How Do I Know if I Have Anxiety?
We often hear about anxiety. Many people know others, often family members, whom talk about feeling anxious and overwhelmed, but how do we know if you really have anxiety or if you are just dealing with normal worries.
In the United States, it is estimated that nearly 40 million Americans have anxiety. Especially now, in the era of the pandemic, it can feel like everyone is stressed and everyone is on edge. How do we know the difference between being stressed and having anxiety? What is the difference between being anxious and then having an anxiety disorder?
First, let us look at some common symptoms of anxiety. This might help you to see if you can relate to these behaviors and thoughts. Think about whether you have had these symptoms a lot or if you just feel these symptoms occasionally or if they arise around certain events or situations. They are just common symptoms, this does not mean that someone with anxiety has every since one of these symptoms. They are just what many people report feeling when they have anxiety.
Common Symptoms for Anxiety
Worrying a lot
Feeling uneasy, on edge or tense often
Being unable to sleep well. Waking up a lot in the middle of the night
Difficulty falling asleep
Shaking or trembling
Finding it challenging to concentrate
A sense of insecurity or worry about what people think
Overthinking everything
The feeling of having a million thoughts in your brain at once
Having the urge to avoid things that trigger anxiety
Experiencing gastrointestinal problems
You feel stuck, suffocated and crippled by anxiety at times
Racing heart
Feeling like you cannot breathe
Anxiety is very Common
Believe it or not, everyone experiences some form of anxiety. It becomes a problem when it starts to impact the person’s life in a way that is impactful or debilitating. Anxiety can also increase at certain times in your life and then dissipate as things change in your environment. Even though it is common, doesn’t make it any easier when you are overcome with worry, racing thoughts or difficulty falling asleep.
Do I Have An Anxiety Disorder?
These are common symptoms that people with anxiety have but that does not mean that you have an anxiety disorder if you have those symptoms. For a general anxiety disorder to be diagnosed there has to be a few criteria.
Different Types of Anxiety
One is that the worry has to be about many different topics, events or activities. Meaning it can’t just be around one specific worry, like a fear of snakes or going on a plane- that could possibly be a different diagnosis. For example, maybe you are super anxious about the deadline that you have at work and the speaking engagement you have to do next month, but you are also worried about the long list of things you have to do before the holidays, and you can’t stop thinking about your child’s possible exposure to infections or viruses at school. You might also be worried about your teen’s mental health as their grades have been dropping lately and they are spending more time online and have reported that their friends have been picking on them. Or, you have recently given birth to your new baby and are constantly worrying about their health, worried they might stop breathing at night, also worried about finances, can’t sleep at night and keep thinking about what happens when you have to go back to work.
You Have Had Anxiety for a Long Time
Another aspect is that the worry has to be for at least 6 months and has to be excessive. Meaning that the anxiety is constant and can be described as more than average worry. Excessive worry can also mean that compared to the possible threat and risk the worry and anxiety is disproportionate.
Your Anxiety is Difficult Control
Another aspect that needs to present in order for a diagnosis for anxiety disorder is the worry needs to be difficult to control. Meaning that the person can try to do a lot of things to try and stop it, but feels like they do not have control of their thoughts and the other symptoms. This can be a self-fulfilling prophecy for anxiety because the more you try to control your anxious thoughts, that sinking feeling you have in your stomach, the racing heart, the more that your body can continue to escalate its nervous response, leading you to be more anxious. A lot of the time the nervousness and anxiety can shift from topic to topic easily. So maybe your teen is worried about her grades one moment and then in the next sentence she is worried about you driving on the highway out of fear of you getting in a car accident.
Symptoms of Anxiety
Another criteria for diagnosis is that the anxiety and worry must also be have three of the following symptoms for adults or one of these for children:
Being on edge or feeling restless
Easily feeling tired
Struggling to concentrate or feeling as if your mind goes blank
Feeling irritable
Increased aches in your muscles or feeling sore
Challenges with sleeping (issues falling asleep or staying asleep, restlessness at night, or unsatisfying sleep)
Is Anxiety Impacting Your Day to Day Life
A key aspect of anxiety is that the symptoms are affecting you so much that they interfere with the day-to-day activities and responsibilities. This is the key difference between regular worries and anxiety. If you feel that your functioning and abilities have been seriously affected by your anxiety symptoms then maybe it might be helpful to reach out for support in order to return to your previous self. Anxiety treatment and anxiety therapy are two useful resources that have helped many people manage their anxiety.
Begin Anxiety Treatment in Miami & Online Anxiety Therapy in Florida:
If you think you have anxiety and are looking for a Miami therapist to help you with your anxiety we can help. To begin online therapy in Florida, or anxiety therapy in Miami follow these steps:
Contact our Miami therapists
Request an initial consultation appointment with an Miami therapist, April Brown, LMFT
Allow yourself to feel the impact of anxiety therapy and feel relief
Other Services our Miami Therapists at The Heard Counseling Offer:
The Heard Counseling offers therapy for anxiety, couples therapy Miami and teen counseling in Miami to name a few service offerings. The Miami therapists are located at our therapy center based in Miami, Florida. Right now, they are offering all their counseling services via online therapy in Florida. They offer anxiety therapy in Miami but they also offer postpartum anxiety and postpartum anxiety treatment, birth trauma treatment, therapy for dads, therapy for moms, infertility counseling and support, therapy for women and families who have experienced pregnancy and infant loss, and counseling for teens.