Anxiety Symptoms In Women: Understanding Fear And Related Factors

Based on global statistics, anxiety disorders may be some of the most common mental health conditions, potentially affecting 40 million U.S. adults (19.1% of the U.S. population) every year. These disorders can impact anyone, regardless of age, race, or gender identity. However, research indicates that anxiety disorders can affect women in unique ways. According to the Anxiety & Depression Association of America (ADAA), women may be nearly twice as likely as men to be diagnosed with an anxiety disorder in their lifetime. 

Women diagnosed with an anxiety disorder often face unique challenges, including hormonal changes, which may worsen symptoms of anxiety. Women and others with anxiety may find it beneficial to lean on their support systems, prioritize time for themselves, practice deep breathing exercises, and work with a licensed therapist. One way to connect with a mental health professional may be to join an online therapy platform.

Types of anxiety disorders

While anxiety may affect more women on average, anyone can experience anxiety. For some people, anxiety can be a passing emotion characterized by feelings of tension, worried thoughts, and even physical changes, like increased blood pressure. From time to time, most people tend to experience anxiety as a normal reaction to a stressful event or major life decision. But when anxiety becomes persistent, recurring, and affects your ability to engage in everyday life, a medical professional may diagnose you with an anxiety disorder. 

Understanding common anxiety disorders: Stress, worry, panic, and fear in women

As defined by the American Psychological Association (APA), the most common anxiety diagnoses typically include the following: 

• Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), one of the most common mental disorders, is characterized by excessive anxiety that interferes with daily activities and may be defined by excessive worry or anxiety that lasts at least six months. Women may be twice as likely to experience GAD compared to men. 

• Panic disorder (PD) is normally characterized by recurrent and unexpected panic attacks. Women may be twice as likely to experience PD compared to men.

• Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is usually characterized by recurrent intrusive thoughts (obsessions) that often prompt “neutralizing” rituals or routines (compulsions). Women may be three times more likely to experience OCD than men. 

• Specific phobias can be defined as intense fear of a specific object, activity, or situation. Women may be twice as likely to experience specific phobias compared to men. For example, social phobia, also known as social anxiety disorder, involves an intense fear of social or performance situations where one is exposed to unfamiliar people or possible scrutiny by others.

• Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) can develop after exposure to trauma. PTSD is usually defined by painful flashbacks, recollections, and avoidance of activities and places associated with the traumatic event. Compared to men, women may be five times more likely to be affected by PTSD.

If you are experiencing trauma, support is available. Please see our Get Help Now page for more resources.While these may represent some of the most common anxiety disorders, other anxiety-related diagnoses can include social anxiety disorder (SAD), agoraphobia, and separation anxiety disorder. 

Each disorder typically presents a unique set of symptoms and treatment options, but these diagnoses generally have the common element of anxiety or the anticipation of a future concern that can lead to a host of uncomfortable symptoms.

What are the symptoms of an anxiety disorder?

Anxiety symptoms can vary depending on several factors, including your hormones, lifestyle, general mental health, and the specific type of anxiety disorder.

Worry and panic in specific phobias

People with specific phobias tend to express specific anxieties around an object or situation. For example, spiders, heights, or getting shots at the doctor’s office may set off anxiety symptoms. Similarly, people with agoraphobia are usually anxious about enclosed spaces and other situations that may limit their ability to escape or get help.

Research and hormones

According to the ADAA, women may be nearly twice as likely as men to develop an anxiety disorder from the onset of puberty to age 50. Anxiety disorders are known to be linked to other problems or challenges, such as chronic pain, substance use disorder, and heart disease, especially if left unmanaged. 

More research may be needed to understand the reasons behind these numbers, as well as the prevalence of anxiety among nonbinary and transgender people. That said, many researchers believe a combination of environmental and biological factors may increase the risk of anxiety in women. 

Estrogen's Influence on anxiety and insomnia in women

Biologically, women tend to experience dramatic changes in estrogen levels during their menstrual cycles and reproductive years. As a sex hormone, estrogen usually helps manage the menstrual cycle and other reproductive functions, and research suggests it may also play a role in anxiety- and trauma-related disorders.

Amplifying anxiety and restlessness in women

Of course, anxiety may not be a simple matter of hormones. Particularly among women, lifestyle expectations and cultural factors may also take their toll. In many cultures, women tend to take on caregiver roles. Compared to their partners, women often assume the responsibilities of raising or educating children, completing chores and errands, and balancing other daily tasks. 

Heightening fear and nervousness in women

These demands were amplified during the pandemic, potentially leaving many women experiencing more anxious thoughts and feeling overwhelmed. Researchers are still studying the enduring impacts of the pandemic and other stressors, as well as the effects of historic social roles, on women’s anxiety levels.

Strategies for management of stress and anxiety symptoms in women

Anxiety disorders happen to be serious mental illnesses that can disrupt daily life, but with the right coping skills and strategies, you can manage or reduce anxiety. You can try various science-backed strategies to help reduce the symptoms of most anxiety disorders. With the support of loved ones and mental health professionals, women and others with anxiety can navigate their stressors with confidence, clarity, and self-awareness.

1. Tap into your support system

Chances may be high that other women in your life have also experienced some variation of anxiety. By opening up with friends and loved ones about your experiences, you can create a space for more vulnerable and honest discussions about mental health. Over time, these discussions can bring you closer to other people, broaden your support system, and chip away at the stigma surrounding anxiety. 

If the prospect of building your support network seems daunting, you might consider joining a formal support group for women with anxiety or other mental health concerns. Today, many of these groups take place online. If you're looking for suggestions, the ADAA offers a list of both virtual and in-person groups for women seeking support, solidarity, and friendship.

2. Practice deep breathing exercises

Regardless of your gender identity, age, or experience with mindfulness, deep breathing exercises can be available tools for many people. We all have the ability to pause, notice our breathing, and use one of the body’s mechanisms to calm the mind, especially during moments when it may seem like we’re losing control.

There can be several kinds of breathing exercises, but some of the most popular techniques may include: 

• Abdominal breathing (also called “natural breathing”), which usually focuses on breathing from the belly instead of taking shallow, rapid breaths from the chest

• Countdown to Calm, which normally involves counting down and repeating soothing mantras while taking deep breaths

• Body scans, which tend to focus on the connection between your breath and various parts of your body

You can quickly use some of these techniques throughout the day, perhaps during work, school, or your morning commute. Others can become part of your morning or evening ritual. A longer body scan at night, for example, can help you calm down, reduce muscle tension, and reconnect to your breath after a long, stressful day.

3. Prioritize time for yourself

Whether you’re a parent, a busy professional, a partner, or all of the above, it’s often easy to pile on the obligations and realize you have no time left for yourself. But just like you’d schedule an appointment for your child or a meeting with a coworker, you can also add self-care time to the calendar.

Even 10 minutes can be enough time to reset with a favorite activity. During those 10 minutes, you might enjoy a cup of coffee, read a few pages of a book, or use some gentle stretching to relieve physical and emotional tension. Creating time for yourself doesn’t have to be seen as selfish. Instead, it can help you refill your metaphorical cup, so that you have the energy to show up as your best self in all areas of life.

4. Find your personal definition of health

For any woman experiencing anxiety, maintaining a healthy lifestyle might seem like an obvious recommendation. However, it is important to recognize that your personal definition of "health" may differ from that of a friend or loved one. Throughout their lives, many women face the pressures of diet culture, social media, “clean” eating, and other fads that are often more harmful than healthy. 

To challenge these cultural trends, many women choose to redefine their personal definitions of health in pursuit of a more balanced lifestyle. This can look like: 

• Doing activities you truly enjoy and setting boundaries to avoid activities that drain you 

• Spending more time in nature

• Getting plenty of high-quality sleep

• Prioritizing whole foods and sufficient hydration

• Actively investing in friendships by scheduling meetups, coffee dates, or other social events

It can take plenty of time and reflection to break free of cultural expectations, but for many women, a healthy relationship with food, friends, body image, and exercise can be well worth the effort.

5. Connect with a therapist to reduce stress and anxiety 

For many women and people in general, seeking mental health services and working with a therapist can help manage their anxiety and create the lives they envision. Therapists often recommend cognitive behavioral therapy to help identify negative thoughts and behaviors and replace them with more productive ones.

While some women may prefer face-to-face support, online therapy can be a popular option for those who lack the time or finances for traditional, in-person therapy. Online therapy platforms may make it easy for patients to connect with licensed therapists, many of whom have years of experience supporting women with anxiety. 

The benefits of online therapy for anxiety disorders in women

Within the past few years, several studies have documented the many potential benefits of online therapy for people with anxiety disorders, including a 2021 study of an online, therapist-guided discussion board and support group for postpartum mothers. Over half of the participants had been diagnosed with depression or anxiety during their lifetimes, and after the treatment, most mothers’ depression symptoms improved significantly. The researchers noted that online therapy could make mental health care more reachable to new mothers, as well as other women with demanding and unpredictable schedules.