With the way of the world – overworked citizens attempting to make money, advance careers, and still juggle family and personal relationships – stress is unavoidable. And for some, feelings of anxiety become part of their everyday existence. Anxiety – often referred to as fear or panic – happens to all of us at one time or another. It is the body’s way of identifying danger and protecting us in its wake.

We are programmed in these situations to have what is known as a fight or flight response during which the body releases adrenalin to help us do whatever it is we need to do to protect ourselves. But sufferers of anxiety experience this heightened sensitivity severely and often. It is when anxiety becomes persistent and interferes with daily activities that most people turn to treatment. But in order to identify overall anxiety – rather than just an isolated reaction to an isolated incident – it is necessary to understand anxiety symptoms.

Anxiety can crop up in several ways. While some people report experiencing anxiety in response to particular situations, others report an overall sense of anxiety throughout the day in response to nothing in particular. In either case, however, anxiety symptoms are the same.

The flow of adrenalin experienced in the body’s fight or flight response, manifests itself in a number of physical ways. Heart rate accelerates resulting in palpitations, sweating, dizziness, and difficulty breathing. In fact, many people feel as if they are suffocating and can not catch their breath. This can be enormously frightening and can only serve to exacerbate symptoms.

Other physical symptoms may include diarrhea, vomiting, dry mouth, inability to swallow, headache, shaking, trembling, and frequent urination.

But there are psychological anxiety symptoms that sufferers experience as well. Anxiety sufferers may feel ongoing heightened sensitivity or feelings of worry and unease, fatigue, difficulty concentrating, irritability, and insomnia. Many people feel as if they are “going crazy” and have difficulty separating reality from the imaginary.

Once a pattern of anxiety symptoms is identified it is best to meet with doctors who can also help you determine what specific situations may provoke your anxiety. At this time, a treatment plan may be implemented to help the patient manage the feelings of anxiety and lesson anxiety symptoms. Such treatments may include cognitive-behavioral therapy, holistic remedies, lifestyle modifications, and even medication.

The type of treatment that may be used to combat anxiety symptoms will largely depend on the type of anxiety being experienced. General anxiety disorder refers to an overall feeling of heightened anxiety and can often not be traced to any specific provocation. Panic disorder refers to sudden and often severe anxiety attacks that take place in response to a particular situation or stressor.

Obsessive-compulsive disorder – or OCD – is anxiety that manifests itself in compulsive behaviors; sufferers often have to complete certain rituals in order to maintain internal order. Phobias also fall under the umbrella of anxiety disorders and refer to severe and irrational fear associated with particular places, situations, or objects; often the fear is so great that sufferers will avoid the source of anxiety altogether. Anxiety symptoms vary greatly according to the type of anxiety being experienced.