Recognizing Anxiety Symptoms

Everyone experiences moments of unease or panic. You've said the wrong thing or locked your keys in the car. The situation is resolved and those feelings go away. At least, for most of us, they do. For over two million Americans, they are a constant feeling of helplessness and hopelessness.

Anxiety symptoms range can vary, depending on whether or not your anxiety disorder is specific or generalized. They can be both psychological and physical. Every person is different; each can experience different symptoms and still have the same diagnosis of anxiety disorder.

Anxiety symptoms include interference with sleep and nightmares. These can really hinder your everyday life, as you must battle feelings of exhaustion on top of anxiety. These can also intensify other anxiety symptoms, such as irritability or confusion.

Anxiety symptoms such as self-consciousness and insecurity can lead to avoidance of social activities. Feelings of restlessness often create a strong urge to escape from any social situation. This creates a tense situation for the anxiety symptom sufferer.

Some anxiety symptoms manifest physically as well. Heart palpitations, otherwise known as an irregular heartbeat, and shortness of breath can lead anxiety disorder sufferers to fear they are having a heart attack. Nausea, frequent urination, and diarrhea can be mistaken for the flu or other viruses.

Sweating is another anxiety symptom, which can be embarrassing for the sufferer in public situations. Hot flashes or chills are also common. Tremors can lead to muscle aches and tension, which make the anxiety disorder patient even more uncomfortable.

The cause of anxiety symptoms can be found in changes to the amygdala, which is an organ in the brain. The amygdala is involved in emotions of fear and aggression. This is where anxiety disorder is created and where it continues to haunt its host until treated. The amygdala becomes over stimulated by stress or other emotional factors. The body responds accordingly and creates anxiety symptoms. Once the pattern is started, it is stored for repetition in the amygdale.

Your family doctor will need to rule out a physical cause for anxiety symptoms. As pointed out above, these symptoms can mimic other physical ailments such as thyroid disorders, insulin disorders, asthma, and certain heart conditions. Once those have been examined and rejected as cause, your doctor will likely refer you to a psychotherapist.

A psychotherapist will be able to help you identify the triggers for your anxiety symptoms. You will learn new ways to deal with stress and other emotional factors. A therapist might also ask that your family doctor prescribe you with anti-anxiety medications.

There are also holistic treatment options which have been found to be helpful when dealing with anxiety symptoms. Acupuncture, hypnotherapy, and relaxation techniques can be used in conjunction with any other therapeutic means or on their own.

You can also help yourself by doing the following: exercising regularly, getting enough sleep, eating a healthy diet, eliminating caffeine. Also, make sure that you surround yourself with supportive friends and family. Anxiety symptoms can be beat with the right tools.