Anxiety and stress are both pervasive symptoms that everyone suffers with.

It’s important, however, to differentiate between anxiety symptoms and an anxiety disorder.

Stress and anxiety symptoms include:

increased heart rate
increased breathing rate
muscle tension
dilated pupils
nervousness
worry
stomach upset

There are different types of anxiety disorders including; generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder, agoraphobia, post traumatic stress disorder, social anxiety, illness anxiety and phobias.

Hallmark symptoms of an anxiety disorder include all of the above plus;

feelings of danger, panic, or dread
increased or heavy sweating
trembling or muscle twitching
weakness and lethargy
difficulty focusing or thinking clearly about anything other than the thing you’re worried about
insomnia
gas, constipation or diarrhea
a strong desire to avoid the things that trigger your anxiety

When someone has an anxiety disorder the symptoms:

last for at least several weeks
disrupt one’s work or relationships

Treatments for anxiety disorders can include medication and psychotherapy, however, psychotherapy can be helpful even for those experiencing anxiety and stress moments.

The most evidence based psychotherapy treatments for anxiety include: