Anxiety disorders - Symptoms and causes - Mayo Clinic

Feeling nervous, restless or tense · Having a sense of impending danger, panic or doom · Having an increased heart rate · Breathing rapidly (hyperventilation) ... COVID-19:Advice,updatesandvaccineoptions FindoutaboutCOVID-19,COVID-19vaccines,andMayoClinicpatientandvisitorupdates. Skiptositenavigation SkiptoContent ThiscontentdoesnothaveanEnglishversion.ThiscontentdoesnothaveanArabicversion. SectionsforAnxietydisordersSymptoms&causesDiagnosis&treatmentDoctors&departmentsCareatMayoClinic Print OverviewExperiencingoccasionalanxietyisanormalpartoflife.However,peoplewithanxietydisordersfrequentlyhaveintense,excessiveandpersistentworryandfearabouteverydaysituations.Often,anxietydisordersinvolverepeatedepisodesofsuddenfeelingsofintenseanxietyandfearorterrorthatreachapeakwithinminutes(panicattacks). Thesefeelingsofanxietyandpanicinterferewithdailyactivities,aredifficulttocontrol,areoutofproportiontotheactualdangerandcanlastalongtime.Youmayavoidplacesorsituationstopreventthesefeelings.Symptomsmaystartduringchildhoodortheteenyearsandcontinueintoadulthood. Examplesofanxietydisordersincludegeneralizedanxietydisorder,socialanxietydisorder(socialphobia),specificphobiasandseparationanxietydisorder.Youcanhavemorethanoneanxietydisorder.Sometimesanxietyresultsfromamedicalconditionthatneedstreatment. Whateverformofanxietyyouhave,treatmentcanhelp.Products&ServicesAssortmentofHealthProductsfromMayoClinicStoreBook:MayoClinicFamilyHealthBook,5thEditionNewsletter:MayoClinicHealthLetter—DigitalEditionShowmoreproductsfromMayoClinic SymptomsCommonanxietysignsandsymptomsinclude: Feelingnervous,restlessortense Havingasenseofimpendingdanger,panicordoom Havinganincreasedheartrate Breathingrapidly(hyperventilation) Sweating Trembling Feelingweakortired Troubleconcentratingorthinkingaboutanythingotherthanthepresentworry Havingtroublesleeping Experiencinggastrointestinal(GI)problems Havingdifficultycontrollingworry Havingtheurgetoavoidthingsthattriggeranxiety Severaltypesofanxietydisordersexist: Agoraphobia(ag-uh-ruh-FOE-be-uh)isatypeofanxietydisorderinwhichyoufearandoftenavoidplacesorsituationsthatmightcauseyoutopanicandmakeyoufeeltrapped,helplessorembarrassed. Anxietydisorderduetoamedicalconditionincludessymptomsofintenseanxietyorpanicthataredirectlycausedbyaphysicalhealthproblem. Generalizedanxietydisorderincludespersistentandexcessiveanxietyandworryaboutactivitiesorevents—evenordinary,routineissues.Theworryisoutofproportiontotheactualcircumstance,isdifficulttocontrolandaffectshowyoufeelphysically.Itoftenoccursalongwithotheranxietydisordersordepression. Panicdisorderinvolvesrepeatedepisodesofsuddenfeelingsofintenseanxietyandfearorterrorthatreachapeakwithinminutes(panicattacks).Youmayhavefeelingsofimpendingdoom,shortnessofbreath,chestpain,orarapid,flutteringorpoundingheart(heartpalpitations).Thesepanicattacksmayleadtoworryingaboutthemhappeningagainoravoidingsituationsinwhichthey'veoccurred. Selectivemutismisaconsistentfailureofchildrentospeakincertainsituations,suchasschool,evenwhentheycanspeakinothersituations,suchasathomewithclosefamilymembers.Thiscaninterferewithschool,workandsocialfunctioning. Separationanxietydisorderisachildhooddisordercharacterizedbyanxietythat'sexcessiveforthechild'sdevelopmentallevelandrelatedtoseparationfromparentsorotherswhohaveparentalroles. Socialanxietydisorder(socialphobia)involveshighlevelsofanxiety,fearandavoidanceofsocialsituationsduetofeelingsofembarrassment,self-consciousnessandconcernaboutbeingjudgedorviewednegativelybyothers. Specificphobiasarecharacterizedbymajoranxietywhenyou'reexposedtoaspecificobjectorsituationandadesiretoavoidit.Phobiasprovokepanicattacksinsomepeople. Substance-inducedanxietydisorderischaracterizedbysymptomsofintenseanxietyorpanicthatareadirectresultofmisusingdrugs,takingmedications,beingexposedtoatoxicsubstanceorwithdrawalfromdrugs. Otherspecifiedanxietydisorderandunspecifiedanxietydisorderaretermsforanxietyorphobiasthatdon'tmeettheexactcriteriaforanyotheranxietydisordersbutaresignificantenoughtobedistressinganddisruptive. WhentoseeadoctorSeeyourdoctorif: Youfeellikeyou'reworryingtoomuchandit'sinterferingwithyourwork,relationshipsorotherpartsofyourlife Yourfear,worryoranxietyisupsettingtoyouanddifficulttocontrol Youfeeldepressed,havetroublewithalcoholordruguse,orhaveothermentalhealthconcernsalongwithanxiety Youthinkyouranxietycouldbelinkedtoaphysicalhealthproblem Youhavesuicidalthoughtsorbehaviors—ifthisisthecase,seekemergencytreatmentimmediately Yourworriesmaynotgoawayontheirown,andtheymaygetworseovertimeifyoudon'tseekhelp.Seeyourdoctororamentalhealthproviderbeforeyouranxietygetsworse.It'seasiertotreatifyougethelpearly. RequestanAppointmentatMayoClinic CausesThecausesofanxietydisordersaren'tfullyunderstood.Lifeexperiencessuchastraumaticeventsappeartotriggeranxietydisordersinpeoplewhoarealreadypronetoanxiety.Inheritedtraitsalsocanbeafactor. MedicalcausesForsomepeople,anxietymaybelinkedtoanunderlyinghealthissue.Insomecases,anxietysignsandsymptomsarethefirstindicatorsofamedicalillness.Ifyourdoctorsuspectsyouranxietymayhaveamedicalcause,heorshemayorderteststolookforsignsofaproblem. Examplesofmedicalproblemsthatcanbelinkedtoanxietyinclude: Heartdisease Diabetes Thyroidproblems,suchashyperthyroidism Respiratorydisorders,suchaschronicobstructivepulmonarydisease(COPD)andasthma Drugmisuseorwithdrawal Withdrawalfromalcohol,anti-anxietymedications(benzodiazepines)orothermedications Chronicpainorirritablebowelsyndrome Raretumorsthatproducecertainfight-or-flighthormones Sometimesanxietycanbeasideeffectofcertainmedications. It'spossiblethatyouranxietymaybeduetoanunderlyingmedicalconditionif: Youdon'thaveanybloodrelatives(suchasaparentorsibling)withananxietydisorder Youdidn'thaveananxietydisorderasachild Youdon'tavoidcertainthingsorsituationsbecauseofanxiety Youhaveasuddenoccurrenceofanxietythatseemsunrelatedtolifeeventsandyoudidn'thaveaprevioushistoryofanxiety RiskfactorsThesefactorsmayincreaseyourriskofdevelopingananxietydisorder: Trauma.Childrenwhoenduredabuseortraumaorwitnessedtraumaticeventsareathigherriskofdevelopingananxietydisorderatsomepointinlife.Adultswhoexperienceatraumaticeventalsocandevelopanxietydisorders. Stressduetoanillness.Havingahealthconditionorseriousillnesscancausesignificantworryaboutissuessuchasyourtreatmentandyourfuture. Stressbuildup.Abigeventorabuildupofsmallerstressfullifesituationsmaytriggerexcessiveanxiety—forexample,adeathinthefamily,workstressorongoingworryaboutfinances. Personality.Peoplewithcertainpersonalitytypesaremorepronetoanxietydisordersthanothersare. Othermentalhealthdisorders.Peoplewithothermentalhealthdisorders,suchasdepression,oftenalsohaveananxietydisorder. Havingbloodrelativeswithananxietydisorder.Anxietydisorderscanruninfamilies. Drugsoralcohol.Drugoralcoholuseormisuseorwithdrawalcancauseorworsenanxiety. ComplicationsHavingananxietydisorderdoesmorethanmakeyouworry.Itcanalsoleadto,orworsen,othermentalandphysicalconditions,suchas: Depression(whichoftenoccurswithananxietydisorder)orothermentalhealthdisorders Substancemisuse Troublesleeping(insomnia) Digestiveorbowelproblems Headachesandchronicpain Socialisolation Problemsfunctioningatschoolorwork Poorqualityoflife Suicide PreventionThere'snowaytopredictforcertainwhatwillcausesomeonetodevelopananxietydisorder,butyoucantakestepstoreducetheimpactofsymptomsifyou'reanxious: Gethelpearly.Anxiety,likemanyothermentalhealthconditions,canbehardertotreatifyouwait. Stayactive.Participateinactivitiesthatyouenjoyandthatmakeyoufeelgoodaboutyourself.Enjoysocialinteractionandcaringrelationships,whichcanlessenyourworries. Avoidalcoholordruguse.Alcoholanddrugusecancauseorworsenanxiety.Ifyou'readdictedtoanyofthesesubstances,quittingcanmakeyouanxious.Ifyoucan'tquitonyourown,seeyourdoctororfindasupportgrouptohelpyou. ByMayoClinicStaff AnxietydisorderscareatMayoClinic RequestanAppointmentatMayoClinic Diagnosis&treatment May04,2018 Print Shareon:FacebookTwitter Showreferences Anxietydisorders.In:DiagnosticandStatisticalManualofMentalDisordersDSM-5.5thed.Arlington,Va.:AmericanPsychiatricAssociation;2013.http://dsm.psychiatryonline.org.AccessedFeb.26,2018. Anxietydisorders.NationalInstituteofMentalHealth.https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/anxiety-disorders/index.shtml.AccessedFeb.26,2018. BrownA.AllscriptsEPSi.MayoClinic,Rochester,Minn.March5,2018. Anxietydisorders.NationalAllianceonMentalIllness.https://www.nami.org/Learn-More/Mental-Health-Conditions/Anxiety-Disorders/Overview.AccessedFeb.25,2018. Helpwithanxietydisorders.AmericanPsychiatricAssociation.https://www.psychiatry.org/patients-families/anxiety-disorders/what-are-anxiety-disorders.AccessedFeb.28,2018. ReinholdJA,etal.Pharmacologicaltreatmentforgeneralizedanxietydisorderinadults:Anupdate.ExpertOpinioninPharmacotherapy.2015;16:1669. BandelowB,etal.Efficacyoftreatmentsforanxietydisorders:Ameta-analysis.InternationalClinicalPsychopharmacology.2015;30:183. Findsupport.NationalAllianceonMentalIllness.https://www.nami.org/Find-Support.AccessedFeb.26,2018. BazzanAJ,etal.Currentevidenceregardingthemanagementofmoodandanxietydisordersusingcomplementaryandalternativemedicine.ExpertReviewofNeurotherapeutics.2014;14:411. Naturalmedicinesintheclinicalmanagementofanxiety.NaturalMedicines.https://naturalmedicines.therapeuticresearch.com.AccessedFeb.26,2018. SarrisJ,etal.Plant-basedmedicinesforanxietydisorders,Part2:Areviewofclinicalstudieswithsupportingpreclinicalevidence.CNSDrugs.2013;27:301. BystritskyA.Complementaryandalternativetreatmentsforanxietysymptomsanddisorders:Herbsandmedications.https://www.uptodate.com/contents/search.AccessedFeb.26,2018. BystritskyA.Pharmacotherapyforgeneralizedanxietydisorderinadults.https://www.uptodate.com/contents/search.AccessedFeb.26,2018. SawchukCN(expertopinion).MayoClinic,Rochester,Minn.March21,2018. 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