Anxiety disorder: More than regular nerves
Everyone feels nervous and worried from time to time, and that’s normal. But when these emotions happen often and interfere with your ability to function, they can signal an anxiety disorder. Here’s how to tell if you or someone you love is experiencing anxiety.
Anxiety disorder symptoms to know
In small doses, anxiety can actually be beneficial-for example, helping you stay alert when you're taking a test or going to a job interview. But for people with anxiety disorder, their anxiousness doesn't go away. It can affect them every day and get worse over time if not treated.
Here are some possible symptoms:
- Frequent feelings of worry, panic or dread
- Trouble sleeping
- Inability to concentrate or make decisions
- Inability to stop thinking about problems
- Strong fear of certain objects or places (phobias)
- Cold, sweaty hands or feet
- Shortness of breath or breathing too fast
Not everyone with anxiety will experience all of these symptoms. The symptoms can also range from mild to severe.
People with anxiety find that it gets in the way of important activities. They may know their fear is out of proportion to what's happening but have trouble calming themselves down.
Anxiety disorder statistics
Over 19 percent of adults in the United States had an anxiety disorder in the last year—that’s almost 1 in 5 people.
And in 2023, anxiety and/or depression affected over 32 percent of adults in the U.S., but the rates were even higher in Oregon: over 35 percent.
Anxiety resources
Crisis support
Visit Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, call or text 988, or chat online.
Free/low-cost screenings
Contact your health care provider, county mental health office, or coordinated care organization (CCO).
Peer support, groups and classes
Visit NAMI Oregon, the Oregon chapter of the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI).
For CareOregon members
Review CareOregon mental health resources, which include counseling, therapy, substance use treatment, and medication.
Types of anxiety disorders
Anxiety disorders can come in different forms. The five most common are:
- Generalized anxiety disorder: Unrealistic or exaggerated worry about everyday life and tasks.
- Panic disorder: Feeling flashes of fear that bring on a panic attack, which causes physical symptoms like a pounding heart, chest pain and excessive sweating.
- Social anxiety disorder: You are highly self-conscious and fear others judging you. You may feel highly anxious in social settings or avoid them altogether.
- Phobias: You have an intense fear of something or somewhere, to the point you have difficulty being around it or avoid it altogether, such as a fear of heights.
- Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD): After a traumatic experience, you have intense fear when you’re in a similar situation, such as being fearful to go out at night after you’ve been mugged in the dark.
Getting help for anxiety
The good news is that anxiety is highly treatable. This may involve a combination of therapy, lifestyle changes and medication.
The right treatment plan can vary from one person to another, which is why it's important to seek help from a mental health provider. Your health care provider can refer you to one.
Getting help for anxiety is one of the best things you can do for yourself and your loved ones. There's no shame in getting help; anxiety is a health condition, and like any health condition, it gets better with medical treatment.
