How Common is Anxiety And How To Diagnose It
We all feel anxiety at one time or the other, it is your body's way of telling you something might be wrong. Without anxiety, we would put ourselves in lots of dangers because we wouldn't have that "gut feeling" that anxiety naturally brings to us. Nearly one in five has had an anxiety disorder and has never gotten the help they needed for this; such as medication, counseling or Phychotherapy. Some 20% have had at least one anxiety disorder.
It is very hard to diagnose the anxiety disorder symptoms. These symptoms are among the first that your physician will use to diagnose your anxiety. If you have sudden mood swings and are very irritable, or if everything looks hopeless, if you do not have any interest in anything, total or partial loss of self-esteem, suicidal plans, no sleep or sleeping too much, or if you are suffering from a constant feel of panic then these point to the diagnosis of an anxiety disorder. You doctor will ask you questions pertaining to the symptoms mentioned above and how long you have been suffering from them. The doctor will also give you a physical exam and ask you questions about your medical and family history, and about the medications that you are taking. With these questions, it will help you doctor to determine or diagnose if you are suffering from an anxiety disorder. So be very honest with your doctors when answering these questions so they can diagnose it and help you conquer it.
It is very common for people to have anxiety that also have other problems such as depression, other anxiety illnesses, alcohol abuse or a personality disorder. About five percent of all people have anxiety at some time in their lives. Women are twice as apt to have anxiety symptoms as men. You can develop anxiety at any age, but it usually starts as a child or teen. Most of the anxiety disorders that most people feel consists of symptoms such as nervousness or anxious and they have felt this way as long as they can remember.
To be diagnosed with anxiety you would have to have more worry and stress than normal, and have bouts of it many times almost every day. These feelings must last for at least six months. You will suffer some physical symptoms along with the mental ones and they will make it hard for you to function in normal daily activities every day in your normal life or in your workplace.
