Are you a nervous or anxious person who often feels overwhelmed or on edge? Get to know yourself better with a simple personality test.
What is anxiety?
Anxiety is a normal emotion and the body’s way of responding to and dealing with physical or psychological stress.
While most of us will experience some degree of anxiety at some point, it is important to distinguish between normal anxiety and anxiety disorders. For those with an anxiety disorder, these feelings may persist, and the symptoms can interfere with daily life.
What are the symptoms of anxiety?
Anxiety can manifest in different ways, affecting physical, mental or behavioral aspects. Common physical symptoms of anxiety include a racing heart, difficulty breathing, sweating, and trembling. Psychological symptoms can include excessive worry, restlessness, disturbed sleep, and irritability. Behavioral symptoms may include avoidance of certain situations that may trigger anxiety, compulsive behaviors, and social withdrawal.
Think you may have anxiety?
Diagnosing anxiety involves a comprehensive assessment with a trained professional. They will discuss your medical history and symptoms with you in detail.
The first step in getting help with anxiety is knowing whether you have any symptoms.
Take a look at the questions below. Thinking about the last 2 weeks, how often have you been affected by any of the problems mentioned?
For each question, give yourself a score of 0 if you answer ‘not at all’, score 1 for ‘several days’, 2 for ‘more than half the days’, and 3 for nearly every day’.
Then add up your score for each question, adding up to a possible total of 21. A score of 5 to 10 may indicate mild anxiety, 10 to 15 may indicate moderate anxiety, and a score of 15 or over may indicate severe anxiety. This is purely for indicative purposes and does not replace advice from your doctor.
- Do you often feel afraid, as if something awful might happen?
- Do you become easily annoyed or irritable?
- Are you so restless that it is hard to sit still?
- Do you have trouble relaxing?
- Do you worry too much about different things?
- Can you not stop or control worrying?
- Do you feel nervous, anxious, or on edge?
Remember! This test is only designed to give an indication of whether or not you may be suffering from an anxiety disorder.
If you think your mental health may be suffering, or you notice any anxiety symptoms, always talk to your doctor.