What Are the Physical Symptoms of Anxiety?

Anxiety is defined as a reaction to unidentified stimulus. It is akin to fear, but the key difference is that there is no direct focus – instead, anxiety is more a general feeling of unease. Many people suffer from anxiety, but for certain people the word takes on a whole new meaning. Those suffering from severe anxiety disorders can suffer some of the serious physical symptoms of anxiety, which can be very jarring and make day-to-day living unbearable.

The causes of anxiety are widespread. Most commonly, anxiety attacks occur in people who are afflicted by other sorts of mental disorders, such as depression or post-traumatic stress disorder. However, there are a number of other factors that can affect the occurrence of panic attacks. For example, panic attacks simply run in some families. Also, certain physical health conditions can result in them.

It also has to do with the way that a person leads their life. People who are overstressed are prime candidates to experience panic attacks. On the other end of the coin, people who are too meek and passive in their interactions often end up bottling up feelings that can lead to severe anxiety problems later on. Finally, those who abuse drugs or alcohol are more likely to experience panic attacks, especially when going through withdrawal. Once a person has experienced a panic attack, there is a strong likelihood that they will experience more.

For those who suffer from severe anxiety, there are many common symptoms and they vary from person to person. For the most part, these symptoms are actually the body reacting to a perceived threat and preparing itself it either fight or run away from that threat. However, when it comes to anxiety, the threat is not real, so the symptoms just leave a person feeling afraid and out of sorts. Some common manifestations of anxiety include increased heart rate, sweating, nausea, headaches and shortness of breath.

These symptoms can be very frightening, especially when suffering from them for the first time. Many people mistakenly check themselves into a hospital, believing that they may have a heart attack. Once you’ve identified the physical symptoms of anxiety, it’s important to try and keep calm when experiencing an attack. Simply talking to oneself or keeping the mind occupied by counting can reduce the symptoms of a panic attack significantly. These methods help to keep the mind under control so that the panic attack doesn’t spiral out of control.

On a more long-term scale, anxiety can also trigger feelings of fatigue. Also, since anxiety attacks tell the digestive and immune systems to go on hold, it can also lead to increased chances of contracting an illness. This is why people who are frequently stressed out are more subject to getting sick. As if anxiety itself weren’t enough, these physical symptoms of anxiety can cause serious problems, and that’s not even taking the emotional effects into account Anyone suffering these symptoms should seek help from a certified professional as soon as possible.