Worrying can be a difficult experience, but it’s a natural part of life. However, when it starts to frequently show up uninvited or seemingly without cause, it’s worth considering if something more might be going on.
Anxiety disorders are one of the most common mental health conditions in the U.S. They can disrupt your sleep, make ordinary situations feel much harder than they should, and even cause frightening physical symptoms. Yet many people go years before recognizing what they’re experiencing or reaching out for help.[1]
If you suspect that you might have anxiety, a mental health professional is best placed to consider your symptoms and any potential causes. From there, they can support you in the ways you need.
This page can also help you better understand the signs of anxiety, as it explores:
Everyone worries sometimes. It’s perfectly normal to be concerned before a hard conversation, an important medical appointment, or a big life change. It can even help to sharpen your focus and alert you that something is important and matters deeply to you.
The difference between worry and a potential anxiety disorder is a matter of persistence. Anxiety-based worries don’t go away when the stressors pass. They find new things to attach to, or sometimes attach to nothing specific at all. They can show up in the morning before the day has gotten underway, giving you any possible reason for concern.
Clinical anxiety is also typically disproportionate, as your response doesn’t often match the situation at hand. The gap between what you’re feeling and what seems reasonable can be a telltale sign of an anxiety disorder, and it’s also what can make the experience so tiring.
Additionally, experiencing everyday worries might be unpleasant at times, but they usually don’t get in the way of your ability to function. Anxiety, on the other hand, often does and can affect your sleep, concentration, relationships, and ability to move throughout a normal day without major effort and exhaustion.
If your anxiety feels constant and difficult to control, it might be a sign that it’s something deserving of more attention.
AMFM is here to help you or your loved one take the next steps towards an improved mental well-being.
Anxiety doesn’t look the same for everyone. For some, it might be relentless overthinking, or a slew of physical sensations: tightness in the chest, an upset stomach, or a racing heart.
So, yes, the symptoms of anxiety can differ depending on the person and the condition, but there are several common presentations to be aware of, including:[2]
Anxiety can’t be diagnosed by a simple quiz or a checklist. A formal, official diagnosis must come from a licensed clinician who evaluates your symptoms, their duration, and how much they’re impacting your day-to-day life.
Most clinicians use the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5) for diagnosis, which defines unique criteria for each anxiety disorder. Below, we provide an overview of these criteria for the most common anxiety disorders.
Generalized anxiety disorder is defined by excessive and ongoing worrying around a broad range of topics, including work, health, relationships, and everyday responsibilities.
To meet the DSM-5 threshold, these worries need to occur most days for at least half a year and come with three additional symptoms from the criteria. These symptoms are restlessness, difficulty concentrating, irritability, muscle tension, and sleep disturbances.[3]
Panic disorder is diagnosed when someone experiences recurrent and unexpected panic attacks – sudden surges of intense fear that peak within minutes – and develops a pervasive worry about experiencing them again.
These concerns can often lead to other behavioral changes. For example, avoiding certain places where you feel a panic attack could happen or where getting help might be difficult should one occur.
A panic attack itself involves at least four of the following symptoms:
Per the DSM-5, social anxiety disorder is a fear or anxiety that revolves around social situations where you might be evaluated or judged by others. For instance, in conversations, meetings, or even when just existing in public. The fear centres around the worry that you might act in a way that would be embarrassing or lead to being rejected.[5]
This anxiety is usually out of proportion to any actual situations, causing social situations to be largely avoided or experienced with major distress. The pattern on the whole must last for at least six months or more. However, it can go unrecognized for years when people mistake it for being introverted or simply preferring to be alone.
A specific phobia is an intense fear of a particular object or situation that’s out of proportion to any real dangers, such as heights, flying, needles, or animals. Being exposed to the thing you fear almost always triggers an immediate anxiety response (including panic attacks), which can lead you to go to great lengths to avoid them.[6]
A Mission For Michael (AMFM) provides treatment for adults experiencing various conditions. Anxiety support is a phone call away – call 866-478-4383 to learn about our current treatment options.
See our residences in Southern California’s Orange County & San Diego County.
Take a look at our homes on the east side of the Metro area in Washington County.
View our facilities in Fairfax County, VA within the DC metro area.
Getting diagnosed with an anxiety disorder doesn’t mean you’re being labeled. A clinician will work with you to get a clearer picture of what’s happening so you can access the best kind of help for you.
An anxiety-self-assessment or online anxiety test for adults can sometimes be a useful place to start, but it can’t replace a thorough clinical evaluation. But sometimes people don’t quite know how to get started with seeking support – which is why we’ll look at this next.
Recognizing that something doesn’t feel “right” can be the first step toward making things better, even though it can feel like the hardest one to take. You deserve to get the help you need – reach out to someone and be sure to be honest about what you’re experiencing. This includes divulging how long this has been going on, how it affects your day, and what you’ve already tried.
The more clearly you are able to describe your current symptoms, the easier it will be for a clinician to get an accurate picture of what’s going on and the best ways to help.
The following are a few tips for getting the ball rolling on seeking help:
Anxiety tends to increase over time, with situations that feel somewhat manageable today often becoming much harder to face as the months go on. Mental health help for anxiety is widely available, and earlier intervention tends to lead to better outcomes – but health and healing are always possible. Reaching out when things feel hard is always preferable to trying to navigate a crisis.
Not all issues with anxiety require the same response or treatment. For some people, finding and participating in weekly therapy sessions might be enough to make a major difference and turn the tide. Therapy for anxiety has a strong evidence base, and many people see real improvements in just a few months.
However, if your anxiety is more severe or persistent, a higher level of care might be recommended or worth exploring for the recovery process. Intensive outpatient programs (IOP) and partial hospitalization programs (PHP) give you structured support without needing to stay overnight. In contrast, residential anxiety treatment is available for those whose symptoms have made it difficult to manage daily living and would benefit from ongoing engagement.
Effective anxiety treatment options look to address the current symptoms and the underlying patterns driving them. This typically means participating in a combination of evidence-based therapy and psychiatric or medication-based support when needed. Being given the space to understand what’s been driving your anxiety over time can allow you to gain new insights and coping strategies for making positive changes.
Everyone’s pace and progress in treatment look different. Your goals are always unique, but one thing is always clear – you deserve to live a life that’s filled with potential and promise. Professional help can help you overcome anxiety and increase your resilience to live the life you were always meant to live.
A Mission For Michael offers residential mental health treatment for adults across several states, along with a full spectrum of care and evidence-based treatments to help you heal from anxiety and other mental health concerns.
If you’ve been contending with anxiety in your daily life, that’s more than reason enough to reach out. AMFM’s admissions team can help you verify your insurance for free to help you figure out the best next step.
Call us today or contact us via our secure online contact form to speak with someone to get started.
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General Inquiry
If you suspect you have anxiety, you may be naturally primed to be concerned about your symptoms. To help make the signs as clear as possible, we’ve provided the following answers to questions we’re commonly asked on the topic.
Definitely, and these can also sometimes catch people off guard. Experiencing headaches, stomach issues, chronic muscle tension, and fatigue could all be traced back to anxiety-related issues, even when worrying about things isn’t necessarily apparent as the primary cause.
Your nervous system can sometimes send mixed and confusing signals, and experiencing physical symptoms could be a major sign of dealing with anxiety before any other symptoms become apparent.
Anxiety and stress share some commonalities, but they’re not really the same. Anxiety’s self-sustaining ability is part of what makes it different from everyday, ordinary stress responses.
Stress usually has an identifiable source or cause, easing when the contributing circumstances resolve. Anxiety, however, usually goes on regardless of any circumstances, lingering after your stress is removed or continuing without any clear cause.
Low-level anxiety can sometimes get better on its own without any additional help, especially when it’s not tied to any particular disorder or circumstance. On the other hand, anxiety disorders typically get worse without professional care. This is why anxiety treatment focuses on reducing your symptoms and addressing the patterns that keep your anxiety high and negatively impact your day-to-day life.
At AMFM, we strive to provide the most up-to-date and accurate medical information based on current best practices, evolving information, and our team’s approach to care. Our aim is that our readers can make informed decisions about their healthcare.
Our reviewers are credentialed medical providers specializing and practicing behavioral healthcare. We follow strict guidelines when fact-checking information and only use credible sources when citing statistics and medical information. Look for the medically reviewed badge on our articles for the most up-to-date and accurate information.
If you feel that any of our content is inaccurate or out of date, please let us know at info@amfmhealthcare.com
