Your online information resource for help overcoming anxiety and panic attacks



Anxiety Symptoms

Everyone knows what it's like to experience anxiety. Your fist day at a new school, interviewing for a new job, or going on a first date are all good examples. However, sometimes anxiety can get out of control and affect our lives in a negative way over the long term. In this stressful world we live in, knowing the difference between normal everyday anxiety and anxiety disorder symptoms can sometimes be difficult. When anxiety becomes a constant problem for longer than 6 months and is preventing a person from living life normally, Generalized Anxiety Disorder may be the cause.

Generalized Anxiety Disorder, or GAD, occurs in about four percent of the population. Sometimes an anxiety disorder like GAD can go untreated for long periods of time. Depending on the severity of the problem, many people suffer for months or even years without getting help. This is because GAD typically does not include strong physical symptoms such as panic attacks. Generalized Anxiety Disorder sufferers are less likely to seek help than those with Panic Disorder because the symptoms are more mild. Some common symptoms of generalized anxiety disorder or GAD include:

  • worrying uncontrollably
  • anxiety or worry disrupts your school or work life
  • sleepless nights full of anxious thoughts
  • constant negative thoughts
  • expecting the worst most of the time
  • a perpetual sense of hopelessness

Generalized anxiety disorder is generally considered by doctors when symptoms persist for at least six months. When seeing your doctor, all other possible physical conditions which may be causing the symptoms must be ruled out before a diagnosis of GAD can be made.

One of the biggest concerns for people with untreated GAD is that it can eventually lead to more serious problems such as depression. Fortunately for anxiety sufferers, quite a lot is known about anxiety treatment and there are also many proven anxiety self-help programs that can be used at home with good results.

natural cure for panic attacks