Anxiety is a normal part of life and is often used synonymously with terms such as stress, worry or fear. At some point in our lives, we will all experience some form of anxiety. It may be fear for a moment, worry that seems to last or even fleeting worry.
Complaints about anxiety are what I hear each day in my therapy office. I hear sentiments coming from clients such as “I feel overwhelmed,” “I cannot seem to find peace,” “I am always on edge” or “I am anxious, and I really cannot pinpoint why.”
Among top diagnoses
Anxiety is one of the most diagnosed mental health conditions.
Multiple factors have contributed to higher levels of anxiety including overall stress, social pressures, family dysfunction and increased usage of technology.
In my office, I see anxiety ranging from mild and bothersome to extreme and life-altering.
Not everyone will develop clinical anxiety, but my job as a therapist is to help decipher, diagnose and develop a treatment plan based upon how severe someone is experiencing anxiety symptoms.
The good news: Of all the mental health conditions, anxiety is one of the most treatable.
Counseling and other mental health services can support those walking through anxiety regardless of the level of severity.
Fighting the stigma
Current research by the National Institute of Mental Health suggests that 19% of the adult population in the U.S. has been diagnosed with an anxiety disorder in the past year.
They also note that 31% of adults will experience an anxiety disorder at some point in their lifetime.
Research also shows women are twice as likely as men to be diagnosed with an anxiety disorder. The top five diagnosed anxiety disorders are Generalized Anxiety Disorder, Panic Disorder, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, Phobia Disorders, and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.
While all these disorders have different causes, they typically will show similar symptoms and marked impairment in a person’s life.
Many people struggle with a high level of anxiety and are not seeking help or receiving a diagnosis. Some of the common reasons I hear for people not seeking anxiety treatment include the stigma of mental health, being unable to find a provider, lack of resources or simply being too busy to receive treatment.
All of this together leads to the importance of raising awareness of how to identify anxiety in ourselves and others. We need to be informed so we can get help to those who need it most.
To distinguish between typical anxiety everyone can experience and a diagnosable anxiety condition, I ask questions related to daily functioning and duration of symptoms.
If someone has been through a short-term stressful event but sees their anxiety return to a normal level after engaging in coping strategies and self-care, they are not typically dealing with an anxiety disorder.
Rather, they saw a normal stress response take place in their body and in their mind. This normal stress response is meant to keep them safe and help them manage the stress in front of them.
Clinical level of anxiety
However, in someone with a clinical level of anxiety, their anxiety will impact their functioning on a daily basis, causing constant feelings of being overwhelmed.
Their anxiety feels out of their control, symptoms have been persistently present for a while, and they are not able to regulate back to a place of calm.
One way I help clients assess unhealthy levels of anxiety is to ask if anxiety feels like it is controlling their decisions, thoughts and actions. If they feel like it is, that typically means they could be experiencing clinical levels of anxiety.
Anxiety can affect many areas of a person’s life including negative or racing thoughts, work impairment and sleep disturbances.
Often, anxiety can feel overwhelming and lead a person toward avoiding situations, people or places that are causing an increase in their feelings of anxiety.
Panic attacks also can be an overwhelming symptom those with anxiety experience.
Symptoms
Anyone can have a panic attack, but often those with an anxiety disorder will experience ongoing panic attacks.
Panic attack symptoms include rapid breathing, increased heart rate, feeling light-headed and intense thoughts and feelings. Some people will even experience chest pain mimicking a heart attack.
Others will experience numbness or tingling in their hands and feet. They may also feel like they are not present in their body.
These symptoms often make someone feel like they are going crazy or that they might die.
Always seek out medical help if you are not sure what is happening to your body and if you are experiencing this high level of anxiety or panic attacks.
EDITOR’S NOTE — This story was written by Lisa Edwards Keane, MAMFC, LPC-S, NCC.
Most common anxiety symptoms
- Feeling nervous, restless or tense.
- Having a sense of impending danger, panic or doom.
- Having an increased heart rate.
- Breathing rapidly (hyperventilation).
- Sweating.
- Trembling.
- Feeling weak or tired.
- Trouble concentrating or thinking about anything other than the present worry.
- Having trouble sleeping.
- Experiencing gastrointestinal (GI) problems.
- Having difficulty controlling worry.
- Having the urge to avoid things that trigger anxiety.
If you read through the list and see several of those signs or symptoms in your life that have been present for six months or longer, I would suggest talking to a professional about counseling for anxiety.
Source: Mayo Clinic’s online resource at mayoclinic.org, researched by Lisa Edwards Keane, MAMFC, LPC-S, NCC, lisakeanecounseling.com
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