7 Common Symptoms of Anxiety and Its Causes

7 Common Symptoms Of Anxiety
7 Common Symptoms of Anxiety
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Anxiety is one of the most widespread mental disorders in the world, estimated to affect 301 million people worldwide (4% of the global population). It is exemplified by fear, worry and feelings of unease that may be moderate or intense.

Anxiety is treatable if diagnosed early and therefore, knowing the signs of anxiety is very important.

Anxiety Symptom 1: Excessive Worrying

Closely related to fear is one of the primary symptoms of anxiety –worrying too much. This type of worrying is chronic and can be excessive than what needs to be worried about the event or situation in question. It is normal for individuals with anxiety to be concerned about routine things such as health, job or any family problems even when such a thing is not even remotely possible.

Causes

  • Genetic Predisposition: Anxiety disorders may be hereditary because they are often found to occur in several members of the same family.
  • Brain Chemistry Imbalances: The chemicals in the brain known as neurotransmitters may be out of order in people experiencing anxiety.
  • Environmental Stressors: Work stress, school stress, and other stressful life events can cause anxiety.

They may also cause distress and impact one’s ability to carry out his/her daily activities. It is best to recognize this sign and get professional assistance if necessary.

Anxiety Symptom 2: Restlessness

Impatience is another prominent sign of anxiety. Some of the common symptoms of restlessness include feeling frustrated and irritated or feeling that one is always ‘on alert’. This can manifest as difficulty sitting still or fidgeting, feeling as if something is wrong, or being wound up.

Causes

  • High Levels of Stress: Long-time stress tends to create a state of hypervigilance, and it becomes hard to calm down.
  • Overactive Amygdala: The brain area linked to the experience of fear is the amygdala, and it is hypothesized that this area is overactive in people with anxiety.
  • Hormonal Imbalances: Hormonal fluctuation can also cause restlessness among individuals.

Proper sleep at night is important in that it enables one to focus on work or study and perform other chores during the day. Identifying this symptom would allow one to seek the right treatment so that anxiety can be kept under check.

Anxiety Symptom 3: Fatigue

Tiredness is among the evident signs of anxiety since the anxiety condition processes stress which depletes mental and physical energy. This type of fatigue isn’t like when a normal person simply feels tired and can be relieved by getting some sleep.

Causes

  • Anxiety-Related Sleep Disturbances: People lack sleep due to either the inability to sleep or staying asleep and hence, become constantly exhausted.
  • Overuse of Mental Energy: Pretentious worrying breaks the mind repeatedly thereby resulting in feelings of fatigue.

This type of fatigue can make it difficult to carry on with activities during the day in a lively manner. It is thus crucial to have a clear understanding of how anxiety is related to fatigue to treat this particularly impairing symptom.

Anxiety Symptom 4: Difficulty Concentrating

Cognitive impairments of different types are observed in many patients with anxiety: one of them is the problem with concentration. This may present itself in poor concentration, failure to recall specific information or a disturbing feeling that the mind is wandering or is blank.

Causes:

  • Distraction by Anxious Thoughts: A person can have several questions that constantly remind themselves of, thus affecting concentration.
  • Cognitive Overload: Anxiety can hinder concentration due to the inability of the brain to process the incessant flow of these thoughts.

Focus issues can be detrimental to job productivity, academic results, and the capability to accomplish tasks. Identifying this symptom is useful in finding ways to endeavor on ways and means to alter the anxiety levels and thus boost concentration.

Anxiety Symptom 5: Irritability

Aggression is a typical behavior exhibited by persons with anxiety due to the much stress that the body is under. Those who suffer from anxiety may notice that they are more easily troubled or angered by a circumstance they would otherwise ignore.

Causes

  • Hyperarousal State of the Nervous System: Facing stress constantly puts the body into the fight or flight mode and this becomes ineffective, frustrating the body.
  • Hormonal Fluctuations: These hormonal changes are affiliated with a change in mood and an increase in temper and irritability.

Anger may lead to worsened relationships and makes the execution of social tasks more difficult. This symptom can be helpful in the elaboration of some strategies to avoid reaching the point of getting angry and frustrated.

Anxiety Symptom 6: Muscle Tension

Muscle tension is another somatic manifestation of anxiety that most individuals write about. It is the experience of having muscles become tight or stiff, and it usually happens without implementing any effort.

  • Body’s Fight-or-Flight Response: This is due to the body’s ability to produce sweat whenever it is under pressure and therefore the muscles constrict.
  • Lack of Relaxation Techniques: Failure to use relaxation techniques results in contracted muscles which may be tightened for long term.

Stress in muscles can cause distress and ache limiting individuals from performing routine activities. Tensing and relaxing muscles through deep breathing exercises, progressive muscle relaxation, and through a daily exercise regimen may assist with muscle tension.

Anxiety Symptom 7: Sleep Disturbances

Inability to sleep or wake up frequently at night is one of the most common complaints found in anxiety patients. These disturbances involve having a hard time sleeping, staying asleep, or sleeping soundly. This, in turn, leads to the worsening of anxiety symptoms due to poor sleep quality, hence making it a cycle.

Causes

  • Hyperarousal and Racing Thoughts: Anxiety may cause the mind to stay working and awake because the mind doesn’t get to rest and relax enough to sleep.
  • Disrupted Sleep-Wake Cycles: Stress including anxiety is known to disrupt the sleeping pattern and hence it becomes difficult to have a natural sleep cycle.

Lack of sleep results in such effects as tiredness during the day, poor concentration and irritability. Simple practices that range from setting up sleep schedules, avoiding the use of electronic gadgets before bed, and the use of relaxation methods can effectively reduce anxiety hence promote quality sleep.

Anxiety Therapy is the Best Solution

If you or someone you know has these symptoms, then it is crucial to seek assistance from an expert. Online anxiety therapy can therefore be regarded as a helpful and easily accessible approach for everyone who faces anxiety. It connects people to licensed therapists who will offer them support, options, and proper treatment depending on the clients. Other measures can also help in controlling anxiety including practicing change in diet, engaging in regular exercise and other health changes, stress management.