Thursday, May 26, 2011

Common symptoms of anxiety disorders

People are different and even the same health problems can manifest through different signs from one person to another. Fear and anxiety are quite common in our everyday life. It’s very hard to find a person who never experienced anxiety and worry before an important meeting or exam. Remember your feeling before going to a job interview, or simply walking down a dark street in the middle of the night. Anxiety is the most common companion in such situation and it keeps us on alert for things unexpected.

However, normal anxiety does not pose any interest for mental health specialists. Things get dramatic when the anxiety response occurs for no apparent reason and stays for much longer periods of time than it usually does in normal circumstances. If anxiety becomes frequent in its nature and occurs periodically for a long time, it is automatically transferred to the state of a disorder.

Anxiety disorders are generally described as an overwhelming and periodical feeling of anxiety that occurs in situations that otherwise do not pose any danger, and which is persistent for longer periods of time, interfering with everyday activities. An individual suffering from any form of anxiety disorders is unable to control the feelings of dread, fear and worry. And to add injury to insult, people who suffer from anxiety disorders are usually well aware of the fact that their feelings do not have any logic reasons, but are unable to do anything about it.

The most common forms of anxiety disorders include conditions such as generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder, separation anxiety, post traumatic stress disorder, social phobia, selective mutism and various types of specific phobia. Different types of anxiety disorders have different symptoms, and even the same disorder can be described differently by two persons suffering from it.


However, the physical signs of an anxiety disorder are pretty much common for all types of disorders. They are described by the triggering of the flight or fight response and are manifested through increased heart rate, faster breathing, adrenaline rush, hypertension and other symptoms.

People suffering from anxiety disorders usually report the following symptoms associated with their conditions:

- Abdominal discomfort
- Diarrhea
- Dry mouth
- Rapid heartbeat or palpitations
- Tightness or pain in chest
- Shortness of breath
- Dizziness
- Frequent urination
- Difficulty swallowing

Psychological symptoms associated with anxiety disorders include:

- Sleep disorders
- Irritability
- Lack of concentration
- Fear of going crazy or dying
- Feeling unreal and not in control of your behavior

If you experience any of these symptoms you might want to address your doctor for a consultation. Even if it’s a sign of anxiety disorder, it doesn’t automatically allow you to take Valium or any other drugs without prescription. Only your doctor can prescribe the right treatment and dosage. Besides drugs like Valium there are other ways to treat anxiety disorders, and your physician will surely help you select the most effective and optimal treatment course for your problem. Any anxiety disorder can be treated, so keep your worries at bay and go to your doctor when you experience any signs of such conditions.

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