Psychological Symptoms of Anxiety

At one time or another, everyone experiences anxiety. According to dictionary.com, anxiety is "distress or uneasiness of the mind caused by fear," usually the fear of not being in control, and it may be acute (brief) or chronic (ongoing). Acute anxiety is usually a result of a specific situation, like a job interview or divorce, while those who experience chronic anxiety generally have suffered from it most of their lives and may not even know the cause. The symptoms of anxiety cabn be either physical or psychological, though few people's symptoms are relegated to one type. Here are some of the psychological symptoms of anxiety.

Depression

• We're living in incredibly stressful times, moreso because the media reports on every negative event around the world. Watching the nightly news about bombings, economic recession, hurricanes, Amber Alerts, car accidents and any other distressing incidents can easily cause depression, made worse in those with anxious tendencies.

Agoraphobia

• Agoraphobia, the fear of being in public places or crowds, is common in those who suffer anxiety. Because anxious people are usually afraid of being out of control in one or all parts of their lives, they tend to isolate themselves at home to feel more in control of their surroundings.

Insomnia

• Anxious people have a propensity for a racing mind that they cannot turn off, so it makes sense that sleep would be disrupted or elusive. Insomnia can be divided into three parts: the inability to fall asleep, causing tossing and turning; difficulty staying asleep, causing frequent awakenings for either brief moments or hours; and the failure to sleep late enough, causing you to wake up before your alarm goes off.

Panic

• Feeling panicked, helpless, worried, or doomed is typical for a disorder that is defined as fear of not being in control. When the anxiety is causal---losing a job, for example---it is realistic to have these feelings and to assume they will go away when the problem is solved. But when there is no apparent external reason, the panic attacks and constant worry come out of nowhere, stay with you longer, and be more difficult to remedy.

Crying

• Because the symptoms of anxiety are caused by the brain, and in return affect the brain's function, it may be difficult to express yourself clearly. It is easy to feel isolated and have the idea that no one understands you, and so sadness and crying for "unknown" reasons can be a common occurrence.

Fear of Losing Your Mind

• Because of all the other symptoms of anxiety, it is easy to see how a person could fear she is going crazy. Difficulty thinking or remembering things, constant panic about your life, disturbing or suicidal thoughts, feeling like no one understands you, and isolation may all lead to the feeling that you are losing your mind.

Solution

• While anti-anxiety or antidepressant drugs may offer temporary relief, it is vital to get to the root cause of your anxiety and eradicate it. Helpful solutions may include such therapies as Cognitive-Behavioral, Psychodynamic or Humanistic/Existential; meditation and relaxation skills; Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT); and acupuncture. For short-term or causal anxiety, pleasant distractions such as visiting with friends or going to the movies may do the job. Left untreated, anxiety can lead to ulcers, high blood pressure, heart attacks, strokes, low self-esteem, or even suicide.