Anxiety Symptoms in Women

In today's fast-paced and stressful life, both men and women tend to suffer from anxiety. Women are more prone to it as they have to juggle a lot of things, while balancing both work and home simultaneously. This can cause a lot of stress and tension to a woman. Prolonged stress and worry can sometimes cause anxiety in women. There are a lot of other causes, which produce these symptoms. Let's understand the causes first, before moving on to the symptoms and the cures.

Causes
When facing difficult circumstances in personal or professional life, a woman might feel stressed and anxious. Anxiety in women could also be a result of certain hormonal changes that take place in the body due to menses, childbirth or menopause. Sometimes, excessive intake of tea, coffee, alcohol or taking drugs could lead to anxiety too. A woman might be sensitive to certain foods, such as wheat or sugar. Consumption of these can lead to anxiety. It could also be due to certain chemical imbalances in the body. The brain releases a substance called serotonin, which helps in regulating the moods and emotions, thus keeping a person calm and relaxed. If the brain does not provide adequate amount of serotonin, the body goes through a chemical imbalance, thereby causing these symptoms.

Common Symptoms
Anxiety symptoms in men are similar to those in women. Here are some common depression and anxiety symptoms in women.

Physical
Increase in heartbeat and heart palpitations
Shortness of breath
Chest discomfort and pain
Abdominal pain and indigestion
Increased perspiration
Shivering or trembling
Numbness in certain body parts
Dizziness, headaches or light-headed feeling
Nausea and vomiting
Feeling excessively cold, resulting in cold hand and feet and body chills.
Muscle pain
Increased blood pressure
General fatigue
Increase or decrease in appetite
Insomnia or disturbed sleep
Psychological
The woman may develop negative feelings and constantly feel that something untoward is going to happen.
Anxiety triggers a fear of impending death in the sufferers.
The woman may feel a sense of detachment towards oneself and the world.
The woman may experience constant worry and tension, and is not able to concentrate on anything.
The woman might become extremely aggressive.
There might be a personality change in the woman and she might become socially inactive.
Treatment
Overcome this problem naturally by consuming herbs, such as passionflower, kava kava, valerian and lemon balm, as they soothe the nerves and cure insomnia. These herbal remedies have a calming effect on the body and help in providing relief from tension. Certain meditation techniques, such as breathing exercises and Pranayama, have proven effective in alleviating the symptoms. Reiki, practiced under a trained practitioner, can also help in minimizing the symptoms of depression and anxiety.

If you are experiencing anxiety symptoms and chest pain or if the symptoms have worsened, it is recommended that you undertake cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) by consulting a psychiatrist. CBT will help identify the reason behind your feelings of stress and the psychotherapist will suggest remedies accordingly. CBT is a systematic approach to solve problems related to dysfunctional emotions and behavior. So psychotherapy sessions can be helpful. In case of an emergency, you may use antianxiety drugs or anti depressant to minimize the symptoms, but only after consulting a physician.

Symptoms of the different types of anxiety, such as social anxiety and separation anxiety, can be controlled or minimized by following the above-mentioned treatment. Having a positive attitude, eating a well-balanced diet, exercising everyday, along with a regular treatment, go a long way in relieving the anxiety symptoms in women.