What Are The Symptoms Of Generalized Anxiety Disorder?
People with Anxiety Disorders have individualized patterns in which these issues are expressed; however, an especially common anxiety symptom is extreme fear or dread including physical symptoms within multiply types of anxiety disorders.
Anxiety may present itself in many different ways and has a wide range of symptoms:
- Indigestion
- Shortness of breath
- Headaches
- Random body aches
- Random numb limbs
- Dry mouth
- Heart palpitations
- Dizziness
- Chest pain
- Back pain
- Having a sense of impending doom
- Excessive sweating
- Trembling
- Feeling weak and tired
- Nervousness
- Feeling panic or terror
- Sleeping too much
- Sleeping too little
- Overpowering feelings of stress and anxiety under conditions that do not seem to others to warrant that degree of concern.
- Bad dreams, problems sleeping, nightmares, night terrors and panic attacks.
- Unmanageable, obsessive ideation and cognitive “wheel spinning.”
- Compulsive rituals or behavior superstitiously designed to ward off catastrophe(Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder) and selective mutism.
- Involuntary flashbacks to traumatic situations or other painful events or memories.
- Sweating, numbness, tingling, dissociation.
- Difficulty breathing, breathlessness, rapid breathing .
- Chest discomfort or pain.
- Rapid heart beat.
- Nausea, lightheadedness, or inability to concentrate.
Do I Have Anxiety?
Ask yourself the following questions.
- Do you ever experience so much worry that you get tired and worn out?
- Do you have problems sleeping because you’re too worried?
- Do you ever experience shortness of breath, heart palpitations, or a fear of dying out of the blue?
- Do you avoid social situations and places because you don’t want to have anxiety in front of other people?
- Do you have to go out of your way to accommodate your anxiety?
- Do you find yourself constantly thinking about the past, present, and future?
If you answered yes to any of the above, then you might have an anxiety disorder. The specific therapy strategy used will depend on the type of anxiety disorder, its severity, and personal preferences. Usually, treatment options includes cognitive-behavioral therapy, medication, or some combination of the two.
How To Cope With Anxiety
The biggest obstacle when managing anxiety is the art of catastrophizing. This is when you imagine the worst-case scenarios for every little thing and over-analyze situations because you’re worried. It’s especially important for anxious persons to allow themselves to fail at relaxation. Failing is not the end of the world. You can fail at something many times before you eventually succeed. Allow yourself to enjoy the process of relaxation without being too worried if you succeed or not. With that in mind, let’s look at some effective ways to manage your anxiety.
Move Your Body
Low-intensity exercises such as walking can be very relaxing. It’s important to have a safe release valve when you’re anxious. Walking, yoga, stretching, are all great ways to run through the adrenaline when you feel anxious, and your nerves just won’t calm down. Many people feel scared of having panic attacks when exercising, and that’s okay. Choose any exercise that’s within your comfort zone and try to consistently engage in it.
Focus On Sleep
Lack of sleep can exacerbate any anxiety symptoms. Sleep deprivation changes your glucose metabolism to give you more adrenaline. Make sure to have a night-time routine to wind your body down. Keep away from bright lights at least an hour before sleep, and try some ritual meditation before you sleep to calm your nerves.
Progressive Muscle Relaxation
Tense your muscles. Tense your muscles when you inhale, relax your muscles when you exhale. Start from your toes. Move through your calves, knees, thighs, buttocks, back, stomach, chest, arms, shoulders, neck, and head. Practice tensing and relaxing the muscles throughout your body to force your body to relax and trigger your parasympathetic system.
Treatments For Anxiety Disorders
Therapy clients should give sufficient time to a treatment plan to actually gauge its success. And, now and again people might have to try a number of different therapy combinations to discover the precise one for them. There are a number of highly skilled, compassionate, and licensed Kaiser therapists in Denver and nearby areas who specialize in the counseling and therapy of anxiety.
6 major types of anxiety disorders
- Phobias. Phobias are intense fears of specific animals, objects or situations
- Generalized Anxiety
- Panic Disorder
- Social Anxiety Disorder
- Obsessive Compulsive Disorder and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
- Separation Anxiety Disorder
How Can I Treat My Anxiety?
Talk with your healthcare provider. Anti-anxiety medications and cognitive behavioral therapy(CBT) are effective and safe ways to manage anxiety. CBT teaches you different ways of thinking and behaving. It helps you understand what your anxious triggers are, how to react to them, and how to control your worries. Anti-anxiety medications such as Benzodiazepines (commonly known as benzos) and beta-blockers can help you calm down as you seek therapy to fix the root of your problems. If you or someone you know has an anxiety disorder, you can consult Kaiser Insurance on our 24/7 advice line for guidance. This advice line guides you through all your options so that someone in your specific position can receive the best possible care. Open Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. for appointments. Click link to find Kaiser Therapist in Denver area to help with Anxiety https://www.westsidebehavioralcare.com/
How Anxiety Affects You In Ways You May Not Fully Realize
When most people hear the word “anxiety,” they think about sweaty palms being unable to sit still, and the jitters. This is true for many people but doesn’t illustrate the complete picture. Anxiety is a far more complex condition than most people realize. The WHO estimates that 260 million adults worldwide have anxiety, with most people presenting symptoms before the age of 21. The science behind anxiety is well-known. As your body anticipates something happening, it triggers a reaction in the amygdala. This is the area in your brain that sends distress signals to the hypothalamus. The signals are then redirected to the rest of your body. Your heart rate quickens. Blood rushes to your brain and muscles. A rush of adrenaline forces you to fight or flee. Most symptoms of anxiety are well-known, but some people experience a completely different set of symptoms that aren’t traditionally associated with anxiety at all. This article will ignore the commonly known problems of anxiety. It will focus on lesser-known symptoms that people would never guess were symptoms of anxiety at all.
Perfectionism
A 2017 paper published in the Journal of Psychology and Cognition suggests that anxiety and perfectionism go hand-in-hand. Anxious people have a profound fear of wondering what others think. They resort to over-thinking and over-analyzing their actions to avoid criticism and exhibit perfectionist behaviors instead. Left neglected, this can transform into depression, eating disorders, or even suicidal tendencies. This is especially problematic given how perfectionism in the workplace is seen as a positive virtue by many, so the problem goes unchecked.
Avoidance
This is a popular coping mechanism among many anxious people. People that experience chronic anxiety have a low tolerance for stressful situations of any kind. As a result, they begin to postpone presentations, procrastinate important tasks, and cancel plans altogether. They might never realize they are avoiding things consciously either. This is the “flight” in the “fight or flight” response, but it occurs before the threat even presents itself. An anxious person might notice they are feeling stressed over an event and exit before they ever have to confront it. It becomes a habit that is quickly internalized and becomes a problematic coping mechanism.
Depersonalization
This symptom is rarely spoken of because it’s not quite fully understood yet. Depersonalization can make you feel disconnected from your environment, from the people around you, or distort your sense of self. It’s well-known that people with anxiety are far more likely to exhibit depersonalization than regular people. This problem is more severe than regular anxiety and requires treatment in its own right.
Cold Hands and Feet
Everyone knows anxiety can trigger a fight or flight response. This, in turn, directs your body’s blood supply to important organs such as your heart and away from less important things such as your fingers and toes. Even though a person is otherwise completely healthy, they might begin to have ice-cold toes and fingers while the rest of their body is perfectly warm. This is a sign the nervous system is overactive and can lead to jitters and shakiness if left neglected.
Indecisiveness
Anxious people are prone to something known as catastrophizing. This is a state of mind that makes someone assume worst-case scenarios with everything that happens. This, in turn, leads to people feeling scared of the decisions they take, thinking that small actions can have large, devastating consequences unless they absolutely make sure to choose the right option. Indecisiveness results because taking an action, any action, can seem incredibly high-stakes and scary.
Indigestion
It’s not unusual for anxious people to commonly experience acid reflux, stomach pains, and nausea. They might believe they are allergic to certain foods when in reality, their constant fight or flight response is playing havoc with their digestive system instead. Chronic anxiety can damage the stomach lining, the esophagus and make any diet unpleasant.
Low-Stress Tolerance
Healthy people have a healthy tolerance for stress in their lives. Anxious people deal with constant stress and have warped reactions to normal things instead. The smallest inconveniences become huge ordeals because of catastrophizing. Regular bursts of adrenaline without enough rest make them more prone to crying and not being able to deal with small frustrations in their lives. This can lead to problems as small to insomnia to bigger problems such as high blood pressure. Do you or anyone you know suffer from these symptoms? You might be experiencing the lesser-known symptoms of anxiety. Sometimes it’s not enough to tackle anxiety with lifestyle changes and diet alone. You need to tackle the problem from several different points by looking at every facet of your life.
What can you do to manage COVID anxiety?
If you notice sudden behavioral changes in yourself or a family member, check if COVID-stress could be bothering the individual. There are several ways in which you can manage anxiety induced by the pandemic and nurture your mental health.
Social media fasting
Reading the news, looking for updates on your social media platforms are all good when done occasionally. Excessively checking social media can damage your mental health more than you can imagine. Seeing too many news articles about COVID or reading tragic stories of the many ways in which the pandemic has changed people’s lives can cause more anxiety.
Observe the way you react to physical symptoms
Physical symptoms of COVID like cough and sore throat are very much similar to those exhibited by seasonal flu and other infections. During a pandemic, some people might get anxious upon experiencing one or more of the physical symptoms and indulge in self-medication. Such decisions might turn out to be harmful. There are easy-to-reach COVID helplines in all cities. Reaching out to such helpline numbers for doubts regarding COVID would be a better thing to do than trusting all the information you come across and the rumors you hear. Do not hesitate to seek professional help whenever you require it.
Find a new hobby
With school and office timings having changed due to COVID, there are many who find a lot of spare time at hand. Others feel more burdened with work than before. Whichever category you belong to, finding a new hobby or refreshing an old one would be a good idea. Allot a specific time during each day to indulge in your hobbies. This will give you a positive distraction from the situation and make you feel motivated.
Stay in touch with your loved ones
Going out with friends or throwing parties might not be as easy as before. But that should not stop you from staying in touch with your friends and family members. There are various teleconferencing apps that allow you to connect with multiple friends virtually. You can use them to stay connected with friends across the globe. This will keep assuring you that you are not alone and would give you a chance to keep a check on your friends’ mental health.
Focus on your physical fitness
Staying physically active can give a significant boost to your mood. Sweating out in the gym might be different during pandemic times. But you can always find other ways to stay physically active. With the extra time, you find you can schedule your morning run and prepare healthier meals at home. This will not just melt stress away but also enhance your health and immunity.
Westside Behavioral Care has several Humana and Kaiser Permanente Therapist who provide treatments to fit most needs. Scroll through the Humana anxiety therapists .https://www.westsidebehavioralcare.com/therapist/insurance/kaiser-therapists/.
To find Kaiser therapist who specialize in Anxiety in the Greater Denver area scroll through https://www.westsidebehavioralcare.com/therapist/specialty/anxiety/.
