The Different Levels of Anxiety

Are you an anxious person? Does the word "anxiety" fill you with immediate dread? According to Merriam-Webster, anxiety is classified as apprehensive uneasiness or nervousness, usually over an impending or anticipated ill. While the word describes a general feeling of uneasiness, the experience of anxiety may be different for everyone. After all, it can manifest in many different forms and in varying degrees of intensity. To learn more about this, here are five stages of anxiety.

### Number One: Minimal Anxiety

Let's start with minimal anxiety. At this stage, you're able to function with very limited interruptions. Your ability to focus on daily tasks is likely not hindered, and you'll probably feel productive for most, if not the entirety, of your day. Having zero anxiety at all would definitely be optimal, but with minimal levels of anxiety, you can thankfully function overall, especially since there are very few physical symptoms at this stage. Sometimes you may not even notice this anxious period since it'll likely affect a very small part of your day.

### Number Two: Mild Anxiety

Do you find yourself feeling anxious in social situations? Are you the kind of person who shyly stands in the corner at a party? At the mild or subclinical level of anxiety, you may experience some form of muscle tension or stomach ache, but these sensations are often relatively minor. Mild anxiety may be experienced from childhood into adulthood and is considered to be on the more manageable side of the scale. This means you're likely still able to get most things done on your daily to-do list without much problem. Don't feel bad if you find it difficult to open up or engage with others. If anything, you can be proud of yourself that you got out there in the first place.

### Number Three: Moderate Anxiety

Is your sleep schedule very inconsistent? Are you struggling with a particular loss of appetite? If your anxiety is at this third level, it may affect your sleep schedule to a relatively noticeable but still functional degree. This can cause you to become less hungry throughout the day or experience more frequent aggressive headaches. Due to these factors, you may also experience a more regulated panicky state of being, making you feel on edge a lot of the time.

### Number Four: Severe Anxiety

Do you often experience a constant tightness in your chest? Does your stomach have a tough time digesting food? While moderate anxiety isn't necessarily a daily disruptive force, severe anxiety is a consistent feeling throughout. The physical symptoms are much more aggressive at this level. For instance, you may feel out of breath and have trouble eating food, even if it's a favorite meal. Because of this, you may avoid friends and family, choosing to remain on your own most of the time. The severity of this level of anxiety is also connected to major depression. While you can still technically function, you may barely have any energy or motivation to do so.

### Number Five: Debilitating Anxiety

Do you deal with near-constant panic attacks? Are you so incapacitated by your stress that it has become a real struggle to even leave your home? Debilitating anxiety is the worst and most aggressive form of anxiety. Symptoms may include sweating, muscle twitching, tremors, fatigue, and insomnia. You may experience an extreme sense of dread at the simplest of everyday tasks and avoid leaving your safe space. While you may sometimes feel like you're all alone, remember that you're not. There are people who really do care about you and your well-being.

So, which level do you believe your anxiety is at? Is it at a specific spot within one of these five levels, or is it somewhere in the middle between two different points? Let us know in the comments below.