Anxiety

Signs of Anxiety

• Near-constant worry about big and small things
• Constant fear of failure academically or socially
• Becoming easily annoyed or irritable
• Feeling tense and having trouble relaxing
• Restlessness, tension, and/or feeling keyed up or on edge
• Terrified or fear of the worst thing happening
• Difficulty with concentration and/or your mind going blank
• Intense fear of embarrassing yourself in front of others
• Uncomfortable and extremely anxious in social situations
• Avoiding social situations such as school events
• Overwhelmed with guilt or stress
• Perceiving situations as more threatening than they are
• Muscle tension
• Nervousness and overthinking
• Twitching or trembling
• Dizzy or light-headed
• Feeling week or wobbliness in legs
• Sweating (including sweaty palms)
• Frequent stomachaches, diarrhea, or other gastrointestinal issues
• Dry mouth, feelings of choking
• Being easily startled
• Neurological symptoms, such as numbness or tingling in different parts of the body
• Expecting performance failure, such as taking tests, making speeches, and succeeding in athletics
• A sense of panic with physical sensations such as increased heart rate, shortness of breath, shakiness, sweating, a sense of losing control, or an upset stomach

If you have experienced several of these concerns, you may have an anxiety disorder. This is the most common mental health struggle in the U.S., affecting approximately 19.1 % of adults - ADAA, 2023. Everyone worries sometimes, but intensive anxiety can interfere with your performance and functioning, causing extreme stress and fear. 75% of those affected by an anxiety disorder experience their first episode before 22-years old. The sharpest increase in anxiety occurs during the initial transition to college.