How To Recognize An Anxiety Disorder Symptom



Posted: Monday, November 09, 2009

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Anxiety is an everyday experience for most people-just something you deal with and forget. Maybe you woke up this morning with a nagging worry about an overdue project. You had a flash of panic on the way to work-did I remember to turn the iron off before I left the house? Why haven't you heard from your son or daughter at college this week? The latest economic bad news gives you some concern about your job security.

The person who doesn't have anxieties like these is rare and fortunate. But all these worries have a couple of things in common. They are all quite reasonable, and they can (almost) all be "cured." Finish that project, remind yourself that the iron has automatic shut-off, pick up the phone and call, and you can put that anxiety aside. (Worrying about the economy is both reasonable and incurable-but not abnormal.)

For the person who suffers from an anxiety disorder, on the other hand, even after the project is done, the iron is off, and the child is contacted, the anxiety remains. It may move on to another target-a pain in the shoulder, the weather forecast, an upcoming test-but it never goes away. It forms a constant gray background to the person's life, creating constant stress and undermining moments of pleasure and relaxation.

Perhaps given how universal normal anxiety is, it's not surprising that anxiety disorders are the most common of all mental illnesses. It's estimated that 40 million adults in the United States alone suffer from anxiety each year. So how do you know whether what you're feeling falls within the range of normal anxiety, or whether you should seek help for your constant worrying or other symptoms?

First of all it's important to understand that there are six recognized forms of anxiety disorder, each of which has somewhat different symptoms: Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD), Panic Disorder, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) and Social Phobia. Panic attacks and phobias are fairly self-explanatory. Other specific behaviors associated with these conditions are the inability to stop worrying, to concentrate or experience enjoyment; insomnia; pains or headaches that have no physical basis; obsessive thoughts and ritualistic acts; constant tension and nervousness; irrational fear and avoidance of certain places or things.

The number one danger sign to watch out for in all these cases is whether your fears or phobias interfere with your ability to function effectively in daily life and your enjoyment of life. One of the most serious consequences of untreated anxiety is the possibility that over the long term sufferers will become depressed as well, develop substance abuse problems, and even exhibit suicidal tendencies.

If you have been affected by any of these problems for a month or more and have reached a point where they are disrupting your work, your social life and/or your family and home life moderately or severely, you may be suffering from a treatable anxiety order. Take some time to learn about anxiety disorders.

A simple self-screening questionnaire for anxiety is available online through Freedom From Fear (a mental illness advocacy organization) at http://www.freedomfromfear.org/screenrmA.asp. And by all means, talk to your doctor or seek out a mental health counselor for a clinical evaluation if you feel you meet those criteria. Don't let anxiety cripple your life. Help is available.

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Chaim Packer is passionate about helping others with this debilitating condition. For more great information on anxiety disorder symptom, visit http://www.alleviatepanicattacks.com.
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