For people suffering from anxiety disorders, the symptoms can range from mild to quite severe. While there are a number of treatment methods for anxiety, the first step before any treatment can be had is identifying the symptoms properly.
Several physical symptoms are often associated with anxiety problems. These can include:
- nausea
- headaches
- sweating
- trouble breathing
- dizziness
- neck, shoulder or back pain
These symptoms are a result of our body’s natural “fight or flight” tendencies.
There are also quite a few behavioral symptoms of anxiety problems, including:
- pacing
- restlessness
- hyperventilation
- finger tapping
In addition to the behavioral and physical symptoms of anxiety, there are also a number of emotional symptoms that can manifest. These can include fear and/or worry, thoughts of death, a lack of concentration and feeling detached from reality.
In certain cases of anxiety, people can transfer the fear and stress that they’re feeling to a particular person, place or thing. Phobias are a common result of this type of behavior – the fear of something that there is really no rational reason to fear.
Defense Mechanisms
People suffering from anxiety problems and phobias will often develop defense mechanisms to protect themselves from these things, including rationalization or managing to convince themselves that other people feel the same way.
In some cases, the body will defend itself against these fears through such things as physical sickness, headaches, stomach problems and other pain. These are common symptoms of anxiety disorders.
Delusions are another defense mechanism that a persons’ mind can use to protect again anxiety. If left untreated, these things can ultimately lead to more significant problems, such as believing people are out to get them and other paranoia.
If someone is showing signs of these types of anxiety symptoms, they should seek out professional help as soon as possible. Their doctor is best suited to diagnose the problem and prescribe a proper treatment plan. These treatments can include both therapy and medication, as well as alternative health options.
If left unchecked, anxiety becomes more and more difficult to overcome. The earlier you can get help, the better.
Shane Baxter writes about phobias and other anxiety related problems at http://phobias.devhub.com/
