What is Anxiety?

Anxiety occurs when in a situation where you feel nervous, stressed or afraid, your brain produces adrenaline. The human body was designed this way to help when in extreme, frightening or stressful situations, the adrenaline temporarily gives the body increased focus, strength and physical capacity. This is a normal and natural human reaction that everyone feels, and when it occurs as it is supposed to can be helpful. However in people that suffer from Anxiety Disorders the brain releases more adrenaline than is necessary, sometimes at times when it isn't necessary. The result of this is that the body cannot reabsorb the adrenaline and you feel anxiety or panic attack symptoms, which can be, at best highly uncomfortable, or at worst terrifying or debilitating.

Forms of Anxiety

Anxiety may often be categorised depending on the stimulus of the anxiety. For example, some people only feel anxiety in social situations - which would be categorised as Social Anxiety. Some people may feel anxiety often just going about their day to day life - this would be categorised as General Anxiety. Anxiety is also a major component in phobias and disorders such as OCD and PTSD

Symptoms of Anxiety Disorders may include:

* Constant or frequent feelings of nervousness, worry or fear
* Feeling apprehensive or as if something bad is about to happen
* Trouble concentrating
* Feeling irritable, jumpy, restless, twitchy or fidgety

Symptoms of Panic Attacks may include:

* Nausea
* Stomach pain or discomfort
* Shaking or trembling
* A numb, tingling or itching sensation in your head, body or limbs
* Blushing or skin blotches
* Feeling unsteady, dizzy or light headed
* Feelings of derealisation (feeling unreal or dreamy)
* Feelings of depersonalisation (feeling 'outside of yourself' or like you don't exist)
* Tenseness in limbs
* Chills or hot flushes
* Feeling of choking or as if something is stuck in your throat
* Shortness of breath or hyperventilating
* Rapid beating, pounding heart or heart palpitations
* Chest pain or discomfort

Why Me?

As with depression, any one can find themselves suffering from some for of Anxiety Disorder. Anxiety Disorders may be hereditary or they may be triggered by traumatic or stressful events.

If you would like to know more about what causes Anxiety, any of it's varying forms or symptoms, there is a vast amount of detailed information available through our links page.