10 Signs Of Anxiety Disorder

Panic

A panic attack is a crippling and debilitating event. Imagine being gripped by a sudden and overwhelming fear and a feeling of helplessness, along with physical symptoms such as a racing heart, issues with breathing, sweating and trembling, numb or tingling hands, stomach and chest pain, and flashes of either heat or coldness.

Simply having a panic attack does not mean that a person has an anxiety disorder. However, anyone who has had recurring panic attacks is very likely suffering from some form of anxiety disorder. Panic attacks are so awful and stressful that people suffering from them tend to live their lives fearing and anticipating the next panic attack, and even develop negative associations with locations where attacks have happened.

Irrational Fears

In some cases, anxiety disorder does not manifest as general worry, nervousness or fear. Instead, it becomes associated with a specific thing. Irrational fears could be a fear of dogs, flying, crowds, or any debilitating fear of a typically non-fearful thing. If the level of fear reaches the point where it is out of balance with any actual risk or danger, it is likely that the person is suffering from an anxiety disorder. Many disorders of this kind are rooted in a person’s history, like a past trauma that is causing the fear. But that is not always the case, and sometimes a person will not know that he or she has an irrational fear until a confronting situation where the object of that fear is exposed and recognized as irrational.