If high anxiety symptoms are causing you or a loved one stress, it's important to learn how to manage and spot the symptoms.
Understanding Anxiety
Anxiety itself is a normal human emotion and it actually serves a life-affirming purpose. In the simplest sense, anxiety is your body's natural reaction to a perceived danger in your environment. This danger may be either real or imagined and from the present or a past traumatic event, but when you feel strong uneasy or fearful feelings, you're basically activating a self-protection mechanism that is hard-wired to keep you safe. The problem with high anxiety symptoms is that they can be paralyzing and keep you in a state of fear even after the perceived threat has passed. Your ability to function normally may become impaired and health problems can result. In the end, too much anxiety causes problems as your body's defenses work in overdrive.
List of High Anxiety Symptoms
Anxiety can cause both physical and emotional symptoms. When high anxiety is present, everyday problems can become difficult to handle, and fearful and worrisome thoughts can make basic things like work, relationships, and social activities a challenge. Interestingly, anxiety is often not recognized as a problem until people learn about the symptoms.
Physical Symptoms
Physical symptoms are those that affect the body and are noticed on the surface. Some physical indicators of high anxiety and anxiety disorders include:
- Racing heart beat or heart palpitations
- Chest pain or pressure
- Difficulty breathing
- A choking sensation or tightness in the throat
- Hyperventilating
- Sweating or hot flashes
- Nausea
- A need to frequently go to the bathroom
- Insomnia
- Muscle tension
- Trembling
- Tiredness
- Headaches
- Sweating
- Jaw clenching and teeth grinding
- Feeling shaky
- Sugar and/or alcohol cravings
Emotional Symptoms
Emotional symptoms are those that you might notice as your feelings or thoughts. These might be moods, states of mind, or thought patterns that make you feel worse. Emotional symptoms include:
- Irrational fear or dread
- Overthinking
- Excessive worry
- Irritability
- Being unrealistic about problems
- Depression
- Difficulty concentrating
- Difficulty making decisions
- Social phobias
Managing High Anxiety
Many people end up isolating themselves due to high anxiety or believing that they have an innate weakness. The truth is that high anxiety is not about being weak, but having defenses that are too strong. To counteract this reaction, you might need professional help, but there are some ways to cope with anxiety right now:
- Deep breathing or meditation
- Exercise and fresh air
- Eating healthy
- Alternative remedies, such as EFT for stress and anxiety (Emotional Freedom Technique)
- Aromatherapy, such as the scent of lavender
- Teas such as Kava Kava, St. John's Wort, and Chamomile
- Avoiding caffeine and alcohol
- Reading books about anxiety
Asking for Help
Fortunately, there many ways to get help for an anxiety disorder, such as through medication and therapy, and support groups. Your doctor can help you determine whether high anxiety is due to brain chemistry or traumatic or stressful events. If you've been noticing anxiety symptoms for at least six months, chances are you might benefit from professional help.
