do you worry a great deal and can't seem to control it? do you always think about the worst case scenarios and the "What if's"? Do you panic around a lot of people?
These could be signs of anxiety. We all get anxious sometimes, however some people when they get anxious have intense feelings of fear and distress which can become overwhelming.
According to the National Alliance of Mental Illness (NAMI) "Anxiety disorders are the most common mental health concern in the United States. An estimated 40 million adults in the U.S. (18%) have an anxiety disorder. Meanwhile, approximately 8% of children and teenagers experience an anxiety disorder. Most people develop symptoms before age 21." (NAMI Mental Health Conditions Facts Sheet, NAMI Website).
There are several different Anxiety Disorders, with each having different symptoms. However they all have the one common symptom of persistent, excessive worry and/or fear in situations which are not threatening. Individuals with anxiety may experience a variety of symptoms including:
Emotional symptoms:
*Feelings of distress, dread or pending doom *Feeling agitated or on edge *Uneasiness or irritability *Catastrophizing and waiting for the worst to happen *Always being alert and on watch for signs of danger
Physical symptoms:
*Palpitations, pounding heart, chest pain or discomfort *Sweating, trembling, shaking *Difficulties breathing or feelings of choking *Nausea, abdominal distress, dizziness/lightheadedness *Feeling hot or cold, tingling or numbing sensations *Headaches, fatigue and sleep problems
Some of the more common Anxiety Disorders seen in therapy include:
GENERALIZED ANXIETY DISORDER (GAD): Excessive anxiety and worry most days that is hard to control. This impacts one's ability to concentrate and get things done. It can interfere with sleep and cause physical restlessness and tension along with increased irritability and frustration.
SOCIAL ANXIETY DISORDER: Excessive anxiety and fear in social settings where an individual believes that others will analyze them and judge them negativity or that they will be humiliated. The anxiety/fear is out of proportion to the actual threat of the social setting itself. Individuals either avoid such situations or tolerate them with excessive fear. They may also experience panic attacks when anticipating or actually participating in social settings and interactions.
PANIC DISORDER: Characterized by recurrent and unexpected panic attacks and abrupt surges of intense fear, terror, or discomfort that usually peak within several minutes. During these attacks the individual will experience many of the physical symptoms listed above. It is common for people with the chest pain and breathing problems to end up in the ER believing that they are having a heart attack. People who experience panic attacks will often avoid groups of people or going places in a attempt to prevent further panic attacks.
SPECIFIC PHOBIAS: Irrational fear or anxiety about a specific object or situation (eg. flying, heights, various animals, needles/injections), which is out of proportion with the actual danger posed by the object/situation. Individuals will avoid the object/situations or things that trigger the fear
If you are experiencing symptoms similar to these, the first step is to make an appointment with your medical provider for a physical exam to rule out any physical/medical causes for these symptoms as some medical conditions can have similar symptoms (heart disease, hyperthyroidism, etc.). Once cleared by your doctor you can look at treatments for anxiety, including therapy/counseling and medications.
Therapy can help address the symptoms of anxiety. At The Psychology Center of Russellville I use Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), which is an evidenced based anxiety treatment (proven through research). CBT focuses on identifying the ineffective or flawed thinking and behaviors that have contributed to your anxiety and then teaches you new skills to modify those thoughts and behaviors. This can allow for positive change to occur resulting in decreased symptoms of anxiety.