Anxiety is a normal part of life that everyone experiences from time to time. However, for some people, anxiety becomes excessive, persistent, and disruptive – interfering with their daily activities and overall quality of life. When anxiety reaches this level, it may be indicative of an anxiety disorder.
What is anxiety?
Anxiety is an emotion characterized by feelings of tension, worried thoughts, and physical changes like increased blood pressure. People with anxiety disorders usually have recurring intrusive thoughts or concerns. They may avoid certain situations out of worry. They may also have physical symptoms such as sweating, trembling, dizziness or a rapid heartbeat.
Anxiety becomes a disorder when the symptoms are chronic, exaggerated and impede normal functioning. Anxiety disorders are the most common mental illnesses in the U.S., affecting 40 million adults age 18 and older (18.1% of the population). However, anxiety disorders are treatable and a number of effective therapies exist.
Examples of common anxiety disorders
Some examples of disorders where anxiety is a main symptom include:
- Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) – excessive anxiety and worry occurring more days than not for at least 6 months
- Social anxiety disorder (SAD) – significant anxiety around social situations and interactions
- Panic disorder – recurring, unexpected panic attacks
- Agoraphobia – anxiety about situations where escape may be difficult
- Specific phobias – excessive fear related to a specific object or situation
- Separation anxiety disorder – excessive fear around separation from home or attachment figures
What is too much anxiety called?
When anxiety becomes extremely excessive, persistent, and debilitating, this is generally referred to as “severe anxiety.” This severe, overwhelming anxiety is often seen in certain anxiety disorders.
In particular, “panic disorder with agoraphobia” is characterized by severe panic symptoms and agoraphobia (avoidance of situations where escape might be difficult or help unavailable). People with this condition experience frequent, recurrent panic attacks and alter their behavior in maladaptive ways due to an intense fear of having another attack.
“Severe generalized anxiety disorder” is when a person has pervasive, extreme, and persistent worry about a number of areas (finances, health, family, etc). This severe GAD causes great distress and seriously impairs functioning.
“Severe social anxiety disorder” involves intense anxiety, fear, and avoidance around social situations. It can make it very difficult for someone to function normally at work, school, or in social environments.
Signs of severe anxiety
Some common signs and symptoms of severe levels of anxiety include:
- Persistent, excessive, and uncontrollable feelings of apprehension and uneasiness
- Panic attacks occurring frequently and unexpectedly
- Extreme, debilitating worry occurring most days
- Significant behavioral changes to avoid feared situations or stimuli
- Inability to function normally or manage basic daily activities
- Trouble concentrating, mind going blank, racing thoughts
- Irritability, feeling constantly “on edge,” difficulty relaxing
- Chronic sleep issues like insomnia or restless sleep
- Muscle tension, headaches, fatigue, nausea, sweating
Severe anxiety causes clinically significant distress or functional impairment. While everyone may experience some anxiety occasionally in specific situations, severe anxiety persists and occurs frequently regardless of the circumstance.
What causes severe anxiety levels?
Like most mental health conditions, severe anxiety is complex, and there is no single cause. A combination of factors likely contribute to the development of severe anxiety, such as:
- Genetics – Having blood relatives with an anxiety disorder makes people more predisposed. Genetics account for about 30-40% of vulnerability.
- Brain chemistry – Certain neurotransmitters like serotonin may be out of balance.
- Environmental stress – Trauma, stressful life events, and negative experiences.
- Medical factors – Conditions like hyperthyroidism, heart disease, or drug withdrawal.
- Personality traits – People who are perfectionistic, nervous, or highly sensitive may be more prone to anxiety.
In many cases, it is the interaction between biological and environmental factors that leads someone to have severe anxiety. Imbalances in brain chemistry or genetics could make someone vulnerable, while traumatic life events that activate the stress response push anxiety to a severe level.
When to seek help for severe anxiety
It is important to seek professional help if anxiety has become debilitating, excessive, and difficult to control. A licensed therapist can provide tools to manage symptoms and determine if medication could help restore balance to brain chemistry. Getting appropriate treatment leads to better quality of life.
Signs that anxiety may have reached a severe level requiring intervention include:
- Experiencing panic attacks multiple times a week
- Avoiding numerous situations or places because of anxiety
- Spending excessive time worrying and feeling tense
- Difficulty concentrating, restless sleep, irritability
- Anxiety interfering with work performance, relationships, or daily activities
- Using drugs or alcohol to cope with anxiety
- Feeling anxious most days over the course of several months
If anxiety is making it hard to function normally, causing significant distress, or leading to other problems like depression or substance abuse, it is important to reach out to a mental health professional. They can properly diagnose any underlying disorder and create an effective treatment plan.
Treatments for severe anxiety
A number of proven, effective treatment options exist to help manage severe anxiety. Treatment generally involves psychotherapy, medication, or both. A combination approach is often most beneficial.
Psychotherapy
Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is one of the most widely used and effective forms of talk therapy for anxiety disorders. CBT focuses on changing unhealthy thought and behavior patterns by:
- Identifying distorted thoughts that trigger anxiety (ex. overestimation of danger)
- Learning to challenge irrational beliefs
- Facing feared situations in a gradual, controlled way
- Learning relaxation and coping techniques
- Practicing mindfulness and living in the present
CBT provides long-lasting skills to manage symptoms and regain functioning. Support groups can also help by connecting with others facing similar challenges.
Medication
Antidepressants like SSRIs (Prozac, Zoloft) and SNRIs (Effexor, Cymbalta) are commonly prescribed for anxiety. Benzodiazepines like Xanax, Klonopin, and Ativan may provide short-term relief of acute symptoms. Buspirone is another anti-anxiety medication. Medication can be useful in rebalancing brain chemistry when paired with psychotherapy.
Other treatments
Exercise, sufficient sleep, meditation, nutrition, and reducing alcohol and caffeine intake can help control anxiety. Relaxation techniques like deep breathing, massage, yoga, music therapy, aromatherapy, and hydrotherapy may also assist with stress reduction.
Coping with severe anxiety
Along with professional treatment, several self-care strategies can help manage severe anxiety. These include:
- Take focused, calming breaths – Deep belly breathing can lower blood pressure and heart rate.
- Limit caffeine – Coffee, tea, soda, and chocolate act as stimulants that increase anxiety symptoms.
- Practice relaxing activities – Reading, listening to music, spending time in nature.
- Engage in moderate exercise – Such as walking, swimming, or cycling to relieve muscle tension.
- Write down racing thoughts – Getting them out of your head can reduce rumination.
- Talk to trusted friends and family – Sharing feelings with your support system provides perspective.
- Keep stress levels low – Avoid overcommitting and learn to set boundaries and say no.
- Stay connected to others – Loneliness and isolation tend to make anxiety worse.
- Get enough sleep – Lack of sleep exacerbates anxiety. Maintain consistent sleep and wake times.
While anxiety may always be present to some extent, with professional help and daily self-care, severe anxiety can be managed. The aim is to help restore balance, equilibrium, and a sense of control.
When to seek emergency help for anxiety
Most severe anxiety can be managed on an outpatient basis through treatments like therapy and medication management. However, in some cases of extremely uncontrolled, severe anxiety, hospitalization may be required to stabilize the individual.
Emergency psychiatric care is usually only needed if anxiety reaches a level where the person becomes an immediate danger to themselves or others. This could include:
- Acting on suicidal thoughts or plans
- Experiencing hallucinations or disorganized thinking
- Undergoing a significant disconnect from reality
- Showing signs of cognitive impairments or confusion
- Displaying reckless, erratic or dangerous behavior
In these situations, hospitalization provides safety and security while the person is evaluated and treated, often with medication adjustments. Once the most severe symptoms are stabilized, outpatient treatment can continue.
Seeking help for anxiety
If struggling with excessive, chronic anxiety that interferes with daily life, consulting a professional is important. A psychiatrist, psychologist, licensed therapist or primary care doctor can help diagnose a potential anxiety disorder and create an effective treatment plan. Many people find a combination of medication and CBT provides significant relief of anxiety symptoms. Lifestyle changes like exercise, sleep hygiene, and stress management also complement treatment.
Friends and family can offer emotional support, understanding, and encouragement to seek help. Overcoming the isolation and stigma of mental illness leads to getting the tools needed to regain health and quality of life. While severe anxiety feels overwhelming, it is important to remember anxiety disorders are highly treatable. Various therapies, medications, self-care strategies, and support systems allow people to manage symptoms successfully.
Conclusion
Severe, debilitating anxiety that persists and impairs normal functioning may indicate an anxiety disorder. While everyone feels anxious occasionally, severe anxiety is excessive, pervasive, and uncontrollable. Panic disorder, severe generalized anxiety, and extreme social anxiety are examples of disorders with pronounced anxiety. A combination of biological and environmental factors interact to contribute to severe anxiety. Effective treatment is available through medications, CBT, lifestyle changes, and support groups. With professional help and daily self-care, severe anxiety can be overcome, allowing people to live healthy, fulfilling lives.