Anxiety (cont.)
IN THIS ARTICLE
Anxiety Symptoms
- Panic disorder: recurrent episodes of panic attacks, worry about having an attack, about what it means, or changing the way one behaves because of the panic attacks for at least a month. Panic attacks are separate and intense periods of fear or feelings of doom developing over a very short time frame-10 minutes-and
they're associated with at least four of the following:
- Palpitations
- Sweating
- Trembling
- Shortness of breath
- Sense of choking
- Chest pain
- Nausea or other stomach upset
- Dizziness
- A feeling of being detached from the world (derealization)
- Being unable to think, feeling as if the mind has gone blank
- Fear of dying
- Numbness or tingling
- Chills or hot flashes
- Palpitations
- Generalized anxiety disorder: excessive, unrealistic, and difficult to control worry over a period of at least
six months. It's associated with three of the following:
- Restlessness
- Easily tired
- Trouble concentrating
- Irritability
- Muscle tension
- Sleep problems
- Restlessness
- Phobic disorders: intense, persistent, and recurring fear of certain objects (such as snakes, spiders, or blood) or situations (such as heights, speaking in front of a group, or public places). These exposures may trigger a panic attack.
- Stress disorders: anxiety (also known as post-traumatic stress disorder) caused by the exposure to either death or near-death circumstances such as fires, floods, earthquakes, shootings, automobile accidents, or wars, for example. Other traumatic events may not have had the threat of death or near-death but resulted in the severe injury or threat thereof. Examples of such trauma include victimization through physical or sexual abuse, witnessing the abuse of another or over-xposure to inappropriate material (for
example, exposure of children to pornographic images or acts). The traumatic event is re-experienced in thoughts and dreams. Common behaviors include the following:
- Re-experiencing the trauma, either when awake (flashbacks) or when asleep (nightmares)
- Avoiding activities, places, or people associated with the triggering event
- Difficulty concentrating
- Difficulty sleeping
- Being hypervigilant (you closely watch your surroundings)
- Feeling a general sense of depression, irritability, doom and gloom with diminished emotions such as loving feelings or aspirations for the future
- Re-experiencing the trauma, either when awake (flashbacks) or when asleep (nightmares)
- Symptoms such as chest pain, shortness of breath, palpitations, dizziness, fainting, and weakness generally should not be attributed to anxiety and require evaluation by a doctor.
Next: When to Seek Medical Care »
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