Top 10 Signs and Symptoms of Anxiety

Top 10 signs and symptoms of someone suffering from anxiety and social anxiety which may not know it- According to DSM.

Anxiety-related disorders have become very prevalent in the increasingly complex and stressful society in which we live.

Anxiety can be expressed in the form of phobias and panic disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, posttraumatic stress disorder, and a variety of conditions in which the dominant symptoms appear physical in nature.

Excessive and/or persistent anxiety can negatively impact an individual’s ability to function comfortably and productively.

Those who suffer from anxiety symptoms such as intense worry, palpitations, fatigue, irritability, panic, and irrational fear, often delay seeking help until their ability to work, attend school, or cope with consistent daily routines becomes seriously impaired.

Overview

There are two types of anxiety:-

1. Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD)
2. Social anxiety

GAD

1. Excessive worry occurring consistently for over six months about a number of everyday activities or events
2. The person shows signs of

• Restlessness
• Feels keyed up
• Feels on edge

3. They are:

• Easily fatigued- due to worry and anxiety
• Have difficulty concentrating
• Irritable
• Experience muscle tension
• Tired due to sleep disturbance

4. GAD affects around 5% of people at some time during their lifetime, but unlike SA, this is not specific to a situation but the anxiety that is generalized to everyday activities.

Social Anxiety

1. The person will have particular fears that can be troubling or difficult to cope with around social situations. So everyday activities such as socializing, shopping, speaking on the telephone, going out of your home, and working can make them feel anxious or self-conscious.

2. They experience excessive feelings of nervousness or dread about their feared situations
3. May experience specific physical symptoms
4. Extreme anxiety can lead to panic attacks
5. They are usually very self-conscious and worried about what other people are thinking about them
6. Can suffer from chronic insecurity about their relationships with others, hypersensitive to criticism or fears around being rejected
7. Many start symptoms during adolescence, but symptoms can persist for years after increasing the likelihood of apprehension, worry, and worry about interactions with others
8. They avoid certain situations, which can lead to inhibitions, defensiveness in feared situations and increase the likelihood of depression or loneliness
9. Can suffer from a range of physical symptoms such as:

• blushing,
• sweating,
• trembling or shaking,
• nausea,
• difficulty in speaking,
• confusion,
• heart palpitations.

10. Hypervigilance about their performance reviewing what they said or did look to see if they embarrassed themselves and how they came across others. This leads to neutral or ambiguous conversations being interpreted with a negative outlook. What Works To Reduce Social Anxiety Symptoms?

Fortunately, effective treatment techniques have been developed to help people manage anxiety in whatever way it may emerge, thereby attaining an enhanced level of functioning. The techniques utilized depend upon individual needs and include relaxation training, cognitive restructuring, contextual therapy, imaginable and in vivo desensitization, hypnotherapy, supportive psychotherapy, and insight-oriented psychotherapy.

When indicated, a referral for medication is made to the family physician or a psychiatrist associated with our program. We aim to help each patient achieve symptomatic relief and the insight necessary to enhance their progress.

Related Disorders

• Depression
• Panic disorder
• GAD
• Agoraphobia
• OCD
• PTSD
• Other issues

Treatments

• Medication
• Psychological therapy such as CBT
• Support groups
• Self-help books
• Herbal
• Complimentary therapies
• Relaxation exercise
• Hypnosis
• NLP ( Neuro-linguistic Programming)

Symptoms of anxiety and social anxiety vary from person to person, but what they all have in common is a fear of a situation, and that fear leads to heightened worry and stress.  It is essential to build awareness of how anxiety affects you as an individual, as this will dictate the kind of treatment that would be successful.

Anxiety is common, and though there is still a stigma attached to mental health issues, everyone experiences it, and success in managing or overcoming anxiety comes from taking consistent action.