The Anxiety Response
When you feel anxious, your body is releasing chemicals that prepare you to react to a threat. This is called the fight-or-flight response. When anxiety gets out of control, this response occurs at inappropriate times. Why this happens is not fully understood. The buildup of everyday stresses–meeting deadlines or facing family problems–may trigger anxiety. Your body may become so sensitive that it reacts even to small problems as if they were major crises. Some people can identify the causes of their anxiety. Others feel anxious most of the time without knowing the cause (free-floating anxiety). A sudden surge of anxiety symptoms is called an anxiety attack.
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How Anxiety May Feel
Common symptoms of anxiety are:
- Fear
- Muscle tension or pain
- Restlessness
- Sleeplessness
- Difficulty concentrating
- Racing heartbeat
- Fast breathing
- Shaking, trembling
- Stomachache
- Diarrhea
- Loss of energy
- Sweating
- Cold, clammy hands
- Chest pain
- Dry mouth
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