Anxiety and Anxiety Disorder Symptoms

Anxiety is your body's response to anticipated danger. It is typically associated with worry or fear. Anxiety can come with cognitive symptoms such as difficulty concentrating and physical symptoms like nausea, shaking, and muscle tenseness. While anxiety can be a normal response to certain situations, it can also be part of an anxiety disorder.

There are different types of anxiety disorders. While some symptoms are similar, there are also some key differences.

This article will cover anxiety symptoms and anxiety disorder symptoms, how the conditions are diagnosed, and the complications of anxiety disorders.

Anxiety and Anxiety Disorder Symptoms

If you fear having a panic attack, avoid people because you have social anxiety, or feel constant worry and agitation, you may feel like your anxiety symptoms control your life. 

Understanding the different types of anxiety and when anxiety can be a sign of a mental health disorder can help you get the support you need to manage your symptoms.

What Is Anxiety?

Anxiety is described in the "Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders" (DSM-5) as anticipation of a future threat. Everyone feels anxious at times, but not everyone has an anxiety disorder.

There are different types of anxiety disorders, including generalized anxiety, social anxiety, and others. These conditions are not the same as day-to-day worry. For example, it can be normal to get anxious about important events, like a job interview, a performance, a first date, a big exam, childbirth, or other important life moments. However, if worrying gets out of control, it can become an anxiety disorder.

Anxiety disorders are diagnosable mental health conditions. People with anxiety disorders have excessive fear, anxiety, and related behavioral and physical changes that may worsen over time. These conditions can have both physical and mental symptoms and negatively affect a person’s ability to function at school or work, as well as their hobbies and relationships.

Anxiety Symptoms

The symptoms of anxiety can be physical, psychological, and social. The anxiety symptoms you have will depend on your circumstances, the type of anxiety you have, and your triggers.

The symptoms of anxiety can be physical, psychological, and social. The anxiety symptoms you have will depend on your circumstances, the type of anxiety you have, and your triggers.

The mental symptoms of anxiety can include:

• Worry
• Fear
• Tension
• Irritability 
• Trouble concentrating
• Restlessness
• Nervousness
• Low mood and depression
• Reassurance-seeking
• Dissociation (depersonalization and/or derealization) 

Physical symptoms of anxiety can include:

• Sweating and flushing 
• Dizziness and lightheadedness 
• Fast heartbeat and breathing 
• Chest tightness or pain
• Tingling or “pins and needles” feelings 
• Trembling
• Nausea
• Trouble sleeping
• General pain or frequent headaches or stomachaches without a clear cause

Anxiety symptoms can affect your life by making it harder for you to:

• Go to work or school
• Take care of yourself
• Do chores, errands, and other tasks
• Maintain relationships with loved ones

Occasional anxiety symptoms are not as intense or long-lasting as symptoms of an anxiety disorder. For example, you may have anxiety because you’re worried about a big meeting at work, but your symptoms go away once the day is over. However, someone with an anxiety disorder may have multiple fears and worries that cause them distress in their daily lives and don’t get better with time.

Types of Anxiety Disorders

Various types of anxiety disorders include the following:

• Generalized anxiety disorder
• Social anxiety disorder
  
• Panic disorder
• Other anxiety disorders (separation anxiety, specific phobias, agoraphobia, selective mutism)

Obsessive-compulsive disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) (a type of trauma and stressor-related disorder) were formerly classified as anxiety disorders but now have different classifications. Each involves symptoms that include anxiety.

Anxiety Disorder Symptoms

Each type of anxiety disorder has its own set of symptoms and diagnostic criteria that are based on the guidelines of the DSM-5.

This is not an exhaustive list, but these are some common symptoms of anxiety disorders:

• Excessive fear and worry
• Dry mouth
• Muscle tension
• Nausea
• Irregular heartbeat
• Difficulty sleeping
• Cautious, avoidant behavior
• Panic attacks

Other Anxiety Disorders

There are several other mental health disorders classified as anxiety disorders.

Generalized Anxiety Disorder

People with generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) experience excessive and persistent worry, fear, and anxiety that is hard to control and disproportionate to the situation. GAD can be diagnosed when these symptoms occur for the majority of days over at least six months.

Symptoms of GAD include:

• Restlessness
• Irritability
• Fatigue
• Concentration difficulties
• Muscle tension, soreness, and aches
• Difficulty sleeping

Adults must experience a minimum of three of the above symptoms, in addition to anxiety or worry, to be diagnosed with GAD. Children only need one of the above symptoms, in addition to anxiety or worry, for a diagnosis.

Social Anxiety Disorder

Social anxiety disorder, which was previously called social phobia, is characterized by excessive fear of social and performance situations. Social anxiety is more than just shyness. People with the disorder feel intense anxiety that may lead them to avoid activities like meeting new people, speaking in front of others, or eating in public. The avoidant behavior often makes it hard for them to maintain relationships.

Symptoms of social anxiety disorder include:

• Disproportionate fear and anxiety in one or more social situations
• Blushing
• Sweating
• Trembling
• Rapid heart rate
• The feeling of your “mind going blank”
• Self-judgment and self-consciousness
• Nausea
• Avoiding social situations, or experiencing intense fear during them
• Impairment in social, occupational, and other areas of functioning

Social anxiety disorder can look different in children. For kids, anxiety must occur when they are in peer situations, not just when they are around adults. Tantrums, freezing, crying, clinging, and refusal to speak can all be signs of social anxiety in children.

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) involves recurring, unwanted thoughts that lead to specific and repeatable actions, which interfere with daily life. OCD is no longer classed as an anxiety disorder in DSM-5, but its symptoms cause anxiety. For that reason, professionals associate OCD with anxiety disorders.

Symptoms of obsessive-compulsive disorder include:

• Obsessions: Thoughts and worries are recognized as excessive but will not stop. Obsessions commonly include a fear of germs, a fear of losing something, aggressive or taboo thoughts, and a need for symmetry or order.
• Compulsions: Repeatable behaviors are performed to relieve anxiety and typically relate to obsessions. Compulsions commonly include counting, excessive cleaning or hand washing, overly precise ordering and arranging, repeated checking, and more.

A person with OCD spends at least one hour a day on their obsessions and compulsions, which cause them significant distress or impairment in their daily lives.

OCD typically starts in childhood or young adulthood. Symptoms may start earlier in boys than girls.

Panic Disorder

Panic disorder is a mental health condition that involves recurrent and unexpected panic attacks. A panic attack is an episode of all-consuming fear and discomfort that’s accompanied by physical symptoms like shortness of breath, shaking, chest pain, and a feeling of doom. A person having a panic attack may even feel like they’re having a heart attack.

Other symptoms of a panic attack include:

• Sweating
• Chills
• Trembling
• Shortness of breath
• Heart palpitations and rapid heart rate
• Feeling smothered or choked
• Feelings of impending doom or death
• Chest pain

Panic attacks alone are not enough to make a mental health diagnosis. While they are the primary symptom of panic disorder, panic attacks can happen in any anxiety disorder as well as in other mental health conditions. 

Someone with panic disorder will have repeated panic attacks, intense anxiety about future panic attacks, and avoid situations that could make them have a panic attack. To be diagnosed with panic disorder, at least one panic attack must be followed by a month of persistent worry about additional attacks or avoidant behaviors triggered by the panic attack. For example, you do not go to the grocery store for months because you had a panic attack the last time you went there.

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is an anxiety disorder that comes on after a person experiences or witnesses a traumatic event such as serious injury, combat, sexual violence, or natural disasters. PTSD can also be brought on by experiencing or witnessing death or near-death. Anyone can have PTSD, but military personnel, first responders, and police officers are at increased risk of developing the condition.

Symptoms of PTSD include:

• Detachment from others
• Irritability
• Hypervigilance
• Difficulty concentrating
• Difficulty sleeping
• Exaggerated startle response
• Difficulty remembering the traumatic event
• Negative beliefs about oneself or the world
• Persistent negative emotions such as fear, horror, and guilt
• Persistent inability to feel positive emotions such as happiness and satisfaction
• Self-destructive behaviors
• Avoidance of triggers associated with the traumatic event
• Intrusive symptoms, such as recurrent and involuntary memories, distressing dreams, dissociative reactions or flashbacks, psychological distress when exposed to triggers

Children may experience PTSD differently than adults because of where they are in their cognitive and emotional development. The DSM-5 categorizes children aged 6 and younger as having PTSD with certain symptoms that are unique to how this age group experiences the disorder. For example, studies have shown that instead of acting distressed by the traumatic event or intrusive symptoms, some children appear excitable or “over-bright.”

Other Anxiety Disorders

There are other anxiety disorders with unique symptoms and diagnostic profiles included in the DSM-5, including:

• Separation anxiety disorder: Fear of being apart from caregivers or other loved ones. General symptoms like headaches and stomachaches are common.
• Specific phobia: Fear of something specific, like a place, object, or event, that causes distress and/or leads to avoidance
• Selective mutism in children: Not speaking or speaking very little in certain situations, like when at school. A child may speak fine at home or with family.
• Agoraphobia: Fear of being in public or any place with no escape. A person may rarely leave home.
• Substance/medication-induced anxiety disorder: Symptoms depend on the substance; can be physical and mental, such as dizziness and jitteriness
• Anxiety disorder due to another medical condition: May include physical and mental symptoms like a racing heart and worry

Complications of Anxiety and Anxiety Disorders

Anxiety that’s not managed and anxiety disorders that go untreated can lead to complications. The effects that anxiety can have on someone’s life can be severe. Here are just a few examples of the complications of anxiety:

• Poor mental health (depression, anxiety)
• Social isolation (avoiding others, being afraid to leave home)
• Struggles at school or work (trouble keeping a job, being unable to complete homework) 
• Sleep problems (sleeping too much or not enough)
• Financial issues (such as overspending or not being able to earn enough due to missed work)
• Chronic physical health problems (like pain or symptoms that do not seem to have a clear cause)
• Low self-esteem
• Problems forming and maintaining relationships
• Substance misuse
• Suicidal thoughts or behaviors 

If not treated, anxiety symptoms can change or get worse over time.

People may avoid situations that were previously meaningful or joyful because they fear anxiety, which can lead to social isolation. While they might think they are avoiding triggers for anxiety, being alone and disconnected from others can make anxiety harder to cope with.

People who have an anxiety disorder also may develop depression, substance use disorder, and digestive health conditions such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).

When to See a Healthcare Provider

Worry is a normal part of life, but if your worry becomes ongoing and disproportionate to the situation, reach out to a healthcare provider.

People with anxiety disorders feel so much fear and anxiety that makes it harder for them to get through their daily lives. For example, they may fear going out in public, find themselves unable to return phone calls, avoid meeting with friends, cancel performances or presentations, and have chronic symptoms like nausea and changes in sleep.

If you feel that your anxiety is preventing you from living a full life, know that there is help. You don’t have to face these challenges alone.

Summary

Living with anxiety can be challenging, whether your symptoms are from general anxiety or a specific anxiety disorder like separation anxiety, social anxiety, or post-traumatic stress disorder. Panic attacks can also be exhausting for people with anxiety.

While it's normal to worry from time to time, especially if you're dealing with something stressful, persistent worrying that is interfering with every aspect of your life could be a sign of an anxiety disorder. It's important to reach out for help and support so you can learn how to manage anxiety symptoms effectively and reduce the impact they have on your life.