Many people
with anxiety-related problems
suffer with low self-esteem and regard
it as a symptom of these problems.
Actually it is much more than this. Self-doubt
over the way we think, look
or act can play a large part in the development and growth of the increased
anxiety
symptoms
seen
in
most
anxiety
and
depression
problems. Indeed, many of the anxiety disorder
symptoms below reflect
the way we feel about ourselves.
Disorders
that
can
develop
range
from
persistent
worrying
and
feelings of apprehension (often increasing and 'spilling over' into anxiety
and panic attacks)
to phobias where the anxiety and panic becomes associated with objects or situations in which we feel vulnerable. They may also involve obsessions and compulsions, forms of
depression and even physical illness.
The following
list is an example of some of the symptoms associated
with anxiety and panic, phobias, OCD and depression. They can be numerous, encompassing our thoughts, feelings and actions, and may be related directly
to anxiety at a given moment or generally to how we feel about
ourselves.
Many of the psychological symptoms
described below may be present
whichever
'disorder' exists.
Anxiety Symptoms
These are associated with avoiding and/or
dealing with danger and involve our body, mind and behaviour.
Our body:-
• Breathing becomes
more rapid.
• Heart beat speeds up.
• We feel dizzy and light-headed.
• We get ‘butterflies’ in our stomach.
• We feel sick and/or
need the toilet.
• Our mouth
becomes dry and it feels
difficult to swallow.
• We
sweat more.
• We feel ‘jittery’ / ‘jumpy’ / ‘on-edge’.
Our thoughts:-
• We feel frightened.
• We
may tell ourselves that we are physically
ill, having a heart attack or a stroke or going mad.
• We think
people are looking
at us.
• We
worry that we may lose control or make a fool of ourselves in front
of others.
• We feel
that we must
escape and get to a safe place.
Our Behaviour:-
• We make excuses to avoid going
out or doing things.
• We hurry
out of places or situations where
we feel anxious.
• Walk to avoid buses;
cross the street
to avoid people.
• We may have a drink or take a tablet
before doing something we find stressful.
Anxiety Disorder Symptoms
These develop
from the reasons
we find to explain our anxiety/panic and the ways we try to deal with it. They can be expressed physically, psychologically and in our behaviour. Since they
are connected to heightened anxiety,
almost
everyone
experiences these symptoms to some degree at times in their lives, more so in times of stress.
Physical. Can include:-
• Headaches.
• Digestion problems.
• Bowel problems.
• Allergy-type reactions.
• Fatigue.
• Constant colds.
• Skin problems.
Many of the above may be due, in part, to the suppression of the body’s immune
system by chemicals
released into the bloodstream when anxious.
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Behaviours. Some examples are:-
• Extreme anxiety and panic
around other people.
Having to do things in
front of others can cause us to become panic-stricken. (Social
phobia / Social Anxiety
Disorder).
• Excessive worrying. Involves persistent and uncontrollable worrying
about
people / events
/ situations. (GAD,
Generalized Anxiety Disorder).
• Avoidance behaviour.
Avoiding things and situations that make us feel
afraid. (Phobias).
• Obsessions and compulsions. Here, anxiety takes the
form
of
often
horrible,
uncontrollable thoughts (obsessions). Compulsions are our attempts
to control these thoughts
by trying to prevent
any threat or danger. Usually harmful to ourselves, compulsions do provide some sense of relief. (OCD, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder).
• Hypochondria. Constantly visiting
the Doctor. Where
every ache and pain
becomes associated with being a serious illness.
• Depression. This involves
feelings of helplessness and hopelessness and the
belief that events
are beyond our control and everything we try to do will fail.
• Sexual problems. Here, fears over losing
control and being
judged on our performance can maintain these
problems.
• Others include:- aggression, sleep disorders and eating disorders.
Psychological. Expressed in our thoughts
feelings and actions
these can include:-
• Perfectionism. Needing to be the strongest, most beautiful or handsome, or the
cleverest. To have the best body, to do the best,
to be the best etc.
• Constantly making comparisons. Always comparing ourselves
with other
people and coming
up short.
• Self-consciousness. Constantly watching our self.
• Child-like behaviour. Seeking the love and approval
of parents and others.
• Fantasising. Common fantasies
include: ‘one day being rich and famous or being
great, loved by all’.
• Excessive Tidiness. This represents attempts to bring form and order
to
our world, to gain a sense of being in control.
• Symmetry. Here, what is done by (happens to) one side of the body must be
done by (happen to) the other side.
This is also related to order and control.
• Ending sentences
with questions. We do this to shift the attention
away
from us to the other
person.
• Mild
paranoia. Can involve
constant feelings of 'being picked on' and feeling
that 'others are treated better'.
• Poor body
image. Believing our body,
or parts of it, are 'not good enough'.
• Bad
posture.
Standing shoulders down,
feet inwards and arms in front of body,
trying to be small, almost
apologetic for being
there.
• Others include:- persistent negative thoughts and images, constantly looking
back
for reasons and answers and feelings of having no control over our mind or
body.
A diagnosis
of an anxiety disorder often refers to the main set of symptoms. Yet most people
experience numerous symptoms associated
with
various
anxiety
disorders adding weight to the belief that these problems are all related and that they reflect behaviours common to us all, which evolve under certain circumstances.
