Anxiety – It Affects Everyone

According to Wikipedia, the free on-line encyclopedia, “anxiety is a psychological and physiological state characterized by cognitive (mind), somatic(body), emotional, and behavioral components.  These components combine to create an unpleasant feeling that is typically associated with uneasiness, fear, or worry.”  Wikipedia also says “anxiety is considered to be a normal reaction to stress.  It may help a person to deal with a difficult situation, for example at work or at school, by prompting one to cope with it. When anxiety becomes excessive, it may be more serious and classified as an anxiety disorder.”

Because anxiety is a psychological and physiological state, physical symptoms are often experienced.  Common symptoms are heart palpitations, fatigue, nausea, chest pain, shortness of breath, stomach aches, or headaches.  Even though the cause of anxiety might be a psychological one, the body prepares physically to deal with a threat – a reaction called the “fight or flight response”.  Blood pressure and heart rate increase, sweating may increase, blood flow to the major muscle groups increases (so you can run if need be), and immune and digestive system functions are inhibited (leading to nausea and susceptibility to other illness if stress and anxiety are prolonged).  Other symptoms may include pale skin, trembling, and dilation of the pupils – another physical response that helps us “fight or flee” a stressful situation.  Emotional symptoms of anxiety can include feelings of apprehension, dread, or sometimes panic.

Trouble concentrating, feeling tense or jumpy, anticipating the worst, irritability, restlessness, watching (and waiting) for signs of danger, and, feeling like your mind's gone blank are also possible symptoms.  According to Wikipedia, one of the most common symptoms of anxiety is fear, which includes the fear of dying for some people.

Some of us have mild and episodic anxiety that can be treated with stress management techniques and by trying to change our thought patterns, i.e., learning to look at our worries more realistically.  People with more severe or continuous anxiety may have a diagnosis of anxiety disorder and should see a doctor to rule out physical causes of the anxiety.  Your doctor may prescribe medications useful in treating anxiety or may suggest you see a psychologist or psychiatrist.