Virtually every human can relate to symptoms of anxiety, nervousness or stress because everyone has experienced these symptoms at one time or another. Anxiety is actually a normal human experience. In fact, it is considered a beneficial response in certain dangerous situations that trigger the fight-or-flight stress response.
While it’s pretty clear that anxiety is normal and even beneficial, for many people it becomes a problem. The main difference between normal anxiety and problem anxiety is in the source and the intensity of the experience and its hindrance in usual life functions.
Normal anxiety is intermittent and is expected based on certain events or situations. Problem anxiety, on the other hand, tends to be chronic, irrational and interferes with many life functions. Avoidance behavior, incessant worry and concentration and memory problems may all stem from problem anxiety. These symptoms may be so intense that they cause family, work and social difficulties.
The components of problem anxiety include the physical responses to the anxiety (such as palpitations and stomach upset), distorted thoughts that become a source of excessive worry and behavioral changes affecting the usual way one lives life and interacts with others. Left unchecked, problem anxiety may lead to an anxiety disorder.
If your anxiety seems out of control or you suspect you have an anxiety disorder, it is important to seek help. Anxiety is easily controllable, and its complications are easily avoidable with treatment
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