Are you having anxiety attacks?

It is normal to feel anxious, tense and a little scared when facing a
pressure situation - such as an critical meeting or an important
presentation.

How would you answer these questions?

If you answer "yes" to any of the following questions, you may be having anxiety attacks.

• Are you bothered by fears that you know are irrational, but
  that you can't get rid of?
• Do you have feelings that something bad will happen if you don't do things a certain way?
• Are there everyday situations or activities you avoid because they make you anxious?
• Are you constantly on edge, worried, or tense?
• Does your anxiety get in the way of your family, school or work
  responsibilities?
• Do you experience sudden and unexpected attacks of heart-pounding panic?
• Do you feel that danger and catastrophe lie around every corner?

Anxiety attacks can be different for different people

The fact is, anxiety disorders are really a group of related
conditions and not just a single disorder. For this reason, different people can have different anxiety attacks. For example, one person might suffer from intense anxiety attacks that strike without warning, while another might get panicky at the thought of attending a party. And yet another person might live in a constant state of tension, worrying about everything.

One thing in common

However, regardless of their different forms, all anxiety disorders share one major symptom - persistent or very serious worry in situations where other people would not experience these feelings and would not feel threatened.

Anxiety is more than a group of feelings. It also has a
broad range of physical symptoms. Because of this, many sufferers believe they have a physical illness and may make many trips to the doctor or hospital before they are accurately diagnosed.