Anxiety Indicators

Anxiety is a distressing mental disorder, which nevertheless responds well to treatment. According to the American Institute of Mental Health, 40 million Americans, or about 18.1 percent of adults over 18, suffer from anxiety. Anxiety is often found in conjunction with another illness, such as depression. In some people, anxiety manifests itself in the form of a phobia. In others, anxiety may be combined with alcohol or drug misuse.

Worry

• The person suffering from anxiety worries for much of the time.

  One of the foremost and most common symptoms of anxiety is excessive worry. Everybody worries from time to time, but a person suffering from anxiety worries to the point where it affects her life, and has a serious detrimental affect on her sense of well-being.

Physical Symptoms

• Anxiety is usually accompanied by physical symptoms. The person with anxiety may suffer palpitations and sweating. He might have headaches or frequent stomach upsets. Insomnia may be a feature, or the person might sleep a lot. The sufferer may experience a range of other symptoms, including pins and needles, nausea and even faintness.

Negative Thoughts

• The person with anxiety often has negative thoughts and will find it difficult to push these thoughts away. Anxiety can be closely linked with depression, and negative thoughts are a common feature of both anxiety and depression.

Fear

• The person with anxiety may fear leaving the house, or being with other people. This might be the reason he seeks help. Often, the fear affects his work (if he finds himself avoiding meetings, for instance). However, the very action of avoiding the trigger (such as a meeting) may make the situation worse next time.