Common Physical Symptoms Of Anxiety
It may come as a surprise to find out that anxiety can cause many physical reactions. People often mistakenly believe that anxiety is an exclusively emotional experience. However, in truth, it can cause very unpleasant and upsetting physical symptoms. These symptoms can be highly distressing and can exacerbate or foster emotional anxiety in a person.
Anxiety symptoms are generally classified into two types. There is emotional anxiety occurring during an emotionally stressful time, and seemingly unrelated physical symptoms like general pain in the body that may not be easily linked to the anxiety.
Emotional anxiety is often followed by physical symptoms of anxiety, which can be identified by most people as reactions they have felt in the past. A common situation that causes anxiety is the fear of speaking in public. Strong physical symptoms of anxiety are felt in response to this, even in those who are accustomed to speaking in public on a regular basis.
Someone who is nervous about speaking in front of a group of people can easily identify the physical symptoms of this anxiety. This anxiety almost always follows the same path, with gradually increasing symptoms until the time to speak. Recognizing these symptoms can help identify other situations which may trigger anxiety.
An individual may not recognize certain physical symptoms of anxiety that may be experienced prior to the emotions of anxiety. For example, a patient who arrives at the hospital with chest pains may be experiencing a physical symptom of anxiety. The chest pains cause the patient to worry about other potential health problems, but there arent any other signs of anxiety. Testing and a thorough examination by emergency room staff reveal no physical reason for the chest pain. During a discussion between the doctor and patient, it comes to light that the patient’s job is highly stressful and he is currently experiencing difficulties in his personal life. These are the factors that have led to the anxiety attack.
Patients may suffer from nausea, vomiting, digestive distress, shaking, unsteady legs, shortness of breath, tautness or pain in the chest, or rapid heart rate for no apparent reason. Chest pains are a physical symptom of anxiety that is the body’s way of reacting to the high stress levels without causing an emotional reaction. This often occurs when the patient isn’t overly concerned or stressed about a challenging time in his life.
You do not have to fear that anxiety will take control of your life. There a several effective ways to control anxiety and lead a normal life. Indeed, medication is not the only option to alleviate the physical symptoms of anxiety. There are techniques that can be learned and even natural remedies to dealing with anxiety attacks. Talk to your doctor about your options so that you can choose what is right for you.
