How to Know if You Have an Anxiety Disorder

Find Out If You Have Anxiety Disorder

Anxiety disorder can take on many forms and can extend beyond social boundaries.  It is a disorder that has been recognized for hundreds of years and is now considered and treated as a psychiatric illness.  Milder forms of anxiety disorder affect about 25% of Americans.  They are those who exhibit a less severe form such as fear of snakes, dogs and insects.  However, there is also about 25% of the population who have to undergo or are currently undergoing treatment as a result of their anxiety disorder.

What is anxiety disorder?

An anxiety disorder is any of a group of psychological health problems that affect how people behave in certain situations and alters how they perceive things.  It can manifest itself in different forms such as social phobia, panic disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder and generalized anxiety disorder.  If a person does not seek treatment, the symptoms can result in depression.

I feel fearful and anxious sometimes.  Does this mean I have anxiety disorder?

Not all feelings of anxiety can be considered as a mental disorder.  It’s quite normal for people to feel anxious or scared sometimes and these are actually good signs of your mind’s natural ability to cope with certain situations.

Feeling anxious or fearful is part of every normal human being’s ‘fight-or-flight’ reaction especially when faced with threat, danger or unknown situations.  This is the normal reaction you’ll feel during emergencies like fire, earthquakes, physical or emotional threats, disasters or other stressful events.

You should only consider feelings of anxiety as a possible disorder if there is no logical reason for their occurrence.  You should also be concerned once they become irrational, excessive and ongoing.  Feelings of anxiety can constitute a disorder if they also interfere with a person’s behavior and normal functioning.

What are the signs that I may have anxiety disorder?

Only a professional can diagnose whether or not you have anxiety disorder.  Even before that, he should rule out any other physiological or medical causes that may have caused certain symptoms to occur.  Other than those mentioned above, certain physical and mental reactions can constitute anxiety disorder including at least four of the following:

Extreme and prolonged bouts of panic attacks

Fear of a panic attack

Avoidance behavior

Trembling

Increased heart rate

Hyperventilation or shortness of breath

Nausea

Sweating

Fainting

Choking

Let’s review. Other than these physical symptoms, there are also other symptoms specific to a certain type of disorder.  These are:

Social phobia – a deep fear of situations that involve social contact with no apparent or logical reason.  A person may not be able to function normally in situations where he has to deal with other people, afraid that he might be humiliated or rejected.  To cope, he might withdraw or avoid opportunities to socialize.

Panic disorder – this disorder is characterized by frequent debilitating periods of panic attacks that affect approximately 2% of Americans.  It is only considered a disorder if panic episodes occur at least four times a month over a long period of time.

Post-traumatic stress disorder – occurs after the experience of a highly stressful or traumatic event.  It can manifest immediately after the trauma or it may take months or years to appear.

Obsessive-compulsive disorder or OCD are involuntary impulses, thoughts or behavior that are usually manifested as repetitive rituals like excessive showering, obsessing over the arrangement of objects, hand washing, etc.  Usually, people who have OCD are quite aware of what they are doing.

Generalized anxiety disorder – this is characterized by excessive worrying and feelings of anxiety over everyday activities such as family, friends, health or work.  People with GAD have very little control over their feelings, if at all.  Episodes should have occurred many times over a period of six months before it is diagnosed as GAD.

Phobia – can manifest itself as excessive and irrational fears of certain objects or situations.  Most phobias are the result of other types of anxiety disorders that have not been treated.  These can include claustrophobia and agoraphobia.

Questions to ask yourself

If you feel you have anxiety disorder in any form, it would be best to seek the help of a professional.  Some of the symptoms associated with the disorder may be caused by health problems that need medical attention such as epilepsy, heart conditions, asthma, menopause or thyroid problems.

However, here are some questions you might want to ask yourself to determine whether you are at risk or not:

-       Do I spend a lot of time worrying?  Is there anything specific I am worried about?

-       Do I have little or no control over my feelings of anxiety and worry?

-       Do I have difficulty sleeping?

-       Has there been a noticeable change in my eating and sleeping habits?

-       Do I feel depressed on most days?

-       Have I been using drugs or alcohol increasingly?

-       Am I often irritable, restless, easily provoked or agitated?

-       Has my behavior affected my family, friends, colleagues, work and regular activities in a negative way?

If your answer to most of these questions is yes, it’s probably time to seek the help of a doctor.  You cannot, on your own, judge the severity of your disorder and there are certain medications and psychotherapies that you may not have access to unless you seek professional help.

Anxiety disorder is a treatable psychiatric illness.  It is best to seek treatment when it is still in its early stages so you can be assured of quicker results.  It will take time and patience to help you eliminate the symptoms of this illness but it is quite possible to experience some positive results within a span of 3 to 6 months.

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