One of the most common mental health disorders in the United States is anxiety disorder, with more than 3 million cases diagnosed per year. Within the umbrella term of “anxiety,” multiple illnesses exist. The most inclusive is generalized anxiety disorder. Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) is characterized as “persistent and excessive worry about activities and events,” usually including ordinary, routine activities. These feelings of worry have varying effects, ranging from vague uneasiness to a complete loss of control.
There are various symptoms associated with anxiety disorders. The most common signs include heightened nervous behavior, hyperventilation, sweating, trembling, and trouble concentrating. However, there are also many symptoms that are less prevalent. A few of these indicators are discussed more in-depth below.
Feeling Lightheaded: Feelings of lightheadedness can occur for a variety of reasons, including anxiety. As anxiety can present itself as shortness of breath, dizziness may follow. If a person is anxious, they are often taking short, shallow breaths, reducing the flow of oxygen in their body.
Digestive Problems: Feel a stomach ache? It might be surprising, but anxiety could be the cause. In a person with an anxiety disorder, the body often believes it is under attack. As a result, it uses feelings of nausea to try to combat the assault, leading to stomach aches/diarrhea.
Perfectionism: According to Bustle, with excessive worry, the drive to be perfect can also be present. Perfectionists may believe they are not good enough (and spend time worrying about it) or fear the negative consequences if they make a mistake.
Indecisive Nature: Sometimes, being indecisive is normal. However, extreme indecision, characterized by the feeling that every decision (no matter how small) can drastically alter the course of life, is another facet of anxiety. In these cases, a person may feel the pressure to make the “right” decision and worry over the consequences of not doing so.
Of course, this is only a brief look into some of the less common symptoms of anxiety. For more information, look into articles and web pages published by reputable sites, such as the NIMH and Mayo Clinic. Please direct any specific medical questions to your primary care provider.
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