using CBT methods, patients gain coping strategies to help them handle their anxiety and learn to control the negative thoughts that impact their actions and prevent them from having healthy relationships and how they view themselves. By reframing thoughts, patients are able to discover different, more positive outcomes.
Medication
Psychiatric medication is highly effective in treating all ranges of anxiety disorders. Anti-anxiety medications help to reduce anxiety symptoms, including panic attacks and persistent fear and worry.
Antidepressant medications such as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs) are common medications for the treatment of anxiety disorders. Anxiety medication is generally considered safe and effective when taken under the care of a mental health provider.
TMS Therapy
TMS therapy, or transcranial magnetic stimulation, is a highly effective treatment alternative for anxiety with little to no side effects. TMS is a non-invasive brain stimulation treatment performed in an outpatient setting.
Anxiety negatively impacts certain regions of the brain, which causes abnormally high levels of activity. The gentle magnetic pulses used in TMS target these overactive areas to reduce the symptoms of anxiety. TMS therapy is best used in conjunction with talk therapy and medication.
Support groups
Support groups provide a unique opportunity to connect with others who are facing similar challenges. This can be a valuable resource in managing anxiety.
Anxiety Treatment for You
Overall, anxiety is a very treatable condition. If you are struggling with anxiety, don’t hesitate to seek help. There are many resources available to help you manage your symptoms and live a happy, fulfilling life.
If you have tried a treatment plan in the past that has been unsuccessful in treating the physical effects or emotional effects of your anxiety, don’t give up hope. At Neuro Wellness Spa we are experts in complementary and alternative treatments for anxiety and depression. We offer traditional psychiatric medication management using antidepressants and anti-anxiety medications prescribed through in-person or online psychiatry. Psychotherapy has proved to be an effective way to treat anxiety by learning about the underlying causes of anxiety disorders and effective coping mechanisms to manage symptoms. TMS therapy focuses on treating specific parts of the brain that can cause anxiety symptoms and are responsible for mood regulation. Contact us today to find out how we can help you take back control of your life.
References:
- Panic attacks and panic disorder – Symptoms and causes. (n.d.). Mayo Clinic. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/panic-attacks/symptoms-causes/syc-20376021