Anxiety is a regular and often healthy emotion. However, when a person frequently feels
unpleasant emotion, which is characterized by feelings of nervousness, worried thoughts,
overthinking and physical changes like increased blood pressure, it might become a medical
disorder. People with anxiety disorders usually have frequent intrusive thoughts or concerns.
Some of them may escape certain situations, but anniversary dates of harrowing events can
revive thoughts and feelings from the actual event and people who survived these events may
experience peaks of anxiety and depression. They may also have physical symptoms such as
sweating, trembling, dizziness or a rapid heartbeat. Mild anxiety might be vague and unsetting,
while severe may seriously affect day-to-day living.
The prevalence of anxiety disorders across the world varies from 2.5 to 7 percent by country.
Globally as estimated 284 million people experienced an anxiety disorder in 2017, making it the
most prevalent mental health or neurodevelopmental disorder. Around 63 percent (179 million)
were female, relative to 105 million males.
There are several types of anxiety disorders exist: agoraphobia, generalized anxiety disorder,
obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), panic disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD),
and social phobia (or social anxiety disorder).
Having an anxiety disorder does more than make you worry. It can also lead to, or worsen, other
mental and physical conditions, such as: depression (which often occurs with an anxiety
disorder) or other mental health disorders, substance misuse, trouble sleeping (insomnia),
digestive or bowel problems, headaches and chronic pain, social isolation, problems functioning
at school or work, poor quality of life, and suicide.
There’s no way to predict for certain what will cause someone to develop an anxiety disorder, but
you can take steps to reduce the impact of symptoms if you’re anxious: get help early, stay
active, and avoid alcohol or drug use
Here are 11 common traits of anxious patients.
1. Excessive Worrying
One of the most common symptoms of an anxiety disorder is excessive worrying. As worrying
associated with anxiety disorders is disproportionate to the events that trigger it and typically
occurs in response to normal, everyday situations. To get a sign of generalized anxiety disorder,
the worrying must occur on most days for at least six months and its difficult to control. Also
worrying must also be severe and intrusive, making it difficult to concentrate and do daily tasks.
People under the age of 65 are at the highest risk of generalized anxiety disorder, especially
those who are single, have a lower socioeconomic.
2. Feeling Agitated
When someone is feeling anxious, part of their sympathetic nervous system goes into overdrive.
This begins like a cascade of effects throughout the body, such as a racing pulse, sweaty palms,
shaky hands and dry mouth. Also, these symptoms occur because your brain believes you have
sensed danger, and it is preparing your body to react to the threat. So, your body shunts blood
away from your digestive system and toward your muscles in case you need to run or fight. It
also increases your heart rate and heightens your senses. While these effects would be helpful in
the case of a true threat, they can be devastating if the fear is all in your head. People with
anxiety disorders may experience this type of arousal for longer periods of time.
3. Restlessness
Restlessness is another common symptom of anxiety, especially in children and teens. But
restlessness alone is not enough to diagnose an anxiety disorder, but it can be one symptom,
especially if it occurs frequently.
When someone is experiencing restlessness, they often describe it as feeling “on edge” or having
an “uncomfortable urge to move.”
One study in 128 children diagnosed with anxiety disorders found that 74% reported restlessness
as one of their main anxiety symptoms. While restlessness does not occur in all people with
anxiety, it is one of the red flags doctors frequently look for when making a diagnosis. And if
you experience restlessness on the majority of days for more than six months, it may be a sign of
an anxiety disorder.
4. Fatigue
Becoming easily fatigued is another potential symptom of generalized anxiety disorder.
This symptom can be surprising to some, as anxiety is commonly associated with hyperactivity
or arousal. For some, fatigue can follow an anxiety attack, while for others, the fatigue can be
chronic.
It’s unclear whether this fatigue is due to other common symptoms of anxiety, such as insomnia
or muscle tension, or whether it may be related to the hormonal effects of chronic anxiety.
