Everyone feels worried, anxious and nervous from time to time. However, when anxiety becomes overwhelming it can begin to interfere with daily life. There are many symptoms of anxiety, and some or all of these symptoms can be caused by a specific situation in life. When the situation passes, the symptoms become less intense:
Symptoms
Physical:
- Trembling and twitching;
- Muscle tension and aches;
- Restlessness;
- Insomnia and fatigue;
- Breathlessness or rapid heartbeat;
- Sweating or cold, clammy hands;
Emotional:
- Feeling on edge;
- Excessive worrying;
- Fearing that something bad is going to happen;
- Poor concentration;
- Excessive startle responses;
- Irritability;
- Frequent sadness.
In many anxiety disorders, these symptoms may occur even when there is no identifiable cause.
Self-care, often combined with professional treatment such as Cognitive Behavioural Counselling, can effectively manage anxiety, phobias and panic disorders.
When to See a Health Professional or Counsellor:
- Anxiety interferes with your daily activities;
- The symptoms are severe and self-help strategies are ineffective;
- Sudden and severe fear or anxiety attacks occur with intense physical symptoms, including shortness of breath or sweating, even when there is no apparent reason to be afraid;
- When intense, irrational fears of common places, objects or situations interfere with your daily life;
- If you suffer from either nightmares of flashbacks to traumatic events.