(818) 245-5352When we talk about mental health conditions like anxiety or depression, there are often a lot of misunderstandings regarding their symptoms. For instance, did you know that there are physical symptoms of anxiety? They are as common as the psychological ones but not as talked about. That’s why I am here – to help you further understand these conditions, so you will be able to seek proper treatment.
How Do You Recognize An Anxiety Disorder?
Before discussing the less known physical manifestations of anxiety
disorders, we must first establish what exactly anxiousness is. For instance, how can you tell apart being anxious and being under a lot of, let’s say, work stress? There is a difference, even though these conditions can look similar.
One of the most simple ways to tell if you are experiencing severe anxiety as opposed to just badly dealing with stress is this one – ask yourself whether this condition affects your ability to function on a day-to-day basis. If it does, it’s more likely that you have some sort of anxiety disorder.
What Are the Common Psychological Signs and Symptoms of Anxiety Disorders?
This disorder has a lot of severe symptoms that affect cognitive functioning. By definition, anxiety is a feeling of unease or irrational worry that’s not rooted in anything in particular. It has plenty of accompanying issues – here are the most significant ones:
- Excessive worrying,
- Unprovoked panic,
- Lack of concentration and focus,
- Restlessness,
- Irritability.
Although It’s a Mental Health Issue, Anxiety Is Related to Plenty of Physical Manifestations
Physical symptoms of depression and anxiety might be lesser-known ones, but that doesn’t mean they don’t pose a huge problem for people who suffer from them. These mental disorders can make you feel like you are really sick, and you might not have any idea what is going on.
Conditions vary a lot and can practically affect any physiological system. The problem is that they can be quite vague – countless illnesses or disorders can cause them, so oftentimes, doctors can’t recognize that it’s actually all about your mental health.
People Often Don’t Even Realize That Some of the Symptoms They Experience Are Because of Their Anxiety
So, here’s the catch – a lot of people aren’t aware that their mental illness can manifest in their bodies. Add to that the number of those who don’t even realize they have a mental disorder, and it’s clear that many people experience a lot of discomforts caused by anxiousness. Even with all the great impact of social media and the internet in general, this area of mental disorders remains “hidden” – and it’s something we must talk about.
Any Disorder From the Family of Anxiety-Related Issues Can Cause a Wide Variety of Physical Symptoms
If you are wondering – what are the physical symptoms of anxiety and stress? – know that the list of them is very long. The effect that our psychology can have on our body is massive, and this is a very large scientific area, but let’s just focus on the most important occurrences that you will most likely come across – whether it’s you who is suffering or someone close to you. When you finish reading, you will be able to recognize these issues and seek help.
Gastrointestinal Issues Are Among the Most Common Physical Symptoms of Anxiety
Have you heard of a gut-brain axis? It’s a very complex connection that can make your state of mind manifest itself in gastrointestinal problems. This is commonly referred to as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), and more than 25 million people in America have it (2 in 3 patients are female).
As you can imagine, this condition can make your life even more complicated and lead to even more stress – it’s a vicious cycle since stress and worry are what further fuel IBS. This syndrome can affect life drastically and even cause depression. IBS consists of abdominal pain, discomfort, and flatulence, and it has a few subtypes – chronic diarrhea, constipation, or both in alternation.
Although we know that psychological well-being significantly affects IBS, there is no exact cause of this condition identified yet. That means there isn’t a cure – still, there are many things you can do to improve your state, including various diets and self-care. Obviously, if you seek therapy treatment for your anxiousness and take care of yourself mentally, you can improve your IBS a lot.
You Might Also Experience Rapid Breathing and Increased Heart Rate
This psychological disorder even makes people worry about their overall health – it can manifest as irregular breathing patterns, for example. You can feel hyperventilation – that means having rapid, deep breaths that feel like you’re gasping for air. Luckily, there are tips and tricks for preventing hyperventilation, but it can be really scary if you don’t know what it is.
Sometimes, it can complicate the differentiation between a panic attack and an anxiety attack. The panic and worry about the health of your heart can happen as well – and, understandably, this is always disturbing to those who suffer through it. What happens is simple.
You are anxious, which means you’re in a constant state of “fight or flight” – and that causes palpitations, meaning you can feel your own heart pounding fast against your chest. This often brings discomfort and worry that something serious is going on when instead, it’s just a consequence of you feeling anxious.
Shaky Hands and Excessive Sweating Are Often Caused By Anxiousness
This symptom probably won’t surprise you much – excessive sweating is a common sign of panic, and it probably won’t scare you as much as palpitations or hyperventilation. Still, it’s uncomfortable and yet another way in which being anxious makes your life harder than it needs to be. Also, trembling or shaky hands are a common companion to sweating.
Muscle Aches and Tension Shouldn’t Surprise You, Too
Overall tension in your body and pains in muscles are expected as well. When it comes to muscle aches, they won’t be like those you have after a hard workout. This feels more like your limbs are heavy, or you are made of stone. Combined with the stomachache, this can seem like all the bad in the world has come upon you. People often feel exhausted in these situations.
Anxiety Causes Headaches and Dizziness
Unexplained headaches that can’t be diagnosed with anything related to your nervous system are often a sign of psychological issues. These headaches aren’t as severe as migraines but can still affect your state of mind and everyday functioning. Vertigo, or dizziness, is another head-related symptom that can occur. Both of these can be quite overwhelming for a person who is already suffering mentally and further impact negative thinking and irritability.
Trouble With Sleeping Pattern Is Expected As Well
Whenever you’re struggling mentally, changes in sleep patterns are to be expected. For example, those with depression usually sleep way more than normal. Those who are anxious more commonly develop insomnia – they can’t sleep through the night. Insomnia can also present itself as trouble falling asleep or waking up unusually early. It can also just mean that a person is always exhausted even though they sleep enough hours per night.
Things Don’t Have to Be So Blue If You Have Proper Treatment and Support – Therapy Is the Key Piece of a Puzzle
Once you recognize the issue, you shouldn’t keep on living with it – don’t hesitate to seek help, and don’t put it off. The more you wait to reach out for help, the worse the condition will get. Proper treatment always includes therapy sessions, which do wonders for overall health. Finding the best therapist can take time, but it’s well worth it. Once you get help and start with sessions, you will quickly see the improvement and start feeling better.
