Before we explore the different kinds of sensations and thoughts you might experience as a sufferer of anxiety, it is very important to realise that as uncomfortable and frightening as these sensations are, they are not indicators of an illness or disorder. Anxiety 'symptoms' are actually exaggerated versions of normal and automatic physical reactions to extreme stress.

Anxiety symptoms are, in fact, normal but exaggerated reactions to emotional stress.Anxiety symptoms tend to result from an abnormal rise in adrenaline levels which catalyses a knock-on-effect of physical reactions. Anxiety symptoms often tend to affect people both physically but also emotionally.

Once again, it's important to stress that anxiety symptoms are not indicators of severe health problems and that while the sufferer might feel awful at the time, the 'symptoms' represent no threat to the sufferer.

Anxiety is monitored and controlled within a subconscious part of the brain. This small organ is called the Amygdala. It is responsible for controlling levels of anxiety by dealing with feelings of fear and aggression, which are emotions that tend to become exaggerated during a bout of heightened anxiety.

Anxiety symptoms can be grouped into 3 categories.

These categories outline the different kinds of symptoms experienced.

1. The Psycho-physiological (physical): this produces physical symptoms such as palpitations (elevated heart rate), breathlessness, chest pain, pins and needles, headaches, rashes, sexual dysfunction, shaking/shivering, sweating and dizziness. All symptoms at this level are physical "fight or flight" responses resulting from a rush of adrenalin.

2. The Psychological (behavioural): often characterized by lack of concentration, irritability, obsessive behaviour (OCD), hyperactivity, depersonalisation, insomnia, feelings of losing control, depression, aggression and deep feelings of fear. These feelings can fluctuate, often reaching their apex during an anxiety attack (or panic attack).

3. The Interpersonal: the tendency to attach oneself to other people for reassurance or to withdraw socially in order to cope and avoid situations that might provoke a bout of anxiety. Extreme cases might result in agoraphobia. However, like most anxiety conditions, this is usually overcome during the stages of recovery.

The majority of people, at some point in their lives, experience these symptoms of anxiety. While these symptoms cannot cause actual harm, they can leave sufferers feeling helpless and frustrated – even horrified at times.

It's extremely important to remember the word "FEEL" when it comes to experiencing anxiety symptoms.

Anxiety symptoms are feelings and sensations which are triggered by an emotional response, which, like a chain-reaction, triggers an inappropriate physical response in reaction to danger – even when there is no threat present.

So, while anxiety symptoms stem from a protective instinct within us and can cause us no real harm, they CAN begin to impact negatively on our day-to-day life. To the point where it begins to cause damage by affecting how a person lives or leads their everyday life.

It's important to remember that anxiety triggers the 'fight or flight' response as a form of protection. It's almost like an overprotective bodyguard residing within our brain. If you can picture it like this, you can see how anxiety is simply an overreaction within the body.

When you understand that you can train your body to realise that it's not under threat, then you are already making the first steps towards overcoming anxiety.

Anxiety symptoms are reactions, they are not inflictions. You have the ability to recover from these overreactions and overcome these states of anxiety.