Everyone can expect to feel anxiety from time to time. Some people have it under certain circumstances, such as in front of a group or when interviewing for a job. But others feel it consistently.

Anxiety disorders are complicated diseases that affect 40 million adults in America. ¹ It’s defined as a disorder that causes persistent and strong fear attacks. ² These bouts interfere heavily with basic areas of a person’s life.

What makes anxiety so complicated is it affects everyone differently. Not only is it a very personal illness, one which no two people will feel in an exactly similar manner, but it comes in a variety of types. The five major ones are:

• Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD)
• Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)
• Panic disorder
• Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
• Social anxiety disorder (or, social phobia)

It’s common for people with an anxiety disorder to want to hide their symptoms. Though it’s not the case with everyone, many people feel embarrassed about their condition. They perceive it as a sign of weakness and fear others will think the same.

However, people with anxiety disorder need to speak out. They must find others who can relate and the treatment they need.

Emotional Signs and Symptoms

A person who experiences anxiety will often themselves with the following symptoms: ³

• Apprehension
• Difficulty concentrating
• Dreadful feelings
• Expecting the worst outcome
• Feeling as though the mind has gone blank
• Irritability
• Over-alertness
• Tense/jittery feelings

These symptoms often start small but will pick up over time. In turn, this could induce an anxiety attack.

Physical Signs and Symptoms

People with anxiety will also have physical symptoms. These include: ⁴

• Continual need to urinate
• Diarrhea (not caused by illness)
• Dizziness and headaches
• Fatigue
• Insomnia
• Muscle tension
• Nausea
• Rapid heartbeat and breathing
• Sweating
• Vomiting (not caused by an illness)

Just as with emotional symptoms, physical symptoms can build up over some time and result in an anxiety attack.

What to Look Out For

With the above symptoms, you might still not be entirely sure whether or not you struggle with an anxiety disorder. This is understandable considering many with the condition also struggle with other mental illnesses. Some symptoms you feel might be a result of anxiety while others are a product of another disorder.

To get a clear comprehension of your mental health condition, you’ll want to speak to a mental health professional. If you have a hunch that someone you care for struggles with anxiety, it’s important to keep an eye out for specific moods and habits. These include:

• Alcohol and/or drug abuse
• Changes in personality
• Compulsive or redundant conduct
• Continuous emotional and physical health complications
• Depression and/or suicidal ideation
• Difficulties with work and/or school
• Intense moments of fear due to particular situations and/or things
• Loss of interest in activities
• Problems with family, friends, and/or relationships

As mentioned, someone with an anxiety disorder may hide their mental health condition. Therefore, it might be difficult for you to pick up these moods and habits.

The best way to find out whether or not someone struggles with anxiety is to talk to them. With an open conversation, you allow your loved one to finally come out about their problem. And you’re on the path to discovering a solution.

What Can Be Done to Reduce Anxiety

There are several tips mental health professionals will tell you when it comes to reducing anxiety. It’s important to note, each point isn’t a guaranteed step towards beating anxiety. Rather, it’s a suggestion that may or may not work for you, depending on your personality and how you handle your mental health.

Write Your Worries Down

People with anxiety tend to know certain events which can cause their symptoms. For example, someone may have a school presentation they’re nervous about or a first date they aren’t too sure of.

During these situations, it’s best to write down how you feel. If you bottle up your emotions, they may come out all at once. However, if you keep these thoughts, worries, and fears in a journal, you release all the negative energy before it can build up.

Make sure to include things such as:

• Emotional symptoms
• Physical symptoms
• Where things can go wrong
• Worst potential outcomes

This writing exercise is a way to recognize the pattern of your anxiety. Through this recognition, you’ll gain more control over it than it has over you.

Take the Time to Worry

Often, people with anxiety feel they should push back their symptoms. Not only is this dangerous but it’s also unhealthy for the mind. The truth of the matter is people with anxiety are bound to worry one way or another. And if you can take the time to worry, you’ll be much better off.

So, when is the right time to worry?

That depends entirely on your schedule. Consider what you do daily and which times are best for those emotions. Potentially, these are the times you can write your worries in a journal.

By allowing yourself to worry, you’ll feel much better throughout the day.

Understand Life Can Be Uncertain

At the end of the day, no matter what you do, you can’t predict every time you’ll feel anxiety. It’s an unfortunate aspect of the disorder, but it’s unavoidable.

The above suggestions can help you predict and plan out certain moments when the anxiety kicks in.

References

¹ Bandelow B, Michaelis S. Epidemiology of anxiety disorders in the 21st century. Dialogues Clin Neurosci. 2015 Sep;17(3):327-35. doi: 10.31887/DCNS.2015.17.3/bbandelow. PMID: 26487813; PMCID: PMC4610617.

² Szuhany KL, Simon NM. Anxiety Disorders: A Review. JAMA. 2022 Dec 27;328(24):2431-2445. doi: 10.1001/jama.2022.22744. PMID: 36573969.

³ Mishra AK, Varma AR. A Comprehensive Review of the Generalized Anxiety Disorder. Cureus. 2023 Sep 28;15(9):e46115. doi: 10.7759/cureus.46115. PMID: 37900518; PMCID: PMC10612137.

⁴ Gelenberg AJ. Psychiatric and Somatic Markers of Anxiety: Identification and Pharmacologic Treatment. Prim Care Companion J Clin Psychiatry. 2000 Apr;2(2):49-54. doi: 10.4088/pcc.v02n0204. PMID: 15014583; PMCID: PMC181205.