Anxiety: Symptoms, Diagnosis, And Support Options

Anxiety is a typical human emotion characterized by nervousness, tension, and worry about future events. The physical symptoms of anxiety, such as increased blood pressure, rapid heartbeat, stomachaches, and shortness of breath, can interfere with a person’s ability to accomplish daily tasks and affect the quality of life. 

While these symptoms can be uncomfortable, anxiety is an adaptive human behavior that serves to defend us from dangerous situations or threats to our safety. However, many people have trouble processing and moving past their anxiety. When does ordinary worry become something more? Read on to learn about the psychology and support for anxiety, as well as how anxiety disorders can affect your life and what therapy can do to help you find healthy ways to cope. 

What is anxiety?

According to the American Psychological Association (APA), anxiety is typically characterized by tension, anxious thoughts, and physical changes. Worrying about your problems is a standard part of the human experience, but sometimes, the anxiety lingers and worsens over time, developing into an anxiety disorder. 

While anxiety is linked to fear, that is, someone with anxiety will experience fear of physical injury or death; the two are distinct from each other. Anxiety is characterized by several types of symptoms, including physiological, cognitive, behavioral, and affective (related to mood, feelings, and attitudes). On the other hand, fear is defined as an automatic state of alarm potentiated by the fight-or-flight response. 

“Anxiety is not the same as fear, but they are often used interchangeably. Anxiety is considered a future-oriented, long-acting response broadly focused on a diffuse threat, whereas fear is an appropriate, present-oriented, and short-lived response to a clearly identifiable and specific threat.”— American Psychological Association

Like many mental health conditions, anxiety disorders are generally caused by biological, genetic, and environmental factors. For example, stressful or traumatic events, prolonged stress, and your specific brain chemistry may play a role. In addition, certain personality traits, such as shyness or being more prone to stress, can make someone more susceptible to anxiety disorders.

How it can affect your life

Nerves vs. anxiety? When it becomes something more

Some worry and anxiety are typical and expected. Still, you may have an anxiety disorder if these feelings do not subside, are excessive, and/or cause distress or functional impairment in several areas of your life. 

Excessive worry can turn into recurring, intrusive thoughts and concerns, leading you to avoid certain places or situations due to anxiety. It may also cause physical reactions like trembling, racing pulse, or dizziness. Anxiety disorders tend to manifest as a physical illness in many cases, leading some people to undergo unnecessary lab tests. Speak to your healthcare provider to ask about being evaluated for an anxiety disorder if these concerns arise.

Statistics

According to the American Psychiatric Association: 

• Anxiety disorders are the most common mental health condition among American adults.
• Nearly 30% of adults in America will be affected by an anxiety disorder throughout their lives.
• Women are more likely than men to experience anxiety disorders.

Frequency by anxiety disorder type among US adults in any given year:

• Specific phobia: 8% to 12% 
• Social anxiety disorder: 7%
• Panic disorder: 2% to 3%
• Agoraphobia (adolescents and adults): 1% to 2.9%
• Generalized anxiety disorder: 2%
• Separation anxiety disorder: 0.9% to 1.9%     

Signs and symptoms

The National Institute on Mental Health published an overview of anxiety disorders in the fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. While anxiety can present differently from one person to the next, some common symptoms are used to help identify the presence of a mental health condition. If you or someone you love shows signs of an anxiety disorder, please ask your doctor or mental health provider about an assessment. 

Cognitive

“Brain fog,” mood swings, disorientation, persistent nervousness, irritability, the feeling of impending doom or danger; difficulty concentrating or mind going blank; fear of being judged by others or negatively evaluated; hypervigilance, narrowing focus or tunnel vision; poor memory and trouble controlling worry

Physical

Headaches, racing pulse, hyperventilation, trouble breathing, stomachaches, sweating, trembling, fatigue, chest tightness, tingling fingers, tense muscles, dry mouth, and neck pain

Behavioral

Actively avoiding places or situations that cause anxiety and changes in sleep patterns; flight, escape; seeking safety and reassurance, restlessness, pacing agitation; freezing, motionless, and unable to speak

Affective

Frightened, fearful, jumpy, trembling, jittery; nervous, tense, wound-up; and impatient, frustrated

Anxiety disorders overview

An anxiety disorder may cause a person to avoid situations or events that trigger a negative emotional response or anxious feelings. The troublesome feelings that anxiety brings can affect a person’s ability to carry out tasks in their workplace, school, home, or social situations. A person is typically diagnosed with an anxiety disorder when the anxiety is out of proportion to the situation and develops over time.

There are several types of anxiety-related disorders, including the following:

Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD)

GAD typically involves persistent feelings of anxiety, worry, fear, or dread related to and interfering with multiple aspects of daily life. A person managing GAD may experience excessive worry about ordinary situations in day-to-day life, rather than being focused on a specific topic or problem.

Panic disorder 

People with panic disorders experience sudden, overwhelming periods of anxiety and fear, often lasting for several minutes. Panic attacks are debilitating and can occur without warning or an obvious cause. 

Many people have trouble controlling the fear of rejection or humiliation in social situations, leading to unpleasant feelings and a persistent fear of social interaction, especially around unfamiliar people or circumstances that involve performance. Also known as social phobia, social anxiety disorder can cause significant distress that can interfere with daily routines. 

Phobia-related disorder

Intense fear and aversion related to certain objects or situations are called phobia-related disorders. Specific phobias often involve irrational concerns about things that pose little or no actual danger. Encountering the object of a phobia often triggers extreme reactions. 

Persistent, intense fear for one’s loved ones when separated. While many worry about their friends and families, people with separation anxiety disorder often display extreme reactions to separation, dislike being alone, and need constant reassurance. 

How are anxiety disorders diagnosed?

Anxiety disorders are diagnosed by your doctor or a mental health professional like a therapist, psychologist, or psychiatrist. According to the Mayo Clinic, the process may begin with a medical exam to rule out other potential causes of your symptoms, such as medication interactions or an underlying health condition. During your assessment, you should expect detailed questions about the symptoms you’ve been experiencing and your medical history. Your mental healthcare provider may also use psychological questionnaires and criteria in the DSM-5 to help determine your diagnosis.

Anxiety treatments

According to a recent study, the most effective support options for anxiety disorders involve medication, psychotherapy, and, in the most successful cases, a combination of the two approaches. Your mental healthcare provider should develop a treatment plan tailored to your specific needs and the level of interference your symptoms cause. 

Psychotherapy

Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is the most common treatment for anxiety disorders. This therapeutic approach centers on developing different, more beneficial ways of thinking, behaving, and reacting to situations. Successful CBT can help you manage your anxiety symptoms and the stress they induce while allowing you to feel less anxious and fearful. CBT is a proven strategy with well-documented, repeatable results. 

Some people with anxiety have also found acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) helpful. This approach differs from CBT’s focus on identifying and replacing negative thoughts by using mindfulness and goal setting to reduce anxiety and discomfort. 

Exposure therapy focuses on the gradual, repeated exposure to the source of your fear in a controlled setting, helping you learn to reduce your anxiety over time. This therapy method can be another effective method for treating anxiety disorders. 

Medication

While medication does not cure anxiety disorders or provide long-term, meaningful change, it can often be an effective tool to help you manage your anxiety symptoms and reactions to tense situations. Common medications used for anxiety disorders include selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), tricyclic antidepressants, and benzodiazepines. Speak to your doctor or mental health provider to learn about anxiety medication and its potential benefits, side effects, and risks. 

Lifestyle changes

According to researchers at the University of Minnesota, you can make lifestyle changes to help control your anxiety symptoms in addition to therapy and medication as part of your comprehensive strategy to manage your mental health condition. 

Tips to naturally reduce anxiety include:

• Regular exercise or physical activity
• Maintain a healthy diet
• Avoid alcohol and substance use
• Stick to a regular sleep schedule
• Practice meditation and a mindful lifestyle
• Keep a journal to track your anxiety triggers and coping skills
• Focus on positive thinking to reframe your reactions to anxiety
• Practice deep breathing techniques to help you calm yourself and focus your attention
• Use positive affirmations to reassure yourself when you feel anxious
• Find a calming hobby or take frequent walks in nature

Support groups

Support groups can be a key part of managing anxiety, allowing individuals to discuss their experiences with different symptoms and strategies for stress management. These groups might promote a sense of camaraderie and discuss stress management techniques to help relieve symptoms of anxiety disorders. 

If you are struggling with substance use, contact the SAMHSA National Helpline at (800) 662-4357 to receive support and resources. Support is available 24/7.

Reach out for professional support and guidance

If you are having trouble managing your anxiety symptoms and their impact on your life, reach out for a licensed therapist's professional support and guidance. Therapy can help you identify and replace negative thought patterns and behaviors, shifting them toward more positive, adaptive choices. Working with a qualified therapist can help you learn to recognize, process, and manage your emotions healthily, allowing you to function without as much interference from anxiety. 

How therapy can help you manage anxiety symptoms

Working with a licensed therapist online can help you manage anxiety symptoms and identify triggers that might make symptoms worse. Online therapy providers like BetterHelp offer flexible appointment formats through phone, video calls, or asynchronous online chat to make it easy to fit treatment into your busy schedule. 

Recent studies show that online CBT treatments are as effective as in-person therapy and can often be less expensive with shorter wait times. Many mental health professionals believe the strength of CBT results is linked to the number of sessions attended. Patients often said the convenience of receiving treatment from home made it easier to do regularly.