When Symptoms Cross the Line into Anxiety Disorder

There are many symptoms of anxiety that are common to the human experience such as feeling afraid, worried, on edge, not sleeping well etc. While these are symptoms of an anxiety disorder, they do not necessarily mean you have one. This can be confusing and leave you wondering when you may need to worry about your worry. If you have frequent and intense symptoms of anxiety that impact your functioning, you may be experiencing an anxiety disorder.

If your worry is accompanied by intrusive negative thoughts, sleep disturbance, difficulty focusing or decreased functioning you may want to consult with a professional. Early intervention can prevent your symptoms from worsening or impacting your relationships, work and/or health.

Anxiety: What Is It?

Mental Health America defines anxiety disorders as “illnesses that cause people to feel frightened, distressed and uneasy for no apparent reason.” It is the same emotion that you feel when apprehensive or afraid, but it can become overwhelming and out of control, radically diminishing productivity and impacting the quality of your life. NHMI identifies several types of anxiety, including “generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder, and social anxiety disorder.”

  • Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) “is not specific to any one thing but can be about anything and everything.”
  • Panic disorder involves panic attacks: sudden overwhelming feelings of discomfort, dread, or alarm that may make you fear you are having a heart attack.
  • Social anxiety disorder or social phobia is the fear of social situations and being with or watched by people.
  • Other forms of anxiety include specific phobias, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and separation anxiety disorder.

When to Worry about Worry

While feeling anxious occasionally can be expected, the symptoms of an anxiety disorder can be intense and dramatically affect your day-to-day life. Symptoms of an anxiety disorder can be unsettling and even incapacitating. You don’t have to wait for your symptoms to get out of control to seek help, you are not alone.

Knowing the symptoms of anxiety disorder can be helpful, but it isn’t always easy to distinguish from expected reactions to stressful situations. Anxiety disorders can be powerful, but you are not powerless.

Can Counseling Help?

If you are experiencing symptoms of an anxiety disorder, you may be left not knowing where to turn for help. You are not alone, therapy can help. Even if you have an amazing support system, professional intervention is often needed. Anxiety disorders are highly treatable and respond well to therapeutic intervention.

Carolina Counseling Services – Fayetteville, NC contracts with independent, licensed therapists who can help you address your anxiety symptoms and come out stronger on the other side. Don’t wait for your symptoms to become debilitating. Call today to schedule your first appointment, we can’t wait to hear from you!

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