Anxiety is a common mental disorder that affects approximately 18.1% of the population every year, according to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America. Unfortunately, only 37% of those who struggle with anxiety receive treatment. Of the remaining 63%, some people may not have the means to seek the treatment they need, and others may not even realize that what they are feeling is an anxiety disorder. In today’s post, we will discuss some of the most common signs of an anxiety disorder to help you or someone you know determine if you’re struggling with anxiety.

At Serene Mind, we are proud to provide expert counseling services to children, teens, and adults in Old Bridge and the surrounding area. Our unique program is designed to help those struggling with a variety of mental health conditions who need a more advanced level of therapy than that offered in a traditional therapy setting. Explore our website to learn more about the programs we offer, and give us a call to request a consultation!

EXCESSIVE WORRYING

It’s normal to worry about common situations such as not having enough money or getting sick before a big test, but if you’re constantly worrying about everyday, normal things, it could be a sign that you have an anxiety disorder. Excessive worrying is one of the most common signs that someone is struggling with anxiety. However, the key to worrying being a sign of anxiety is that the worry the individual is feeling is disproportionate to the actual event, and often these feelings occur about normal, everyday situations.

INSOMNIA

Insomnia, or trouble falling or staying asleep, is another symptom that is most commonly linked with anxiety. If you or someone you know has trouble going to sleep at night, despite feeling tired, or wakes up in the middle of the night and is unable to go back to sleep, it could be a symptom of an underlying anxiety disorder. In fact, insomnia during childhood is often linked to developing anxiety as an adult. One research study followed nearly 1,000 children over 20 years and found that insomnia in childhood resulted in a 60% increased risk of developing an anxiety disorder by the age of 26.

DIFFICULTIES CONCENTRATING

Anxiety is often linked to difficulties with concentration. This symptom can be especially noticeable for those who are in school or have a job where they need to focus on a variety of different tasks. That being said, difficulties concentrating isn’t always a sure sign that someone is dealing with an anxiety disorder. A lack of concentration is also a symptom of an attention deficit disorder and depression, so a doctor may not be able to diagnose you with anxiety if that is the only evidence.

AVOIDANCE

When someone experiences anxiety, they may feel all the symptoms above, as well as some physical symptoms which we will discuss later. All of these symptoms can be uncomfortable, and that could result in avoidance of situations or tasks that result in these symptoms. For example, someone who has social anxiety may start to feel stressed out or worried when they’re in a group of new people, so they might avoid situations where they might feel uncomfortable, such as a party.

PHYSICAL SYMPTOMS

In addition to these mental symptoms we’ve listed above, there are a handful of physical symptoms that can occur either alone or in conjunction with the mental symptoms. Some of the most common physical symptoms associated with anxiety disorders include:

• Sweating
• Shaking hands
• Increased heart rate
• Feeling weak
• Fatigue

These physical symptoms can occur at any time, but most people report feeling physical symptoms during or right before a panic attack. Panic attacks are a recurring result of an anxiety disorder, but not all panic attacks are the result of a panic disorder. That being said, often when people with anxiety experience a panic attack, their heart rate may increase and they may have sweaty palms, feel a tightness in their check, or experience any of the other physical symptoms listed above.

SEEK HELP AT SERENE MIND

If you think that you have an anxiety disorder, and it’s disrupting your daily life, or you’ve been diagnosed with an anxiety disorder in the past and your current treatment isn’t working, Serene Mind is here to help. We offer unique counseling services that are designed to give people the help they need while also teaching them the necessary skills to manage their mental health outside of our facility. Explore our website to learn more about our counseling services for children, teens, and adults, and give us a call to request a consultation.