Signs of an anxiety disorder (2024)

If you're experiencing symptoms of anxiety over a long period of time, you may have an anxiety disorder.

For more information about symptoms, read anxiety, fear and panic.

Generalised anxiety disorder (GAD)

Generalised anxiety disorder (GAD) is a long-term condition that can make you feel anxious about a wide range of situations and issues, rather than one specific event.

You may have GAD if:

  • your worrying is uncontrollable and causes distress
  • your worrying affects your daily life, including school, your job and your social life
  • you cannot let go of your worries
  • you worry about all sorts of things, such as your job or health, and minor concerns, such as household chores

You should see your GP if anxiety is affecting your daily life or causing you distress. They can diagnose your condition based on your symptoms, which may include:

  • feeling restless or on edge
  • being irritable
  • getting tired easily
  • having difficulty concentrating or feeling your mind goes blank
  • having difficulty getting to sleep or staying asleep
  • having tense muscles

If you're diagnosed with GAD, there is treatment available. Read more information about treating GAD.

Other types of anxiety disorder

There are several other types of anxiety disorder, including:

Further information

Signs of an anxiety disorder (2024)

FAQs

What is the 3 3 3 rule for anxiety? ›

You can use the 333 rule for anxiety in the moment something triggers you. Just look around to identify 3 objects and 3 sounds, then move 3 body parts. Many people find this strategy helps focus and ground them when anxiety seems overwhelming. The 333 rule is a common and informal technique for coping with anxiety.

What are 5 symptoms of anxiety disorder? ›

Symptoms and patterns
  • trouble concentrating or making decisions.
  • feeling irritable, tense or restless.
  • experiencing nausea or abdominal distress.
  • having heart palpitations.
  • sweating, trembling or shaking.
  • trouble sleeping.
  • having a sense of impending danger, panic or doom.
Sep 27, 2023

What is high functioning anxiety? ›

High-functioning anxiety is a subset of generalized anxiety disorder that often goes unnoticed or undiagnosed. It occurs when a person has anxiety symptoms, but rather than retreating from situations or interactions, they work hard to face their fears and are skilled at covering up symptoms.

How might people know if their anxiety was actually a disorder? ›

Generalized anxiety disorder involves persistent and excessive worry that interferes with daily activities. This ongoing worry and tension may be accompanied by physical symptoms, such as restlessness, feeling on edge or easily fatigued, difficulty concentrating, muscle tension or problems sleeping.

What are the 4 C's of anxiety? ›

More specifically we expect positive association between caring and anxiety and a negative association between the other four Cs (competence, confidence, character, and connection) and anxiety.

What are the 3 P's of anxiety? ›

The 3 P's stand for Pervasiveness, Permanence and Personalisation. Pervasiveness looks at how much of your life a concern impacts – How big? Permanence looks at how long an issue is going to be of concern – How long? Personalisation looks at how much you feel you are to blame – How much?

Am I sick or is it anxiety? ›

Feeling sick may be a sign that you've fallen ill, but it can also be a sign of anxiety. While feeling sick may be the only physical symptom of anxiety, there are often others including breathlessness, dizziness and fatigue.

What differentiates anxiety from an anxiety disorder? ›

Occasional anxiety is a normal part of life. Many people worry about things such as health, money, or family problems. But anxiety disorders involve more than temporary worry or fear. For people with an anxiety disorder, the anxiety does not go away and can get worse over time.

What are 20 types of anxiety disorders? ›

Types of Anxiety Disorders
  • Generalized anxiety disorder. You feel excessive, unrealistic worry and tension with little or no reason.
  • Panic disorder. ...
  • Social anxiety disorder. ...
  • Specific phobias. ...
  • Agoraphobia. ...
  • Separation anxiety. ...
  • Selective mutism. ...
  • Medication-induced anxiety disorder.
Jan 7, 2023

What is the sneaky red flag of high-functioning anxiety? ›

The most common physical symptom of high-functioning anxiety is too little sleep. A person spends the night at the office, rather than going to bed. When they do go to bed, their mind is racing. They keep overthinking things, and they can't fall asleep.

What triggers anxiety disorder? ›

Difficult experiences in childhood, adolescence or adulthood are a common trigger for anxiety problems. Going through stress and trauma when you're very young is likely to have a particularly big impact. Experiences which can trigger anxiety problems include things like: physical or emotional abuse.

How do people with anxiety act? ›

feeling tense, nervous or unable to relax. having a sense of dread, or fearing the worst. feeling like the world is speeding up or slowing down. feeling like other people can see you're anxious and are looking at you.

Does anxiety ever go away? ›

Anxiety usually goes away once the threat or stressor passes and your system calms down. However, if you have an anxiety disorder, anxiety can linger beyond the triggering event and become out of proportion. Chronic (long-term) or severe anxiety can seriously impair your daily functioning.

What does anxiety feel like in your head? ›

Anxiety may cause symptoms that feel like they're affecting your head. These could include brain fog, pressure, headaches, and dissociation. The symptoms of many mental health disorders show up cognitively, emotionally, and physically. Anxiety is no exception.

Who does anxiety affect the most? ›

Anxiety disorders affect nearly 1 in 5 adults in the United States. Women are more than twice as likely as men to get an anxiety disorder in their lifetime. Anxiety disorders are often treated with counseling, medicine, or a combination of both.

What is the number one way to reduce anxiety? ›

Natural strategies like regular physical activity, aromatherapy, deep breathing, mindfulness, and chamomile tea may help you reduce anxiety symptoms. If you feel your anxiety is getting worse, consider professional help. Talk therapy, prescription medication, or both, may help with severe or persistent anxiety.

What not to do when dealing with anxiety? ›

Different Anxiety - Different Mistakes
  1. Trying to Stop the Thoughts. ...
  2. Validating Your Fears. ...
  3. Exposure to Anxiety-inducing Stimuli. ...
  4. Spending Time With Negative People. ...
  5. Hyperventilating. ...
  6. Inactivity. ...
  7. Avoiding Sleep. ...
  8. Poor Diet/Unhealthy Living.

How do I train my brain to stop anxiety? ›

Neuroplasticity Exercises to Try at Home
  1. Meditation. Meditation is a great way to relax, reduce stress and anxiety, and improve mental clarity. ...
  2. Learning a New Skill. ...
  3. Changing your Thought Patterns. ...
  4. Physical Exercise. ...
  5. Studying Something New. ...
  6. Doing a Challenging Brain Activity. ...
  7. Working on Recall and Memory.
Jan 19, 2023

Does the 5 4 3 2 1 method work for anxiety? ›

Anxiety 5, 4, 3, 2,1 is a mindfulness exercise used to cope with, lessen, and manage anxiety. This grounding technique can help increase awareness and decrease intrusive thoughts in moments of heightened anxiety, worry, or panic attacks. Anxiety is something we've all experienced in our lives.

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