Signs of Anxiety Disorder

A general amount of anxiety is normal at times, but nervousness or worries that inhibit you from performing everyday tasks is not. Anxiety, or generalized anxiety disorder, is a condition in which unrealistic worries disrupt daily life. Treatment with therapy and medications can help you overcome this disorder and lead a normal life.

Anxiety Disorder Symptoms

• Symptoms of an anxiety disorder include irritability, sleeplessness, lack of concentration, fatigue, muscle tension and restlessness. When three or more of these symptoms occur over a course of six months, anxiety disorder is usually diagnosed.

Panic Attacks

• Panic attacks can be associated with anxiety disorders. These sudden intense fear attacks occur over a course of approximately 10 minutes. Panic attack symptoms include dizziness, trembling, difficulty breathing, sweating, palpitations, nausea and chest pain. Others might include a fear of dying, chills or hot flashes, a feeling of detachment and an inability to think.

Phobias

• Anxiety disorders can lead to phobias, an intense fear of certain objects or circumstances. These phobias may include fear of snakes, spiders, blood, heights or public places. Many people have fears of these objects or places, but people with anxiety disorders have such intense fears, they can trigger panic attacks.

Stress

• Stress anxiety can be caused from a condition known as post-traumatic stress disorder. This disorder might be caused by life and death circumstances such as fire, car accidents, shootings and war. Other causes are emotional, physical or sexual abuse. Symptoms of stress related anxiety include difficulty sleeping or concentrating, depression and an avoidance of people or events that can be associated with a personal stressful event.

Medications

• Anti-anxiety medications such as Xanax or Ativan might be prescribed for short-term treatment but can become habit-forming. Another anti-anxiety medication called Buspar is not habit-forming, but it takes several weeks to notice improvements. Anti-depressants such as Prozac or Lexapro might be prescribed to help offset neurotransmitters in the brain that can influence anxiety. You may need to try different medications over time to find which works best for you.

Therapy

• Therapy or counseling allows you to identify negative thoughts and beliefs and replace them with positive ones. This brings about a feeling of control, which is what anxiety deprives you of: control. You begin to conquer fears and lead a more normal and fulfilling life by learning how to control your environment and feelings in a more healthy way.