I think I have anxiety? What are the symptoms?

Question

I have a doctors apt. tomorrow morning, I just don't want him to think I am crazy. I just want to know what to expect. I feel like I am nervous all the time. I can feel my nerves tingling, I worry alot about nothing. Sometimes I feel like I just have to get out of wherever I am and go home. I don't feel like this all the time, but when I do, I start to worry about how I am feeling and it just builds up. I want to cry when it happens just to get the emotions out. My heart races and my blood pressure rises. I am not depressed because I am still a very happy person I just get these feelings once in a while. In the past few months they are more and more common. What do you think?

Answer 1

Hi there. Firstly your not crazy so dont worry, it does sound like anxiety. Anxiety consists of intense worrying, and physical sensations such as heart racing, feeling on edge, sweaty palms, tremor, feeling nervous(tight muscles). Anxiety can be caused by many things, maybe your stressed about something in your life at the moment. Work? family? friends?. Anxiety is a perfectly normal response but can be very uncomfortalbe when expereinced in everyday situations. It can be triggered by negative thoughts which can effect our behaviour. These thoughts can set of anxiety and all the bodily sensations. Please dont worry, your not crazy, and it good your seeing your Dr.

My advice to you would be to look at whats going on in your life what could be triggering your anxiety. There are plenty of ways to help you with anxiety your Dr can help you with this. It can even be as simple as relaxing more and reading a good self help book. Anxiety is sooooooooo common and it does go.

Answer 2

It sounds like anxiety to me. I have been diagnosed with depression for years, but recently I began having feelings like you describe, and two weeks ago experienced a full-blown panic attack (which REALLY freaked me out). I did some research, and spoke with both my psychologist and my physician. I learned that what I was feeling was anxiety (the symptoms are exactly as you describe), and that anxiety disorders are very common. I also learned that feelings of anxiety can become more pervasive if left untreated. Fortunately, anxiety is easily treatable. You may just need to learn relaxation/meditation techniques. If it cannot be managed in this way, or if your anxiety interferes with your normal behavior or lifestyle, there are lots of good medications out there with little or no side effects. You and your Dr. can decide what's best for you. And don't worry (haha, no pun intended), he won't think you're crazy.

Answer 3

sounds like you need to find the root cause of your anxiety and I'm glad that you have an appt. with your doctor.

Answer 4

This could be down to alot of different things and also different things combined, for example a high intake of caffine or sugar, smoking can cause hightened anxiety. The pressures of exams or work atmosphere the fear of failing etc... Hopefully you doc will asses your diet and lifestyle first before he opts for the mental health route and just willfully writes you out an anti anxiety perscription as long term use of these medicines seems to do more harm than good. Also don't feel alone in this as almost every living person feels anxiety and stress at some points in their lives and if you believe in the Darwin theory of evolution we are still carrying the genetic makeup of the flight or fight reaction that enabled us to survive and evolve. Just remember a little bit of stress and a higher heartrate every now and again is a good thing, our bodies and minds are designed to be very good at coping with this and this is just as natural as the lovely relaxed feeling you get when you are at rest. Just as an after thought try looking up the symptoms of PMT, sometimes this can have very severe side affects, some not unlike you are describing here, all the best hope you get some peace of mind from this.

Answer 5

Anxiety is NOT a disease or illness you get, it's a condition you produce.

http://www.anxietycentre.com/anxiety/anxiety.shtml

please go on this link...here you can find aut anything about anxiety,even true stories...it is to long to write it here down.
Good Luck.Kiss

Answer 6

oh.....I went through the same thing. Panic and anxiety is what that is. But guess what, there is a cure. Your doctore will probaly prescribe medication and that does help. But I found for myself I had to deal with what was bothering me and it goes back to issues I had with my mom. So, I went to go talk to a phd and he helped very much.

try these websites they helped me.

www.joy2meu.com
www.innerbonding.com

Answer 7

Most every one experiences anxiety, at some point in the life. But the real question is, how the anxiety affects you, and the quality of your life?

People vary in how they cope with anxiety. How often they experience it. And the degree to which it affects ones self, family, occupation, social activities, and relationships.

I am not a doc but it sounds like "General anxiety"
A product of our ever-growing stress and responsibilities, from society, family, peers, etc and worst of all ourselves.

This is not to be confused with “Generalized anxiety disorder”
Anxious mood lasting at least one month and can include physical symptoms like, excessive sweating, muscle tension, nausea, shaking, palpitations, ETC…

Psychological factors can include. Low self-esteem, restlessness or feeling on edge, irritability, fatigue, difficulty concentrating, abnormal sleeps patterns. Excessive worry or fear in personal relationships, feeling self-conscious, Avoiding social situations, activities or events, spending long periods isolated. ETC…

If you feel your anxiety is getting worse i.e. (escalating to panic, phobia or depression or worse) I recommend you go and talk to a parent, or some you trust. If you can't then seek the help of a licensed psychologist or psychiatrist.

http://www.psychology.com/
http://www.nmha.org/
http://www.nationalregister.org/search_tips.html

Again, I am not a doc but a person who has been on meds, and must remain on meds for the rest of my life. So please before turning to pills try something like psychotherapy, or behavioral therapy.

SO PLEASE THINK! MEDICATION CAN SOMETIMES BE THE CURE, BUT IT CAN ALSO BE THE DISEASE
Good luck!

Answer 8

I sincerely hope that you are going to see a clinical psychiatrist and not a general doctor as they are not qualified to determine what type of of panic disorder that you have and perform the necessary therapy to see if you can over-come your panic disorder.

(Panic Disorders are listed in the "Diagnostic And Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders). Known as DSM-IV-R.

Does not mean that you are "crazy", or have mental illness.

No general doctor will have this book, as it is the bible for a clinical psychiatrist. (psychiatrist can not function without this book).

You have Anxiety Disorders (or Anxiety and Phobic Neuroses).

1) Panic Disorder
2) Panic Disorder with Agoraphobia, fear of open places.
3)Simple Phobia, panic and anxiety attacks in social circumstances.
4) There are many more Phobias that I have not even listed.

Will try and help you prepare yourself.

If you have at least four of the following symptoms developed during at least one of the attacks, you meet the criteria for a "Panic Disorder"

1) Shortness of breath (syspenea) or smothering sensations
2) Dizziness, unsteady feelings, or faintness
3) Palpitations or accelerated heart rate (tachycardia)
4) Trembling or shaking
5) Sweating
6) Choking
7) Nausea or abdominal distress
8) Depersonalization or derealization
9) Numbness or tingling sensations (paresthesias0
10) Flushes (hot flashes) or chills
11) Chest painor discomfort
12) Fear of dying
13) Fear of going crazy or of doing something uncontrolled

If cannot be establishd that an organic factor initiated and maintained the disturbance, e.g. Amphetamine or Caffeine, Intoxication, Hyperthyroidism.

My professional opinion if you are going to see a "General Doctor", he/she is not qualified to DX., you or perform the necessary treatments that are required.

If you are seeing a Clinical Psychiatrist, please make sure that he/she has your very best interest at heart, in mind, body and soul. You don't want a Psychiatrist who, only hears the word from your mounth, "anxiety", and pulls out their Rx. pad and writes you a prescription for anti-anxiety medication.

These medications are addicitve and habit forming. You will be paying the money every month for them to write you an Rx., and the root cause of your problem will only be masked by the drug. You will still have the root cause of your problem.

You want a Clinical Psychiatrist, who will (R/O), rule out medical problems and determine what type of "Panic Disorder", that you have.

Then you and the psychiatrist will sit down on a one-on-one and she/he will try behavioral modification, reality therapy, bio-feedback, hypnosis, yoga therapy.

If none of these techniques work, then you will have to be placed on something like "Alprazolam", (Xanax) as this is the best drug for panic disorders in my professional opinion.

This drugs and all other drugs of this type are addictive. You just can not stop taking the drug as it will cause you to have seizure.

If you want to cut back, you will have to consult with your doctor.

Should you have to be on this type of drug for life, there is nothing wrong with it as it will give you a quality life. And having a quality life is what is most important.

Wish you all the best and God be with you.

Clinical Psychiatrist, France

Please excuse my english grammer