Do you often feel debilitated by a feeling of unease, worry, or nervousness? Debilitating anxiety involves an intense or extreme sense of fear or dread about everyday situations or tasks. This type of anxiety can often make it difficult to function for the person affected.

Anxiety varies from person to person. However, symptoms normally fall into the following categories: physical symptoms, thought patterns, and behavior.

• Physical symptoms can include muscle tension, racing or pounding heart, restlessness, muscle twitching or tremors, sweating, shortness of breath, nausea, and more.
• Emotional symptoms can include persistent worrying, feelings of dread or apprehension, believing the worst is going to happen, “all or nothing” thinking, and overgeneralizing.
• Behavioral symptoms can include being watchful for danger, avoiding situations or events that cause fear, feeling irritable or frustrated in situations that cause fear, social withdrawal, seeking reassurance, second-guessing, and compulsive actions.

According to the Anxiety & Depression Associate of America, anxiety disorders are the most common mental disorders in the United States, affecting 40 million adults age 18 and older every year.

Causes of anxiety can include genetics and environmental factors. If anxiety runs in a family member, the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) suggests that the likelihood will be higher for the individual from that family to develop the mental disorder. Environmental factors that can cause anxiety includes losing a loved one, experiencing abuse or violence, and living with a long-term illness.

When anxiety becomes severe, it can be important to make appropriate lifestyle changes and find the right treatment option. Keep physically active, avoid alcohol and drugs, quit smoking, limit caffeine, use stress management techniques, prioritize sleep, and eat healthy; are some lifestyle changes to consider in the journey towards controlling anxiety. It is important to seek medical care and advice for the condition especially when it becomes debilitating.

If you or a loved one suffer from anxiety, visit our studies page to see if you or they may qualify for a clinical research study.