What you need to know about suffering from anxiety

People who suffer from anxiety suffer on both a psychological and physical level. The condition occurs when the body feels threatened that something is about to happen or will happen in the future. When you feel anxious, the brain receives signals from the heart, circulatory, and muscular systems that tell it to be prepared to escape. When a person has an anxiety disorders, such as generalized anxiety disorder, the condition involves having symptoms that occur frequently and are severe. 

The most common signs and symptoms of anxiety include feeling nervous, feeling a lack of control, having a sense of impending danger, panic or doom, having an increased heart rate, hyperventilation or breathing rapidly, sweating, trembling, feeling weak or tired, or difficulty concentrating or thinking about anything other than what you are currently worrying about.  

Digestive problems. Anxiety often causes digestive problems such as stomach aches. People may experience an upset stomach for no known reason, nausea, constipation, or diarrhea. These digestive problems can be difficult to deal with especially if they occur often because they usually interfere with a person’s daily functioning. 

Shortness of breath. Other than shortness of breath, anxiety often causes people to develop an increase in heart rate and blood pressure, profuse sweating, and dizziness. While these symptoms may seem more aligned with a panic attack, they are actually more likely to occur when a person has generalized anxiety disorder and panic disorder.  

Headache and dizziness. Anxiety is known to make people feel dizzy as well as develop headaches. When anxiety occurs alongside having an increased heart rate and changes in body temperature, you are also likely to become dizzy. Generalized anxiety disorder is often associated with psychological distress as it involves chronically worrying. Just thinking about the fear that is caused by anxiety can literally cause a headache. 

Frequent fatigue. Anxiety often causes frequent fatigue, and in some cases even insomnia. This is simply because constantly feeling anxious is tiring. People may develop insomnia as a result of constantly worrying or having certain physical symptoms of anxiety that make it hard to fall asleep or to stay asleep. 

Muscle tension. Anxiety causes muscle tension which usually appears in the back and neck.  However, people also experience aches and pains in the shoulder and jaw muscles. This muscle tension may also be associated with restless fidgeting of tense legs, or grinding your teeth.