Anxiety is your body's response to anticipated danger. It is typically associated with worry or fear. Anxiety can come with cognitive symptoms such as difficulty concentrating and physical symptoms like nausea, shaking, and muscle tenseness. While anxiety can be a normal response to certain situations, it can also be part of an anxiety disorder.
There are different types of anxiety disorders. While some symptoms are similar, there are also some key differences.
This article will cover anxiety symptoms and anxiety disorder symptoms, how the conditions are diagnosed, and the complications of anxiety disorders.
Anxiety and Anxiety Disorder Symptoms
If you fear having a panic attack, avoid people because you have social anxiety, or feel constant worry and agitation, you may feel like your anxiety symptoms control your life.
Understanding the different types of anxiety and when anxiety can be a sign of a mental health disorder can help you get the support you need to manage your symptoms.
What Is Anxiety?
Anxiety is described in the "Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders" (DSM-5) as anticipation of a future threat.1 Everyone feels anxious at times, but not everyone has an anxiety disorder.
There are different types of anxiety disorders, including generalized anxiety, social anxiety, and others. These conditions are not the same as day-to-day worry. For example, it can be normal to get anxious about important events, like a job interview, a performance, a first date, a big exam, childbirth, or other important life moments. However, if worrying gets out of control, it can become an anxiety disorder.
Anxiety disorders are diagnosable mental health conditions. People with anxiety disorders have excessive fear, anxiety, and related behavioral and physical changes that may worsen over time.1 These conditions can have both physical and mental symptoms and negatively affect a person’s ability to function at school or work, as well as their hobbies and relationships.2
Anxiety Symptoms
The symptoms of anxiety can be physical, psychological, and social. The anxiety symptoms you have will depend on your circumstances, the type of anxiety you have, and your triggers.3
The symptoms of anxiety can be physical, psychological, and social. The anxiety symptoms you have will depend on your circumstances, the type of anxiety you have, and your triggers.
The mental symptoms of anxiety can include:45
Worry
Fear
Tension
Irritability
Trouble concentrating
Restlessness
Nervousness
Low mood and depression
Reassurance-seeking
Dissociation (depersonalization and/or derealization)
Physical symptoms of anxiety can include:45
Sweating and flushing
Dizziness and lightheadedness
Fast heartbeat and breathing
Chest tightness or pain
Tingling or “pins and needles” feelings
Trembling
Nausea
Trouble sleeping
General pain or frequent headaches or stomachaches without a clear cause
Anxiety symptoms can affect your life by making it harder for you to:
Go to work or school
Take care of yourself
Do chores, errands, and other tasks
Maintain relationships with loved ones
Occasional anxiety symptoms are not as intense or long-lasting as symptoms of an anxiety disorder. For example, you may have anxiety because you’re worried about a big meeting at work, but your symptoms go away once the day is over.6 However, someone with an anxiety disorder may have multiple fears and worries that cause them distress in their daily lives and don’t get better with time.2
Types of Anxiety Disorders
Various types of anxiety disorders include the following:
Generalized anxiety disorder
Social anxiety disorder
Other anxiety disorders (separation anxiety, specific phobias, agoraphobia, and selective mutism)
Obsessive-compulsive disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) (a type of trauma and stressor-related disorder) were formerly classified as anxiety disorders but now have different classifications. Each involves symptoms that inclu
Anxiety Disorder Symptoms
Each type of anxiety disorder has its own set of symptoms and diagnostic criteria that are based on the guidelines of the DSM-5.
This is not an exhaustive list, but these are some common symptoms of anxiety disorders:71
Excessive fear and worry
Dry mouth
Muscle tension
Nausea
Difficulty sleeping
Cautious, avoidant behavior
Panic attacks
Does Magnesium for Anxiety Really Work?
Other Anxiety Disorders
There are several other mental health disorders classified as anxiety disorders.
Generalized Anxiety Disorder
People with generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) experience excessive and persistent worry, fear, and anxiety that is hard to control and disproportionate to the situation.8 GAD can be diagnosed when these symptoms occur for the majority of days over at least six months.1
Symptoms of GAD include:
Restlessness
Irritability
Fatigue
Concentration difficulties
Muscle tension, soreness, and aches
Difficulty sleeping
Adults must experience a minimum of three of the above symptoms, in addition to anxiety or worry, to be diagnosed with GAD. Children only need one of the above symptoms, in addition to anxiety or worry, for a diagnosis.l
Social Anxiety Disorder
Social anxiety disorder, which was previously called social phobia, is characterized by excessive fear of social and performance situations.2 Social anxiety is more than just shyness. People with the disorder feel intense anxiety that may lead them to avoid activities like meeting new people, speaking in front of others, or eating in public. The avoidant behavior often makes it hard for them to maintain relationships.
Symptoms of social anxiety disorder include:
Disproportionate fear and anxiety in one or more social situations
Blushing
Sweating
Trembling
Rapid heart rate
The feeling of your “mind going blank”
Self-judgment and self-consciousness
Nausea
Avoiding social situations, or experiencing intense fear during them
Impairment in social, occupational, and other areas of functioning
People can experience general social anxiety disorder or performance-specific social anxiety disorder (such as when speaking or performing in front of an audience).
Social anxiety disorder can look different in children. For kids, anxiety must occur when they are in peer situations, not just when they are around adults. Tantrums, freezing, crying, clinging, and refusal to speak can all be signs of social anxiety in children.
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder
Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) involves recurring, unwanted thoughts that lead to specific and repeatable actions, which interfere with daily life.9 OCD is no longer classed as an anxiety disorder in DSM-5, but its symptoms cause anxiety. For that reason, professionals associate OCD with anxiety disorders.
Symptoms of obsessive-compulsive disorder include:1
Obsessions: Thoughts and worries are recognized as excessive but will not stop. Obsessions commonly include a fear of germs, a fear of losing something, aggressive or taboo thoughts, and a need for symmetry or order.
Compulsions: Repeatable behaviors are performed to relieve anxiety and typically relate to obsessions. Compulsions commonly include counting, excessive cleaning or hand washing, overly precise ordering and arranging, repeated checking, and more.
A person with OCD spends at least one hour a day on their obsessions and compulsions, which cause them significant distress or impairment in their daily lives.
OCD typically starts in childhood or young adulthood. Symptoms may start earlier in boys than girls.
Panic Disorder
Panic disorder is a mental health condition that involves recurrent and unexpected panic attacks.2 A panic attack is an episode of all-consuming fear and discomfort that’s accompanied by physical symptoms like shortness of breath, shaking, chest pain, and a feeling of doom. A person having a panic attack may even feel like they’re having a heart attack.
Other sympto
