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Anxiety Disorders Symptoms It's normal to feel anxiety and fear from time the time. However, if these feelings become constant and cause problems in your daily life, you may be suffering from an anxiety disorder. A health professional can help you find the right treatment for your symptoms. This could include antianxiety medications or psychotherapy, as well as natural remedies like exercise, a healthy diet, and sleep. 1. Fear and Worry Everyone experiences anxiety and fears at times. It's part of the body's “fight or flight” response to danger. If the fear or anxiety is intense and doesn't go away or is interfering with your daily activities it could be a sign that you have anxiety disorder. Your doctor can identify anxiety disorders by speaking with you and performing a physical exam and urine or blood tests and asking about your past health. You could also be given questionnaires to fill in to help your doctor determine whether you have a particular anxiety disorder. Different types of anxiety disorders exhibit different symptoms. For instance, those with generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) suffer from persistent excessive and irrational worries about everyday events even though they are aware of no danger. They also have trouble relaxing or falling asleep. Other signs include a rapid and pounding heart, fluttering, or a thumping (heart palpitations), sweating and trembling. People suffering from panic disorder experience regular moments of intense terror or fear that can reach a peak within minutes, and they have difficulty controlling their emotions. They usually try to avoid certain locations or activities to avoid these attacks happening. People who have phobias are scared of certain things, such as snakes or flying. Other symptoms may include headaches, or difficulty breathing. People with PTSD experience anxiety when they witness or experience traumatizing events such as a war or car crash. They may also experience other symptoms, too, such as flashbacks and nightmares of the traumatic event. Other anxiety disorders include the ocd (obsessive compulsive disorder), hoarding disorder, and social anxiety disorder. These disorders make you feel anxious when you are in social situations. There is also anxiety over a specific health issue, which is known as illness anxiety disorder. Stress and chemical imbalances can also cause anxiety. Certain medications can trigger anxiety as a side effect. 2. Panic Attacks Everyone is anxious or scared at some point, people with anxiety disorders have recurring feelings of extreme fear and panic that are disproportionate to their personal circumstances. These feelings can trigger extreme physical reactions, such as rapid heartbeat or a shortness of breath, as well as nausea. You might also feel disengaged or unreal. Although anyone can suffer from a panic attack, you're more likely to develop this type of mental health issue in your childhood, adolescence or early adulthood. There are many factors that can trigger it, including chronic or extreme stress that creates chemical imbalances in the brain and nervous system. Severe trauma, particularly in the adolescent years can increase your risk of developing anxiety disorders. The attacks can happen without cause or in response a situation that makes you feel scared, such as being in a large group. They are distinct from normal anxiety symptoms because they have more intense symptoms and are often unavoidable. People with anxiety disorders may also experience a mixture of expected and unanticipated panic attacks. Talking therapies and medication are the most commonly used treatments for anxiety and panic attacks. Talking therapies can help you understand how to manage your fears and get rid of the irrational beliefs that fuel your anxiety. They can teach relaxation techniques, like deep breathing and mindfulness. mixed anxiety disorder — especially SSRIs (such as Prozac and Paxil) and SNRIs (such as duloxetine and venlafaxine) — can make your anxiety and panic less severe. It is essential to consult your doctor right away if you have frequent panic attacks. Your doctor can check for any other health conditions that have similar symptoms, and may recommend alternative treatments. 3. Insomnia When people are anxious they may have trouble falling asleep or staying asleep during the night. This is called insomnia. This can happen for a short time or it can last a long time. Sleep deprivation makes it difficult to function during the day and can cause serious health issues. It is more common among women than men and is more prevalent in older people. It is also more prevalent in those with psychiatric issues. Insomnia can be caused by a variety of different factors. In the short term, illnesses such as headaches or colds; chronic illnesses like acid reflux, arthritis or Parkinson's disease, and medication can affect your sleep. Stressful life situations can also contribute to it. About half of those with chronic insomnia have a mental illness, which is most often depression or anxiety. The first thing a doctor will do is look for physical causes for the issue. They will examine your medical history and ask you about the symptoms that are making it difficult to sleep. They'll also want to be aware of whether any medications you are taking are affecting it. They could also conduct a sleep study to monitor your heart rate and breathing at night. The most effective treatment of insomnia is behavioral therapy. It helps you change the negative thoughts that keep you awake. It also teaches you ways to sleep more peacefully before bed. There are a variety of techniques to help you relax, including progressive muscle relaxation meditation, biofeedback, and biofeedback. Your doctor can assist you to find a therapist who can teach you the methods. If the behavioral therapy doesn't work then you can try a variety of drugs to aid in sleeping better. They include benzodiazepines, that can be employed for short-term relief of symptoms as well as antidepressant or antianxiety medication. 4. Eating Disorders Eating disorders are characterized by a preoccupation with weight, body shape, and food as well as eating habits such as purging, binge eating or vomiting, or the use of laxatives and exercising. A lot of people who suffer from an eating disorder also have anxiety, as do those who suffer from a mental illness that is co-occurring like bipolar disorder or depression. disorder. Both conditions can lead to an unhealthy cycle where the eating disorder symptoms are exacerbated by the person's mood disorders. There is a strong correlation between anxiety and eating disorder severity. More anxiety symptoms are associated with the disorder. Anorexia nervosa patients tend to have high levels of anxiety-related symptoms. The same holds true for bulimia, binge-eating disorders or the condition known as bulimia. In certain cases, anxiety can be the primary reason for an eating disorder. In others, it may be a secondary symptom of an eating disorder. Researchers discovered that the presence of comorbid depression and anxiety symptoms was significantly related to more severe eating disorders in young females. The study team utilized the Patient Health Questionnaire-4 (PHQ-4), a 4-item measurement of anxiety and depression symptoms. They also analyzed the extent of an eating disorder, and asked participants to rate their ability to deal with anxiety. The authors of the study also examined three factors that could help explain the connection between eating disorders and anxiety: self-esteem, perfectionionism and mood dysregulation. They found that these factors affected the relationship between depression and anxiety symptoms and eating disorder symptomatology, and that they did differently for different subgroups of the sample. They hope that the results will allow them to develop more precise and targeted treatment of eating disorders. 5. Physical ailments that are associated with anxiety The majority of people suffer from anxiety at some moment in their lives but it can turn into a disorder if it is extreme and affects your with daily activities. Certain people may also experience physical symptoms like stomach pain or chest pain according to the type of anxiety they are experiencing. The appropriate treatment can help people live healthier and happier lives. Many people benefit from psychotherapy or talk therapy. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is a popular kind. CBT helps you recognize and change negative thoughts that cause anxiety and fear. It also teaches you how to confront the things that make you anxious and conquer your fears with small steps. Medication can be helpful. Benzodiazepines, such as diazepam or Valium can reduce anxiety and panic attacks. Antidepressants, such as tricyclic antidepressants or SSRIs, can also be prescribed. These drugs can be used to treat anxiety disorders on their own or together with other treatments. Medical conditions can cause anxiety and may have the same symptoms as anxiety disorders. Head trauma can cause anxiety and depression, for example. Other conditions that can cause anxiety include chronic fatigue, chronic pain and rheumatologic conditions like Lupus, and a few nutritional deficiencies. Certain factors increase the risk of developing anxiety disorders. These are known as risk factors. Certain risk factors are genetic, for example, a family history or anxiety disorders. Other factors, such as sexual abuse in childhood, the presence of depression or other mental health issues, and a buildup of stress over a long time, can increase the risk for anxiety disorders. This is why it's important to get an extensive physical exam if you suspect you suffer from anxiety.