Overview

Feeling worried or nervous is a normal part of daily life. Everyone frets or feels anxious from time to time. Mild to moderate anxiety can help you focus your attention, energy, and motivation. If anxiety is severe, you may feel helpless, confused, or very worried. But your feelings may be out of balance with how serious or likely the feared event might be. Overwhelming anxiety that interferes with daily life isn't normal. This type of anxiety may be a symptom of an anxiety disorder. Or it may be a symptom of another problem, such as depression.

Anxiety can cause physical and emotional symptoms. A specific situation or fear can cause some or all of these symptoms for a short time. When the situation passes, the symptoms usually go away.

Physical symptoms of anxiety include:

• Trembling, twitching, or shaking.
• A feeling of fullness in the throat or chest.
• Breathlessness or a rapid heartbeat.
• Lightheadedness or dizziness.
• Sweaty or cold, clammy hands.
• Feeling jumpy.
• Muscle tension, aches, or soreness (myalgias).
• Extreme tiredness.
• Sleep problems, such as not being able to fall asleep or stay asleep, early waking, or feeling restless (not feeling rested when you wake up).

Anxiety affects the part of the brain that helps control how you communicate. This makes it harder to express yourself creatively or function well in relationships. Emotional symptoms of anxiety include:

• Feeling restless, grouchy, or on edge or keyed up.
• Worrying too much.
• Fearing that something bad is going to happen. You may feel doomed.
• Not being able to concentrate. You may feel like your mind goes blank.

Anxiety disorders

Anxiety disorders occur when people have both physical and emotional symptoms. These disorders interfere with how a person gets along with others. They also affect daily activities. Women are twice as likely as men to have problems with anxiety disorders. Examples include panic attacks, phobias, and generalized anxiety disorder. When you have generalized anxiety disorder, you feel worried and stressed about many everyday events and activities.

Often the cause of anxiety disorders isn't known. Many people who have them say that they've felt nervous and anxious all their lives. This problem can occur at any age. Children who have at least one parent with the diagnosis of depression are more than twice as likely to have an anxiety disorder than other children.

Anxiety disorders often occur with other problems, such as:

• Mental health problems, like depression.
• Substance use problems.
• A physical problem, like heart or lung disease. A complete medical checkup may be needed before an anxiety disorder can be diagnosed.

Panic attacks

A panic attack is a sudden feeling of extreme anxiety or intense fear without a clear cause or when there is no danger. Panic attacks are common. They sometimes occur in otherwise healthy people. They usually last only a few minutes, but they may last longer. And for some people, the anxiety can get worse quickly during the attack.

Symptoms include feeling like you're dying or losing control of yourself, rapid breathing (hyperventilation), numbness or tingling of the hands or lips, and a racing heart. You may feel dizzy, sweaty, or shaky. Other symptoms include trouble breathing, chest pain or tightness, and an irregular heartbeat. These symptoms come on suddenly and without warning.

Sometimes symptoms of a panic attack are so intense that you may fear that you're having a heart attack. Many of the symptoms of a panic attack can occur with other illnesses, such as hyperthyroidism, coronary artery disease, or COPD. A complete medical checkup may be needed before an anxiety disorder can be diagnosed.

People who have repeated unexpected panic attacks and worry about the attacks are said to have a panic disorder.

Phobias

Phobias are extreme and irrational fears that interfere with daily life. People with phobias have fears that are out of proportion to real danger. They're not able to control the fears.

Phobias are common. They sometimes occur with other conditions, such as panic disorder or Tourette's disorder. Most people deal with phobias by avoiding the situation or object that causes them to feel panic. This is called avoidance behavior.

A phobic disorder occurs when the avoidance behavior becomes so extreme that it interferes with your daily activities. There are three main types of phobic disorders:

• Fear of being alone or in public places where help might not be available or escape is impossible (agoraphobia).
• Fear of situations where you might be exposed to criticism by others (social phobia).
• Fear of specific things (specific phobia).

Phobias can be treated to help reduce feelings of fear and anxiety.

Self-Care

Home treatment, combined with professional treatment, can help relieve anxiety. Here are some tips to help you cope with anxiety.

• Know your anxiety.

  Recognize and accept your anxiety about specific fears or situations. Then make a plan for dealing with it. For example, if you are always worrying about finances, set up a budget or savings plan.

• Don't dwell on past problems.

  Change what you can to help you feel more comfortable with present concerns. But let go of past problems or things you can't change.

• Be kind to your body.
  • Relieve tension with exercise or massage.
  • Try stress-relief techniques that focus on relaxing your mind and your body.
  • Get enough rest.
  • Practice healthy thinking, and stop negative thoughts. Choose helpful thoughts to replace the unhelpful ones.
  • Avoid alcohol, caffeine, chocolate, and nicotine. They may make you more anxious. Some drugs, such as cocaine, crack, and speed (amphetamines), also can cause anxiety.
• Engage your mind.
  • Get out and do something you enjoy. For example, go to a funny movie or take a walk or hike.
  • Plan your day. Having too much or too little to do can make you more anxious.
  • Keep a diary of your symptoms. Or discuss your fears with a good friend. Confiding in others sometimes relieves stress.
• Do things with others.

  Get involved in social groups, or volunteer to help others. Being alone can make things seem worse than they are.

• Get support.

  Learn about resources available in your community.

  • Talk with your human resources officer about counseling benefits that may be available through your employee assistance program.
  • Check with your insurance company to see what mental health benefits are available.
  • Contact your public health department for information on community mental health programs.

When to call for help during self-care

Call a doctor if any of the following occur during self-care at home:

• Symptoms occur more often or are more severe.
• Symptoms are not getting better.

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