A Complete Guide To Anxiety: Symptoms, Causes & Treatment

When you feel off, but can’t explain why, like your chest is tight, your thoughts are racing, and even small tasks feel heavy, it’s easy to blame stress or a bad week. Maybe you brush it off as a lack of sleep, too much coffee, or just being “on edge.”

But if that uneasiness sticks around, follows you to work, shows up in quiet moments, or wakes you up at 3 a.m., it might be more than just a rough patch. It might be anxiety, and you’re far from the only one dealing with it.

In this blog, we’ll explain how to manage anxiety and when to reach out to a therapist. 

What Is Anxiety?

Anxiety is a normal human emotion. It is our body’s natural response to perceived threats. This response can be helpful in some situations, making us alert and ready. But when the feeling is constant, overwhelming, or arises without reason, it might signal an anxiety disorder.

What are the Different Types of Anxiety Disorders? 

The different types of anxieties are discussed below:

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) 

As the name suggests, post-traumatic stress disorders are caused by a reaction to stressful events, such as the death of a loved one, a natural disaster, a physical assault, etc. Symptoms of this disorder include: 

• Nightmares 
• Feeling numb 
• Being overly alert
• Physical reaction to reminders

GAD, or Generalized Anxiety Disorder

Generalized Anxiety Disorder is defined as the uncontrollable worry about certain events or situations, such as their health, work performance, family duties, or financial stability. For a lot of people, the anxiety is always there, which can be mentally exhausting and hurt their health, productivity, and quality of life in general. Common symptoms are:

• Restlessness
• Weariness
• Trouble concentrating
• Muscle tension
• Sleep problems 

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder is when you have obsessions, which are unwelcome, intrusive thoughts, and compulsions. OCD is more than just a desire for order or cleanliness. It can take a lot of time and be very stressful, which can have an influence on your relationships and productivity. Knowing that OCD is a real medical disorder helps remove stigma and makes it possible to treat it effectively with therapy and medicines.

Panic Disorder

Panic disorder means experiencing panic attacks over and over again. These episodes come with physical symptoms including chest pain, shortness of breath, heart palpitations, disorientation, and a feeling of being detached or unreal. Panic attacks might feel like a medical emergency, even when they aren’t life-threatening. This can lead people to go to the ER or urgent care. People often avoid specific places or circumstances because of this, which might make them less active and more alone. 

SAD, or Social Anxiety Disorder

Anxiety disorder is defined as the fear of socializing or performing in contexts where one can be judged by others. SAD can make you quite upset before, during, and even after social situations, unlike just being nervous sometimes. People with this condition may stay away from public speaking, being in groups, or even simple duties like getting coffee or going to a meeting.

This disease can sometimes cause people to miss out on job chances and make relationships harder.

Specific Phobias 

A phobia is a strong dread of a certain object, environment, or scenario. Some types are:

• Acrophobia (Fear of heights)
• Arachnophobia (Fear of spiders) 
• Zoophobia (Fear of animals) 
• Gynophobia (Fear of women) 

The response is too strong for the real risk, but it can cause a lot of anxiety and avoidance. Phobias may not seem that bad, but they can make it hard to do important things like travel or get medical care. 

What Causes Anxiety? A Look at Risk Factors 

Anxiety develops from a combination of genetics, brain chemistry, life experiences, and physical health. To better understand the root causes and how they impact your mental well-being, check out our detailed blog on What Causes Anxiety? Understanding these risk factors can help people make sense of their symptoms and seek support earlier. Common types of risk factors are: 

Cause or Risk Factor	Explanation
Physical Health Conditions	Chronic illness, hormonal changes, or thyroid problems.
Personality Traits	Traits like perfectionism or a tendency to overthink.
Trauma or Stressful Events	Past abuse, accidents, or major life stressors.
Brain Chemistry	Imbalances in neurotransmitters such as serotonin or dopamine.
Genetics	Family history of anxiety or mental health.

Therapeutic Approaches to Anxiety: How is Anxiety Managed?

How to manage anxiety depends on the situation and how bad the symptoms are. Some popular ways to cure it are:

• Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) helps people change how they think about unpleasant things and find better ways to deal with stress.
• Exposure Therapy is a way to minimize avoidance by slowly and carefully exposing people to events that scare them.
• Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) helps people accept their beliefs without allowing them to control their actions.
• Therapy Based on Mindfulness: Uses breathing and meditation to help with emotional control and awareness.
• Drugs: Medications (prescribed by psychiatrists) and therapy together can work synergistically to manage anxiety. 

What Lifestyle Changes Can Help Manage Anxiety? 

Small changes in your food, activity level, and sleep can make a big difference in your mood, energy, and attention. Here are some things you can do:

• Walking, swimming, or riding a bike can help lower stress hormones.
• Eating healthy foods and drinking enough water helps your brain work.
• Cutting back on alcohol and coffee can help keep your mood stable and help you sleep better.
• Having a regular bedtime and a soothing routine can help you sleep better.
• Yoga, breathing exercises, or mild stretching can help relax the anxious system.

Important Note: These behaviours don’t take the place of treatment, but they do help support long-term mental health when used with it.

How to Deal with Anxiety on Your Own?

Coping skills can help you deal with your anxiety on your own. These strategies won’t get rid of your anxiety, but they might help you feel less overwhelmed. They work best when you do them often and make them fit your needs. Here are some ideas:

• Breathing activities slow down racing thoughts and calm the body’s stress response.
• Grounding exercises use the five senses to keep your mind on the present.
• Writing in a journal helps you clear your mind.
• Talking to friends, family, or peer groups might help you feel less alone.
• Downloading mental health applications that offer support and guided activities can also help.

You can employ these tactics, depending on the situation and how comfortable you feel.

When Should You Get Professional Help?

Even when you are doing your best, anxiety can still get in the way of everyday living. It’s a strength, not a weakness, to know when to ask for help. You should think about reaching out if your anxiety is getting in the way of your regular life, like work or relationships.

• You’re suffering panic attacks or other bodily problems all the time.
• You feel stuck, too busy, or that you can’t handle things on your own.
• Even with adjustments to your lifestyle or self-help methods, your symptoms are growing worse.

Getting professional help can include seeing a therapist, a family doctor, or a mental health provider.

Need Someone to Talk To?

Life moves fast, and finding time for emotional support is hard. No worries, because with the Saalvio App, you can connect with a qualified therapist right from your phone. No longer waitlists, no back-and-forth. Just open the app, choose a time that works for you, and book your session in minutes.

Bonus point? 

Sometimes you need someone right now, even if it’s late, or your therapist isn’t available. Our CBT-trained AI is here to offer support when you need it most! It’s safe, easy to use, and designed to help you work through thoughts and feelings when you don’t want to sit with them alone.