Physical Symptoms of Anxiety and Stress

We’ve all suffered with anxiety and stress at some time or another. Any time we’re anxious about something it’s a form of anxiety. It’s perfectly normal to feel anxious or nervous about something exciting or new in our life. But moderate anxiety is one thing. Many people experience physical symptoms of anxiety and stress that are so problematic, however, they seek often seek medical help.

People end up with many trips to their doctor or hospital before they actually get an accurate diagnosis of stress or anxiety attacks. Knowing what some of the many physical symptoms that are possible with anxiety attacks is important so you can come to recognize them for what they are and take steps to stop them from escalating.

Some of the most common physical symptoms of anxiety and stress include:

1. Pounding heart
2. Excessive sweating
3. Dizziness
4. Chest pains or tightness in the chest
5. Shortness of breath
6. Stomach pains
7. Tremors
8. Headaches
9. Frequent urination or diarrhea
10. Muscle tension

Anxiety is the way our body helps us to respond to new or frightening experiences. In fact, it’s a good thing when we feel anxiety at times because it’s the way we have to keep ourselves focused and alert. However, when your anxious feelings are keeping you from enjoying your life and living it the way you want to, you may be suffering from a disorder called anxiety attacks or anxiety disorder.

While anxiety is a normal feeling we all go through, if it’s becoming overwhelming or never seems to go away, it could be a problem. People experience many different symptoms when they are under stress or going experiencing an anxiety attack. While many of these symptoms are emotional such as difficulty concentration, feelings of dread and doom, jumpiness, restlessness or irritability, we also experience physical symptoms, which are much more serious and may lead to more stress and anxiety if not taken care of promptly. There are actually six different types of anxiety disorders: obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), generalized anxiety disorder, social anxiety disorder, phobia, panic disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder.

People that suffer from anxiety attacks often mistake the many physical symptoms of anxiety and stress for some other problems. Hospitals and clinic get in many patients that believe they are having a heart attack or some other serious health condition when they’re actually experiencing an anxiety attack. This is because some of the physical symptoms of anxiety are also symptoms of many serious health disorders.

You can probably see from the list of physical symptoms above why so many individuals mistakenly believe they are having some sort of health problem other than anxiety. Before you get treatment for your particular physical symptoms of anxiety or stress, it’s important to make sure that a doctor has ruled out any other health problem. Once your doctor has ruled out other problems, you can begin on an appropriate treatment program for your anxiety. Treatments may involve therapy and counseling, cognitive behavior therapy, prescription drugs or even breathing exercises. Often learning correct breathing techniques and changes in your lifestyle (eating right and get proper rest) can make many of the physical symptoms of anxiety and stress decrease or stop completely.