Too many of us are not living our dreams because we are living our fears.
– Les Brown
Each year nearly 40 million adults are diagnosed with Anxiety Disorders making it one of the most common mental health disorders in America. Symptoms of Anxiety Disorders have now become the leading cause for college students seeking professional help from their college counseling centers outranking depression. You are not alone & do not need to let anxiety hold you back from the peaceful joyful life that you desire.
Symptoms of Anxiety can include but are not limited to:
- Excessive worry and difficulty controlling the worry
- Nervousness, restlessness or being tense
- Feelings of danger, panic or dread
- Rapid breathing or hyperventilation
- Increased or heavy sweating
- Trembling or muscle twitching
- Weakness or lethargy
- Difficulty focusing or thinking clearly about anything other than the thing you’re worried about
- Insomnia
- Anxiety surrounding a particular life event that occurred in the past and inability to let it go
There is a wide spectrum of Anxiety Disorders diagnosed by specific symptoms in each classification. Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) symptoms include excessive worry & difficulty controlling the worry, irritability, restlessness, hypervigilance, difficulty concentrating, & sleep disturbances. Symptoms of Separation Anxiety Disorder include fears of being judged or scrutinized by others in social or performance situations and a tendency to avoid these situations to reduce feelings of embarrassment & fear. Specific Phobia’s are indicated by heightened anxiety symptoms triggered by exposure to a specific feared situation, objects or animals. Examples can include fear of heights, blood, flying on an airplane, going through tunnels, bugs, snakes, rodents, etc.) Panic Disorder symptoms occur when a person experiences a sudden episode of intense fear that arises rapidly & seemingly out of nowhere. The flooding of physical symptoms that are experienced during a panic attack can include; heart acceleration, sweating, lightheadedness, shortness of breath, trembling, shaking, dizziness, nausea, & feelings of impending doom. Symptoms of Separation Anxiety Disorder occur not only with children but can also be diagnosed with adolescents & adults. Separation Anxiety Disorder can also co-occur with an existing Panic disorder. Obsessive Compulsive Disorder is an Anxiety Disorder in which people have recurring, unwanted thoughts (obsessions) that make them feel driven to do repetitive behaviors (compulsions) that significantly interfere with their daily functioning and social interactions.
Chronic untreated anxiety can be extremely harmful, stress the mind, negatively affect your physical health, & immobilize a person’s day to day functioning. If you suffer from debilitating anxiety, please schedule an appointment with me today. Don’t let Anxiety continue to control your life!