Effects of Anxiety Disorder:

Association with Depression:

• Between 50% and 65% of people with panic disorder also have major depression.
• Social anxiety during adolescence or young adulthood has been associated with a higher risk for depression, and the presence of both increases the danger for severe depression.

Alcoholism and Other Forms of Substance Abuse:

• Some people with GAD and may use alcohol or drugs to self-medicate.
• Social phobia appears to pose a particular risk for alcohol abuse. People with this disorder are likely to drink in order to boost confidence.
• Heavy smoking and substance abuse are common in people with PTSD.

Effects on Work, School, and Relationships:

Studies consistently report negative effects of anxiety disorders on work and relationships. Some examples from studies are the following:

• In a survey of OCD sufferers, 40% reported that they had to stop working because of the disorder; only 40% worked full-time, and only half were married.
• In another study, people with social phobia, even if they were not depressed, were more likely than others to drop out of school or to report lower functioning.

Effects on Physical Health:

Effects on the Heart: A 2001 study reported an association between thicker blood-vessels in both women and men with anxiety and with hardening of the arteries in men (but not in women.) Another study indicated that people who experience anxiety are more likely to develop high blood pressure and poor response to treatment in heart patients.

• Racing or rapid heart beat.
• Heart palpitations.
• 'Missed' heart beats.

Effects on Headache: One study reported that 32% of people with chronic tension headaches met criteria for anxiety. Similarly, another study reported that young girls with anxiety disorders were three times more likely to have chronic headaches than those without the disorder.

Effects on Sleep Disorders in Children: One study of children linked anxiety with a higher risk for sleep disorders, such as frequent nightmares, restless legs, and bruxism (grinding and gnashing of the teeth during sleep).

Physical Effects of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder: One study of Vietnam veterans reported that PTSD was associated with greater physical limitations, poorer physical health, and a lower quality of life than in those in the normal population, regardless of other accompanying emotional or medical disorders. In another study of these veterans, PTSD sufferers had double the risk for abnormal heart rhythms and four times the risk of a heart attack compared to men without PTSD.

Injuries from Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder: People with obsessive-compulsive disorders can experience skin problems from excessive washing, injuries from repetitive physical acts, and hair loss from repeated hair pulling.

Breathing Problem:

• Breathing difficulties.
• Choking sensation.
• Hyperventilation.
• Tightening of the throat.

Pain Sensation:

• Chest pain.
• Headaches.
• Neck aches.
• Lower back pain.
• muscle pain.

Effects on Stomach/ Abdominal:

• Nausea.
• Loss of appetite.
• Churning stomach.
• Burning stomach.

Other Associated Effects of Anxiety:

• Hot and cold flashes.
• Shaking/ trembling.
• Excessive perspiration.
• Sweating hands.
• Dizziness.
• Giddiness.
• Feeling lightheaded or faint.
• Diarrhea.
• Loss of bladder control.
• Grinding teeth.
• Sleeping difficulties.
• Lack of concentration.
• Extreme exhaustion.
• Irritability.
• Fatigue.
• Insomnia.
• Nervousness.

Increased Risk of Suicide:

Studies suggest that 18% of people with panic disorder attempt suicide and up to 30% harbor suicidal thoughts. According to some studies, the development of anxiety in people with depression increases their risk of suicide by a factor of two to six. One study reported suicide attempts in about 12% of people with social phobias or OCD. It is not altogether clear whether people with both depression and anxiety have a higher risk for suicide than those with one disorder.