How to Recognise Symptoms of Anxiety

Everyday life comes with many stresses and worries that we’re constantly exposed to. We often find ourselves under a lot of pressure, whether at school or at work. Usually, we encounter anxiety for normal reasons. It’s natural to be nervous before an exam or anxious about performing in front of a lot of people. Sometimes, this boost of energy can be beneficial. Yet when adrenaline spikes during situations that aren’t helpful, we’re left with intense feelings of anxiety and fear ends up taking over our thoughts. We start to panic and feel out of control of the situation. If this sounds familiar, anxiety may be starting to interfere with your daily life. Stress shouldn’t be a constant frame of mind. If you’re finding yourself on edge and tense more often than you’re not, there could be something underlying that you need to resolve to help with your mental health.

What is Anxiety?

We all encounter anxiety in some shape or form. It’s a natural reaction to prepare us for intense situations where we need to be alert. Some people can handle stressful situations better than others, able to adapt and keep focused on the task at hand. Anxiety isn’t a pleasant experience as it comes along with feelings of worry, fear, doom and dread. In response to the stress, there are physical reactions as your heart starts to race, gearing up your body to tackle a potential ‘fight-or-flight’ situation.

When does anxiety become a disorder?

The problem with anxiety is when this natural response to danger isn’t in proportion to the situation. The negative thoughts and feelings end up affecting how you act and behave in otherwise normal situations. Phobias can start to form and anxiety can become a block, preventing you from being able to work or socialise as you would like to. When anxiety arises regularly, on a daily basis, for a prolonged period of time, this is a sign that an anxiety disorder has developed.

Anxiety disorders are the most common mental health disorder. There are several different types as anxiety develops differently for everyone. Anxiety is typically categorised into General Anxiety Disorder, Social Anxiety Disorder, Agoraphobia. Panic Disorder and Selective Mutism.

What are the signs of anxiety disorder?

As there are different types of anxiety disorder, not everyone will show the same symptoms or have the same experiences with the disorder. Anxiety affects everyone in different ways. There are some common signs that most disorders have in common. Anxiety affects both mentally and physically.

The mental and emotion signs are:

• Uncontrollable worrying – where you can’t stop expecting the worst is going to happen
• Anxious feelings that affect your day-to-day including school, university, your job and your personal life
• Feeling irritable and on edge
• Difficulties sleeping
• Difficulties concentrating
• Tiredness and fatigue

The physical signs that are most common with anxiety are:

• Racing heartbeat and heart palpitations
• Shortness of breath
• Shaking and trembling
• Sweating
• A dry mouth and thirst
• Nausea
• Tense muscles
• Headache

When going to see a doctor or therapist about anxiety, they will ask how often you experience these symptoms and the effect they have on your daily life. If they are starting to get in the way of school or work, getting treatment to control the anxiety will help you to manage the condition.

Are panic attacks common with anxiety disorders?

Someone with an anxiety disorder is more likely to experience a panic attack than someone without a disorder. However, anyone can experience a panic attack. While experiencing an episode of anxiety, the physical feelings and negative thoughts can trick the mind into thinking that you’re in danger. This triggers the ‘fight-or-flight’ response and causes a panic attack. Because of how distressing and often debilitating panic attacks are, it’s important for people with anxiety disorders to know how to manage a panic attack before it becomes out of control. Through techniques learned in therapy, people with anxiety can live perfectly functional lives and reduce the risk of panic attacks occurring.

What is the difference between depression and anxiety?

While some of the emotional symptoms of anxiety and depression are similar, they are different mental conditions that affect mental and physical health in different ways. However, it is possible to have both – in fact, it is very common. Both conditions stem from negative thoughts and experiences, yet they are received in different ways. With depression, it’s almost as if the body slows down. People who have depression find themselves low on energy and, in serious conditions, unable to look after themselves or do simple tasks. Those with anxiety feel like things are moving very fast and they can’t keep up. There’s a sense of restlessness and impending danger that’s difficult to shake.

How to get treatment for Anxiety

If you feel as if anxiety is becoming a problem, help is on hand. Talking to someone is the first step, whether a friend or family member. Having the support of someone close to you can help when seeking out professional treatment. When it comes to treatment, there are different options depending on what will suit you best. Visiting a doctor is a good start to introduce what’s available to you and to arrange any referrals to a therapist. Having therapy can help you to understand more about your anxiety and work on uncovering the causes. Through learning techniques, you can also challenge the negative thoughts that trigger the anxiety. Regular sessions give you a safe environment to talk about your feelings and concerns.

Concerned that you have anxiety and wish to get control back? If you’re based near Brighton, you can book an initial consultation directly via the book page on our website. You can also contact us using the form or via email admin@therapyclinicbrighton.com.