Understanding Anxiety Disorders: Symptoms and Treatment
Understanding Anxiety Disorders: Symptoms, Effects, and Treatment Options
Feelings of stress, fear, and dread are typically what we refer to when discussing anxiety. For many individuals, anxiety seems to permeate their lives regardless of situation or environment.
Anxiety is a normal human experience that most people encounter occasionally; for instance, it’s natural to feel anxious in new social situations or professional roles. However, when you begin experiencing mental and physical symptoms that interfere with daily functioning, an anxiety disorder might be the underlying cause. Anxiety disorders such as social anxiety disorder, generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), and panic disorder can impact all aspects of your life.
For example, panic disorder may trigger panic attacks that make approaching daily tasks difficult or create fear of certain social situations. Understanding anxiety as a health topic involves exploring its symptoms, treatments, and strategies for managing its impact on daily life and mental wellbeing.
In this article, we’ll examine common anxiety symptoms, major types of anxiety disorders, how their negative effects can spread throughout your life, and effective management strategies.
What are anxiety disorders?
According to the Anxiety & Depression Association of America, anxiety disorders are the most common mental illness, affecting 40 million adults every year.
When it comes to general anxiety, you’re likely familiar with its emotional manifestations. You might feel nervous or worried in the weeks before an important presentation. You may avoid making stressful phone calls or struggle to focus on tasks at hand.
While these feelings are common, they may indicate the presence of a disorder if they persist. According to the Mayo Clinic, people with anxiety disorders frequently experience intense, excessive, and persistent worry and fear about everyday situations.
Common symptoms of anxiety disorders
There are various anxiety disorders, but their symptoms often overlap. The most common symptoms include:
- Feeling nervous, restless, or tense
- Having a sense of impending danger, panic, or doom
- Experiencing increased heart rate
- Breathing rapidly (hyperventilation)
- Sweating
- Trembling
- Feeling weak or tired
- Trouble concentrating or thinking about anything other than the present worry
- Having trouble sleeping
- Experiencing gastrointestinal challenges or other physical health problems
- Having difficulty controlling worry
- Having the urge to avoid anxiety triggers
Less common symptoms of anxiety disorders
Along with these common symptoms, AmeriDisability highlights some rarer symptoms that anxiety may cause, including:
- Indigestion
- Phantom ringing, or tinnitus
- Burning sensation on the skin, lips, tongue or eyes
- Excessive yawning
- Derealization, or the feeling of not being in reality
- Blurred vision, dilated pupils, or watery eyes
- Skin rashes
- Cold hands or feet
Types of anxiety disorders
While occasional stress or nervousness is expected in everyday life, persistent anxiety that doesn’t subside or worsens over time may indicate a mental health disorder.
The following are common anxiety disorders:
Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD)
GAD is characterized by chronic anxiety, exaggerated worry, and tension, even when there’s little or nothing to provoke these symptoms.
Panic disorder
This disorder features unexpected and repeated panic attacks—episodes of intense fear accompanied by physical symptoms including chest pain, heart palpitations, breathing difficulties, dizziness, or abdominal distress. People with panic disorder often develop fear of future attacks.
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
This disorder can develop after exposure to terrifying events where grave physical harm occurred or was threatened. Traumatic events may include violent personal assaults, natural or human-caused disasters, accidents, or military combat.
Social phobia or social anxiety disorder
This anxiety disorder is characterized by overwhelming anxiety and excessive self-consciousness in everyday social situations.
Separation anxiety disorder
Separation anxiety disorder causes excessive distress at the thought of being away from home or attachment figures. People with this disorder may also experience fear when alone.
If you’re experiencing trauma, support is available. Please reach out to a mental health professional for assistance.
While each anxiety disorder presents differently, untreated symptoms may result in long-term consequences that can affect multiple aspects of a person’s life.
Long-term effects of anxiety
When addressing anxiety symptoms, it’s easy to see how they can impact daily life. For example, the emotional manifestations of anxiety can disrupt work performance or relationships, often creating additional anxiety.
Pain and other physical effects of anxiety
Beyond psychological effects, recent studies show a strong link between anxiety and physical pain. Harvard Health details the overlap of anxiety and pain, noting it’s particularly evident in chronic pain syndromes such as fibromyalgia, irritable bowel syndrome, low back pain, headaches, and nerve pain.
The article notes that nearly two-thirds of patients with irritable bowel syndrome referred for follow-up care have psychological distress symptoms, typically related to anxiety.
Treatment options for anxiety and other mental health conditions
Fortunately, various effective treatments are available for anxiety and related mental health disorders. Often, psychotherapy alone can effectively treat both psychological and physiological symptoms of anxiety. The most common therapeutic approaches for anxiety treatment are cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and relaxation training.
Online therapy for anxiety disorder symptoms
According to Harvard Health, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is more than an established treatment for anxiety—it’s also the best studied psychotherapy for treating pain. CBT is based on the premise that thoughts, feelings, and sensations are all interconnected.
Due to anxiety’s nature, it’s not uncommon to feel anxious about seeking help. Online therapy offers a more comfortable and convenient option, allowing participants to receive therapeutic support from the comfort of their homes.
Cognitive behavioral therapy for anxiety
Research confirms cognitive behavioral therapy as an effective treatment for anxiety symptoms and other mental health conditions. Additional studies show that digital mental health interventions have significant positive effects on participants’ wellbeing, with online therapy proving equally effective as in-person therapy.
Takeaway
Living with anxiety symptoms can be challenging both short-term and long-term, potentially creating lasting physical health issues. If anxiety symptoms are affecting your life, it’s important to know you’re not alone and help is available. Reaching out to a licensed clinical social worker or other mental health professional is an excellent first step toward effective treatment.
If you feel anxious about in-person therapy, online therapy through ReachLink provides a convenient alternative. Our platform connects you with licensed clinical social workers experienced in treating anxiety through secure video sessions. Take the first step toward managing anxiety’s effects by exploring telehealth options today.
