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 FEATURE ARTICLE

Several mental health disorders have anxiety as an important symptom. People with anxiety disorders usually feel anxious and worry a great deal. They often feel as if their anxiety is out of control. Physical symptoms frequently go along with anxiety, such as:

restessness, or feeling "on edge"

feeling unusually tired

having trouble concentrating or remembering things

feeling irritable

muscle tension, including headaches and muscle pain

difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep, or waking up feeling tired

Anxiety disorders can be diagnosed and treated by a mental health professional. Some people have generalized anxiety disorder, which causes them to feel apprehensive and worried much of the time, in many different situations and circumstances. However, there are other disorders which can cause people to experience anxiety, including:

Panic disorder causes a person to have panic attacks, sometimes for no apparent reason.

A panic attack usually involves an intense feeling of fear, accompanied by physical sensations such as heart palpitations, shortness of breath, dizziness, sweating, nausea, trembling, chest pain, and even a fear of dying. Panic attacks don’t usually last more than 10 to 20 minutes, but they are extremely unpleasant and frightening. Some people with panic disorder develop agoraphobia, which is a fear of public places or situations where escape might be difficult, especially if a panic attack should unexpectedly occur.

Social anxiety disorder, sometimes called social phobia, causes people to have a strong fear of social situations where they might be embarrassed, or where they feel that other people will be looking at them. Often people will avoid social situations or relationships to keep themselves from feeling anxious.

Persistent, intrusive, irrational thoughts, fears, and worries trouble some people.

These irrational thoughts are often about contamination (being fearful of dirt, germs and sickness), violence (fear of natural disasters or physical harm), and doubt (wondering if they have done something correctly, if God really loves them, etc.). Obsessive thoughts can be very disturbing, and often cause a person to feel compelled to do something in order to get rid of their anxious feelings. Sometimes a person will develop behavior patterns or rituals in an effort to control their obsessive thoughts.

Adapted from Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th ed., 1994.

Disclaimer: 

Writings in this page are intended to be informational and not to substitute for professional consultation.   If you or someone you know has concerns about these or other mental health issues, contact a mental health professional for assistance.

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