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While
anxiety is a commonplace experience, for some the symptoms
can be persistent and interfere with social, academic, occupational
and family life. Some people experience anxiety symptoms related
to certain situations and others have more general anxiety
that seems to come and go. Some people may have panic attacks
with feelings of terror, impending doom, breathlessness and
chest pain. Panic attacks may be triggered by a specific circumstance
or may occur intermittently.
Psychological
symptoms may include:
- Irritability
- Anger
- Poor
memory
- Inability
to concentrate
- Fear
of going crazy
- Fear
of impending death
- Feelings
of being outside yourself
- Feelings
of being cut off from reality
Physical
symptoms may include:
- Racing
heart
- Tightness
or pain in chest
- Shortness
of breath
- Headache
- Tingling
in finger tips
- Muscle
pains
- Muscle
weakness
- Dizziness
- Difficulty
in swallowing
- Abdominal
discomfort
- Diarrhea
- Frequent
urination
Untreated
anxiety can contribute to alcohol and substance abuse. Since
anxiety symptoms can manifest in a physical manner, many individuals
experiencing anxiety report for treatment to primary care
doctors and/or emergency rooms.
Click
here for an anxiety screening
Treatment
Effective treatment
for anxiety often involves psychotherapy. If appropriate,
medication can be helpful in combination with psychotherapy
in the treatment of anxiety symptoms.
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