Anxiety Symptoms:

• Feeling nervous, restless or tense

• Having a sense of impending danger, panic or doom

• Having an increased heart rate

• Breathing rapidly (hyperventilation)

• Sweating

• Trembling

• Feeling weak or tired

• Trouble concentrating or thinking about anything other than the present worry

• Having trouble sleeping

• Experiencing gastrointestinal (GI) problems

• Having difficulty controlling worry

• Having the urge to avoid things that trigger anxiety

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According to Mind.org charity, the effects of anxiety on your mind can include:

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• feeling tense, nervous or unable to relax

• having a sense of dread, or fearing the worst

• feeling like the world is speeding up or slowing down

• feeling like other people can see you're anxious and are looking at you

• feeling like you can't stop worrying, or that bad things will happen if you stop worrying

• worrying about anxiety itself, for example worrying about when panic attacks might happen

• wanting lots of reassurance from other people or worrying that people are angry or upset with you

• worrying that you're losing touch with reality

• low mood and depression

• rumination – thinking a lot about bad experiences, or thinking over a situation again and again

• depersonalisation – a type of dissociation where you feel disconnected from your mind or body, or like you are a character that you are watching in a film

• derealisation – another type of dissociation where you feel disconnected from the world around you, or like the world isn't real

• worrying a lot about things that might happen in the future

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Effects of anxiety on your body can include:

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• a churning feeling in your stomach

• feeling light-headed or dizzy

• pins and needles

• feeling restless or unable to sit still

• headaches, backache or other aches and pains

• faster breathing

• a fast, thumping or irregular heartbeat

• sweating or hot flushes

• sleep problems

• grinding your teeth, especially at night

• nausea (feeling sick)

• needing the toilet more or less often

• changes in your sex drive

• having panic attacks.

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Depression Symptoms:

• Feelings of sadness, tearfulness, emptiness or hopelessness

• Angry outbursts, irritability or frustration, even over small matters

• Loss of interest or pleasure in most or all normal activities, such as sex, hobbies or sports

• Sleep disturbances, including insomnia or sleeping too much

• Tiredness and lack of energy, so even small tasks take extra effort

• Reduced appetite and weight loss or increased cravings for food and weight gain

• Anxiety, agitation or restlessness

• Slowed thinking, speaking or body movements

• Feelings of worthlessness or guilt, fixating on past failures or self-blame

• Trouble thinking, concentrating, making decisions and remembering things

• Frequent or recurrent thoughts of death, suicidal thoughts, suicide attempts or suicide

• Unexplained physical problems, such as back pain or headaches

 

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