Symptoms of Anxiety

There are 4 specific areas of impact on the senses from a full blown anxiety attack, and it would be prudent to examine those each separately, realizing that the level of severity within these symptoms will vary from person to person, and even in the same sufferer, from attack to attack. For the person who does not suffer the extreme pain of anxiety attacks, however, has a prevailing sense of fear or underlying perception of impending doom, all these symptoms will still be applicable, although in smaller doses.

Physiologically, there are numerous factors that can be involved in experiencing anxiety. Please note, we are discussing extreme anxiety, not daily, normal anxiety that warns us of actual danger and evokes caution where it is warranted. Anxiety is a necessary survival tool, and when it is of an appropriate level in our lives, serves as an early warning system for what could be a harmful situation.

The anxiety sufferer''s body is under attack. There is an unnecessary release of adrenaline, bringing on the ''fight or flight'' reaction, this is when the body senses impending doom and prepares to either fight ''to the death'' if need be, or flee for safety. Great reaction to real danger, not so good if there is little or no reason for the fear. An increased heart rate and hyperventilating can bring about truly unpleasant symptoms such as dizziness, and tingling or numbing that can spread from the fingers all through the hands, and can affect the face and feet, also.

There is a feeling of becoming paralyzed, literally ''paralyzed with fear''. A racing heartbeat, dizziness, lightheadedness, vertigo, and even chest pain mimicking a heart attack can all be present during severe anxiety. There may also be trembling, or uncontrollable shaking, and itching that leads to scratching yourself to the bleeding point. Eventually, left untreated, these symptoms will bring about exhaustion, however it will not be a peaceful sleep, and the affected person may well awaken with the same symptoms beginning again.

Intellectually, or mentally, the overly anxious person is ''just not thinking clearly''. Facts will not dissuade the sufferer that there is no need for concern. Logic has no current value, and even simple tasks may become too difficult to complete. The person begins ''over thinking'' each move, even brushing their teeth must be thought through step by step and determined to be a safe endeavor. Talking to oneself, either out loud or internally becomes mentally deafening, and the person may feel they are ''going crazy''.

Emotionally, of course, is where the real pain lies. The complete sense of an impending epic tragedy is not to be overlooked. The terrorized person feels powerless to avoid the danger heading their way and feels totally at a loss to explain the fear to others.

The anxious person''s perceptions are so distorted, they may feel as though they are standing outside of the normal pace of time, and that things are racing by them at an uncontrollable speed. Conversely, some sufferers may feel as though everything is moving so slowly, they will never be able to get ''out of the way'' of the coming danger. This dream-like sensation can be more disruptive to the anxious person''s daily life than many of the other symptoms, since it has such a debilitating and distorted effect on rational thought.

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