There are many forms of anxiety disorders, but common characteristics that indicate that you may be suffering from one includes unrelenting and overwhelming worry and fear that affects your ability to conduct normal activities. This can lead to low self esteem and depression, and adversely affect your quality of life.

There is no fixed list of causes that lead to anxiety disorders, but there are a few factors that can contribute to its development. These include your environment, genetics and your personality. People who suffer from anxiety disorders are prone to panic attacks, where they experience sudden and intense bouts of fear. Hence, it is important to be able to identify if you are suffering from anxiety disorder.

The common telling symptoms would be the experience of fear and incessant and unnecessary worrying. There are also many physical and psychological symptoms, such as heart palpitations, hot flushes, insomnia and tremors, as well as apprehension, fear, agitation and insecurity, to name a few. However, these symptoms often overlap with other illnesses, making it difficult for an individual to identify correctly that he is suffering from anxiety disorder.

Anxiety disorder can be a debilitating condition, but it is easily treatable with medication and therapy. Hence, it is vital that you are able to discover it in its early stages to arrest the symptoms and start on the road to full recovery. If you find yourself experiencing intense fear or worry for long periods of greater than 6 months, you may be suffering from anxiety disorder.

Firstly, you have to determine if these intense feelings are interfering with your life and activities. Do you find yourself worrying more than necessary, and ending up with insomnia? Are you unable to concentrate at work, and find yourself taking out your agitations on your loved ones? In other words, is your feelings of worry and uncertainty normal, or has it crossed the accepted boundaries. If you feel that these negative emotions have taken over your life, it could be a telling symptom that you should seek help.

Next, you should approach a trusted doctor in the field, or even your family doctor who could recommend an expert or a therapist to assist you in determining if you are suffering from anxiety disorder. Your doctor should also be capable of examining you for alternative ailments such as heart conditions which displays similar symptoms to anxiety disorder.

If you are currently suffering from existing medical conditions, it is important to determine if there has been an aggravation of your condition. This could lead to the symptoms of heart palpitations and light headedness. Alternatively, it could be that your medication dosages need to be adjusted. Do take note that as a common cause of anxiety disorder is stress, it is easy to mistake one symptom for another illness. Stress can aggravate your current medical conditions, such as ulcers or hypertension.

Lastly, should your doctor's examination eliminate any current or pre-existing medical conditions, you should seek out a professional therapist to assist you with coping with your anxiety disorder. Your therapist should be able to help you determine the root of your anxiety, as well as prescribe the necessary medication and therapy needed to treat the disorder. Most therapists should have training with cognitive behavioral therapy, and will be able to assist you.

Do not feel shy about seeking emotional support, and this can be readily available from your friends and family, or from support groups. Being able to share your emotions and situations with someone you trust will help you to cope, and your family will be able to understand what you are going through. You can also seek out relaxation techniques that have a calming effect.