Common Anxiety Symptoms
While most people recognize racing thoughts and constant worry as anxiety, other symptoms are frequently overlooked:
Physical Symptoms:
- Persistent muscle tension, especially in the neck, shoulders, and jaw
- Unexplained digestive issues or frequent stomachaches
- Chronic fatigue despite adequate sleep
- Headaches or migraines
- Difficulty sleeping or staying asleep
- Rapid heartbeat or chest tightness
- Shortness of breath or feeling like you can't catch your breath
Behavioral and Emotional Signs:
- Avoiding social situations, phone calls, or emails
- Procrastination or difficulty making decisions
- Irritability or feeling "on edge"
- Difficulty concentrating or your mind going blank
- Perfectionism that prevents you from completing tasks
- Constantly seeking reassurance from others
- Canceling plans at the last minute due to feeling overwhelmed
Cognitive Patterns:
- Catastrophic thinking (always imagining worst-case scenarios—your brain's own disaster movie on repeat)
- Overanalyzing conversations or situations days later
- Difficulty being present in the moment
- Intrusive thoughts that you can't control
- Fear of losing control or "going crazy"
If several of these symptoms resonate with you and have been present for weeks or months, a psychiatric evaluation from Mirabilis Health can help determine whether you're experiencing an anxiety disorder and what treatment options would be most effective.
Types of Anxiety We Treat
Anxiety disorders unfortunately come in many forms. Understanding which type you may be experiencing helps guide effective treatment:
Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD): Persistent worry about multiple areas of life—work, health, family, finances—that feels difficult to control. This worry is often accompanied by physical symptoms like restlessness and muscle tension.
Panic Disorder: Recurrent, unexpected panic attacks involving intense fear and physical symptoms like heart palpitations, sweating, trembling, and feelings of impending doom. Many people develop fear of future attacks, which can lead to avoiding certain places or situations.
Social Anxiety Disorder: Intense fear of social situations where you might be judged, embarrassed, or scrutinized by others. This goes beyond typical shyness and can significantly impact work, relationships, and quality of life.
Health Anxiety: Excessive worry about having or developing a serious illness, often accompanied by frequent checking of symptoms, seeking medical reassurance, or avoiding medical appointments due to fear of bad news.
Performance Anxiety: Overwhelming nervousness or fear related to specific situations like public speaking, taking tests, or performing in front of others.
A comprehensive psychiatric evaluation helps identify your specific anxiety pattern and create a targeted treatment plan.
How do you know you need help for anxiety?
It's normal to feel anxious occasionally—before a job interview, during major life changes, or when facing genuine threats. Anxiety is the engine that powers us to complete tasks, work, and take care of ourselves and our families. However, you should consider a professional psychiatric evaluation when:
- Symptoms interferes with daily functioning: You're missing work, avoiding social situations, or struggling to complete routine tasks
- Physical symptoms are impacting your health: Chronic tension, sleep problems, or digestive issues related to anxiety
- Self-help strategies aren't enough: Exercise, meditation, and stress management techniques provide limited or temporary relief
- You're using substances to cope: Relying on alcohol, marijuana, or other substances to manage anxiety symptoms
- Relationships are suffering: Anxiety is creating conflict with family, friends, or romantic partners
- You experience panic attacks: Sudden episodes of intense fear with physical symptoms
- Anxiety has lasted months: Symptoms persist for six months or longer without significant improvement
- You're developing avoidance patterns: Increasingly limiting activities or situations to prevent anxiety
You don't need to wait until anxiety becomes severe. Early intervention often leads to faster improvement and prevents anxiety from worsening or developing into additional mental health concerns.