Anxiety can present in many different ways:
Generalized Anxiety Disorder
-Excessive worrying (may be about many things) which is hard to control - Feeling restless or on edge - Difficulty concentrating - Muscle tension and pain - Irritability - Fatigue and disturbed sleep Usually with other physical symptoms and discomfort. |
Panic Disorder & Panic Attacks
- Panic attacks that come unexpectedly with intense fear/discomfort - Heart racing, palpitations - Sweating, shaking - Shortness of breath, chest pain - Nausea - Feeling detached from reality - Fears of losing control or dying Usually leading to worry about future attacks, or avoiding situations that might cause panic. |
Stress
Acute: tense muscles, eczema & hives, migraines, high blood pressure, pain, indigestion, diarrhea. Chronic: low energy, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, weight gain, insomnia, poor concentration. Short term, stress can be helpful. Long term, it is often damaging and disease forming. |
Anxiety is not a distinct disease – it is a nonspecific syndrome and can be due to a variety of medical or psychiatric syndromes.
It is recommended that when someone is experiencing anxiety, the first thing to do, is to rule out a medical cause. T
This is because “anxiety disorders have one of the longest differential diagnosis lists of all psychiatric disorders” (Yates, 2012)
Here are just a few of the common contributors that can play a big role:
|
If you'd like to learn about what might be causing your anxiety, please book in a free anxiety assessment!