Anxiety

Anxiety feels different depending on the person experiencing it. Feelings can range from butterflies in your stomach to a racing heart. You might feel out of control, like there is a disconnect between your mind and body.

Other ways people experience anxiety include nightmares, panic attacks, and painful thoughts or memories that you cannot control. You may have a general feeling of fear and worry, or you may fear a specific place or event.

Anxiety is an important feeling for everyone. It helps us get around safely in the world and avoid danger. Everyone feels anxious now and then which its perfectly normal. However, for some people anxious feelings don’t go away. They can see situations as much worse than they really are, and their anxiety affects their day-to-day activities and routines.

Anxiety Symptoms Include:

• Struggles Concentrating
• Sleep disruptions
• Rapid Breathing
• Increased Heart Rate
• Muscle Tension
• Sweating
• Restlessness
• Butterflies in the stomach
• Nausea

Normal Anxiety is short lived and linked to a particular stressful event such as a job interview or first day at school. This type of ordinary anxiety is unpleasant but comes and goes and does not interfere with your everyday life.

For some, if anxiety doesn’t go away and is affecting your everyday life, then you might have an anxiety disorder. In the instance of an anxiety disorder, the feeling of fear may be with you all the time and can be intense or sometimes debilitating. However, Anxiety disorders are quite common, and they can be treated.

What is an Anxiety Disorder:

Anxiety disorders are the most common form of emotional disorder and can affect anyone at any age. According to the American Psychiatric Association, women are more likely than men to be diagnosed with an anxiety disorder. Anxiety disorders can be caused by many things. These include genetic factors, ongoing stress, family background, physical health issues or a Traumatic event.
Talking to your doctor about your anxiety symptoms will help them make a diagnosis and decide how to best treat or manage your anxiety. This could include Therapy.

Anxiety is a key part of several different disorders. These include:

• Panic Disorder: Experiencing recurring panic attacks at unexpected times. A person with panic disorder may live in fear of the next panic attacks.
• Phobia: Excessive fear of a specific object, situation, or activity.
• Social Anxiety: Extreme fear of being judged by others in social situations
• Obsessive-compulsive disorder: Recurring irrational thoughts that lead you to perform specific, repeated behaviours
• Separation anxiety disorder: Fear of being away from home or loved ones
• Illness anxiety disorder: Anxiety about your health (formerly called hypochondria)
• Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD): Anxiety following a traumatic event

If you feel you may be experiencing any of the above symptoms, you may be interested in visiting the Beyond Blue Anxiety check list. You may also consider accessing you GP for a formal diagnosis as part of your healing journey – beyondblue.org.au