Signs of Anxiety

Anxiety can show up in many different ways - shaped by your age, your cultural background, and your genetic history. 

Diagnosing anxiety can be complicated because some symptoms of anxiety overlap with symptoms of medical conditions (e.g., migraines, stomach illnesses, thyroid conditions, heart conditions). For this reason, it is important to obtain a medical opinion in addition to the opinion of a mental health specialist when experiencing somatic symptoms (body-based symptoms) of anxiety.

Here are a few common signs of anxiety:

• Worrying about the future

• Worrying about being around others or what others think of you

• Worrying about specific things, like heights or airplanes

• Troubling or worrisome thoughts that you cannot get out of your mind 

• Experiencing a fear of being closed in

• Experiencing a fear of being in open spaces

• Experiencing fear of separating from a parent

• Having difficulty controlling worries 

• Experiencing a racing heart rate

• Sweating

• Tingling

• Shortness of breath

• Physical discomfort (stomachaches, headaches, chest pain)

• Worrying about having a panic attack

As you can see, anxiety can take many different forms. For many people, anxiety is focused in not just one, but multiple areas. Fortunately, many treatments have been developed to treat anxiety, and some treatments address multiple forms of anxiety (more on these later in our series).

We treat anxiety in children, adolescents, and adults at our practice. For more information, call (330) 492-8383.