Almost everyone experiences anxiety every once in a while throughout their lives, whether it is before a big job interview, when you are having financial troubles, or when you are speaking in front a large group of people. In fact, anxiety here and there when stressful events arise is quite normal.
However, it is quite different if your anxiety is something that affects your daily as well as affects your quality of life. If you find that many events accompany your anxiety, that your anxiety becomes bigger than what you are facing, or that your anxiety is interfering with activities such as your job performance, relationships, or school work, you may be suffering from an anxiety disorder.
Anxiety disorders are often accompanied by frequent, persistent, and excessive worry and fear over everyday circumstances. When the worry and fear set in, occasionally, it can escalate quickly and even turn into a full-on panic attack. A few examples of common anxiety disorders include:
- Generalized anxiety disorder
- Separation anxiety disorder
- Social anxiety disorder (or social phobia)
- Specific phobias
While anxiety disorders can present struggles in day-to-day life, they can be managed with the help of a medical professional. If you think you may have an anxiety disorder, you should consider reaching out to an anxiety therapist in DFW.
What are the symptoms?
If you have an anxiety disorder, it is likely that you are suffering from some or all of the following common symptoms:
- Excessive worrying
Excessive worrying is one of the most common symptoms associated with anxiety disorders. If you find that you are constantly worrying about something, especially things that are normal, everyday-type events, it could be a symptom of an anxiety disorder. To be diagnosed as so, the excessive worrying usually must occur on most days for at least 6 months and be considered difficult to get under control. - Restlessness
Restlessness as a symptom is most common in children and teens. If you find yourself often “on edge” or fidgety, it is a possible sign to consider in a diagnosis. It does not occur in all cases but is still considered a common symptom. - Agitation
If you find that you are consistently feeling agitated, without much reason, this could also be an accompanying symptom of an anxiety disorder. - Difficulty concentrating
A large percentage of people with anxiety disorders find it difficult to concentrate. This is an especially prominent symptom in children and teens. - Fatigue
Fatigue is another common symptom of a generalized anxiety disorder. This is especially apparent if you suddenly and easily become fatigued. While some people experience chronic fatigue, others find it coming on sporadically and occasionally accompanied by an anxiety attack. - Irritability
A large percentage of people with anxiety disorders feel consistently irritable. The irritability has a tendency to increase during bouts of high anxiety. - Difficulty sleeping
If you have trouble falling asleep or staying asleep accompanying other symptoms mentioned here, it could be another sign. Sleep disturbances are very commonly associated with anxiety disorders. - Panic attacks
Some people who have anxiety disorders suffer panic attacks. If the panic attacks are chronic and recurring, it is often known as panic disorder. - Avoiding social situations
If you have social anxiety, it is likely that you feel anxious or fearful about being in social situations. Other symptoms of social anxiety include worrying that you may be judged or having irrational fears that you will be humiliated in front of people. - Fears that are irrational
Fears that are strong and over certain things like small spaces, heights, snakes, etc., can be signs of phobias. Phobias come in different types and are not that uncommon, however, it is only considered a phobia if the fear is so intense that it interferes with your functioning abilities.
What you should do if you think you have an anxiety disorder
If you think you have an anxiety order, you should seek help from a medical professional. While you find this disorder constantly interfering with your life and happiness, it is important to know that there are people who can help and ways to cope with these fears and feelings.
Lifeworks is a trusted and experienced DFW therapy center that can help you with your anxiety disorder just like many others before you. If you have any questions or would like to schedule a consultation, please don’t hesitate to contact us today.
