Crippling Anxiety Symptoms and Treatment

Anxiety is the fear of possible future outcomes. Everyone has felt anxious at some point in their lives. It may have appeared while meeting your partner’s parents for the first time or approaching your boss to ask for a raise.

For many people diagnosed with an anxiety disorder, there isn’t always a reason for feeling this way. Some people have minor enough symptoms to continue daily tasks, despite their anxiety. Some have high-functioning anxiety, where they mask symptoms by turning their jitteriness into energy to accomplish tasks. 

For many, though, anxiety gets in the way of everyday life. It can feel debilitating. 

Symptoms of Anxiety

Many symptoms are the same whether you face crippling or mild anxiety. Though they may vary in severity, anxiety symptoms affect people physically and psychologically.

Physical Symptoms

Physical symptoms of anxiety disorders spawn from a relatively rudimentary system of the body. The amygdala is a small part of the brain that controls the “fight or flight” stress response. Essentially, this stress response is what anxiety is—fear of a danger to come. 

Unfortunately, the amygdala acts without our input. The responses it creates are what cause anxiety. Some of the physical symptoms include:

• Sweating
• Rapid heartbeat and breathing
• Nausea 
• Appetite changes
• Trouble sleeping

Not all of these may show up simultaneously. Some symptoms, such as noticeable appetite changes, might only occur after prolonged anxiety.

Psychological Symptoms

When our brain expects danger, it also affects our emotions and behavior. Again, we’re not in control of the initial response, and it might take therapy or counseling to gain that control.

Emotional and behavioral symptoms include:

• Lack of concentration and memory
• Intense fear
• Mood swings
•  Irritability
• Social withdrawal or isolation

Those with anxiety might not even associate some of these symptoms with the “fight or flight” response. They are, however, directly related. 

What Does Crippling Anxiety Feel Like?

When these symptoms start to get in the way of life, it feels debilitating. Many with crippling anxiety can’t bring themselves to be around the things that might trigger their anxiety, like social settings.

Panic Disorder and Panic Attacks

One severe form of anxiety disorder is panic disorder. Psychologists classify this disorder by frequent and sudden panic attacks. Sometimes these attacks are triggered, but most of the time, they happen seemingly out of nowhere.

Anyone with anxiety (even someone without it who is in a very stressful situation) can have a panic attack. The attack is known for an explosion of tension, where all the symptoms, primarily the physical ones, are amplified. A panic attack can look like this:

• Chest pain
• Overwhelming dread
• Rapid heartbeat
• Trembling
• Trouble breathing

Though they usually only last minutes, panic attacks are often associated with crippling anxiety because you can’t do anything while they’re happening. They can be scary and feel like they stop you dead in your tracks. They can happen multiple times daily, keeping you from performing everyday activities.

Phobias

Phobias are a classification of anxiety disorders defined by specific fears. It could be heights, public speaking, or even clowns. 

One phobia most commonly associated with anxiety is social anxiety or social phobia. It’s the intense fear of judgment from others. Yes, meeting new people can be a big deal for many, but social phobia affects personal and professional relationships. Social phobia often causes people to avoid social situations to save them from intense anxiety or panic attacks.

Many perceive agoraphobia as a fear of open spaces, but in actuality, it is a fear of no escape. Someone afraid of being somewhere, especially by themselves, where they can’t retreat to safety might display agoraphobia. Someone with debilitating anxiety in the form of agoraphobia might be too afraid to leave their home.

Anxiety Attacks

While panic attacks are sudden bursts of intense anxiety, anxiety attacks are slow-burning. Anxiety can build until it becomes crippling, and you don’t have the energy or peace of mind to do things as you once did. Many refer to it as a nervous breakdown, which can happen over days, weeks, or months. These anxiety attacks can lead to long periods of social isolation brought on by either fear or shame. 

When these anxious feelings feel like too much, it’s not uncommon to try to cope with them before seeking treatment. Stress-reducing activities like exercise and meditation help, but it’s not unusual to see someone use substances to ease the feelings. 

Most of us know about many devastating effects of substance abuse and dependence. Still, many people are unaware that even moderate use can increase feelings of anxiety and depression. 

What Causes Anxiety?

Whether it is crippling or not, anxiety happens when certain brain chemicals aren’t in the correct proportions. While doctors don’t know exactly why this happens, we understand some direct correlations that might contribute to anxiety disorders.

Genetics

Many mental health disorders run in the family. If you are diagnosed with an anxiety disorder, the odds are that a close relative also has been diagnosed. 

Environment

Stressful environments also contribute to anxiety disorders. These environments could be stressful work situations, being a caretaker for a loved one, or a traumatic event.

What You Can Do

Remember, feeling anxious ins't a flaw. It's just like getting sick—If you've tried everything you can to get better on your own, you still might need to see your doctor to feel better. No matter how severe, anxiety can be managed and treated. It may take trial and error and a combination of several types of treatment, but you don’t have to live with crippling anxiety.

Some talk therapies, such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), are usually very effective against anxiety, as they train your brain to re-process the fear. Combined with lifestyle changes and possibly medications, it can lessen the effects of crippling anxiety. There are even strategies to lessen the severity of panic attacks, even as they're happening.

Sequoia Behavioral Health Can Help

Do you feel like anxiety keeps you from living the life you want? Set up a consultation with us at Sequoia Behavioral Health. Our inpatient program helps reset the mind in a safe and peaceful environment. We personalize your treatment through individual, group, and other science-backed therapies to ensure you get the most out of your stay.

‍Reach out today for a consultation. Live the life you deserve.