Don't Buy Into These "Trends" Concerning Anxiety Disorders
Anxiety Disorders Symptoms
Everyone experiences anxiety and fears at times. It's an inevitable part of our human condition. If these feelings are persistent and interfere with your daily routine, then you might have an anxiety disorder.
A healthcare professional can help you in locating a treatment that matches your symptoms. This could include psychotherapy, antianxiety medications or natural remedies such as exercise, healthy eating, and sleep.
1. Worry and Fear
Everyone feels anxiety and fear from time time -- it's normal to experience our body's "fight-or-flight" response to danger. However, if the fear or anxiety is intense, does not disappear and is a hindrance to your daily life, you may have an anxiety disorder. Your doctor can identify anxiety disorders by having a discussion with you, a physical exam as well as urine or blood tests, and questions regarding your past health. You also might be given questionnaires to complete to help your doctor determine whether you suffer from a specific anxiety disorder.
The symptoms of anxiety disorders can vary depending on the kind. For instance, those with generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) suffer from persistent, excessive and irrational worry about everyday events even when they know there is no danger. They also have difficulty getting comfortable or falling asleep. Other symptoms include a fast, fluttering or pounding heart (heart palpitations), sweating and trembling. People with panic disorder have frequent moments of intense feelings of terror or fear that reach the point of exhaustion in a matter of minutes, and they have difficulty managing their emotions. They often try to avoid certain activities or places to stop these attacks from happening.
People with phobias have very extreme fears of certain things, such as snakes or flying. Other signs include headaches, or difficulty breathing. People suffering from PTSD suffer from anxiety following an experience or witnessing an event that is traumatic such as the aftermath of a car crash or war. Other symptoms could include flashbacks or nightmares that reminisce about the traumatic incident.
Other types of anxiety disorders include ocd, hoarding disorder, and social anxiety disorder, which causes you feel anxious in social situations. There is also anxiety due to a specific health issue, which is called illness anxiety disorder. Stress and a chemical imbalance can cause anxiety. Certain medications can trigger anxiety as a side-effect.
2. Panic Attacks
People suffering from anxiety disorders are prone to experiencing recurring sensations of extreme panic and fear that are insignificant to their circumstances. These feelings can cause severe physical reactions such as rapid heart rate, shortness in breath, and nausea. You might also feel disengaged or numb.
While anyone can have panic attacks however, you're more likely develop this type of mental health condition in childhood, adolescence or early adulthood. It can be caused by a variety of factors such as prolonged or severe stress that causes an imbalance in the chemical system of your nervous system and brain. Trauma, particularly during childhood or adolescence can increase the risk of anxiety disorders.
Panic attacks can occur for no reason or in response to a circumstance that causes you to be anxious, for example, being in a large number of people. They're different from the normal feelings of anxiety because they involve much more intense symptoms and are usually unexpected. People with anxiety disorders may also experience a mix of expected and unanticipated panic attacks.
The most common treatments for anxiety and panic attacks include medication and talking therapies. Talking therapies can help you manage your anxiety and help you eliminate the irrational thoughts that fuel your anxiety. They can teach relaxation exercises such as mindfulness and deep breathing. Some medications -- especially SSRIs (such as Prozac and Paxil) and SNRIs (such as duloxetine and venlafaxine) can help make anxiety and panic less intense.
It is essential to consult your physician immediately if suffer from frequent panic attacks. Your doctor can check for other health illnesses that share similar symptoms and recommend other treatments.
3. Insomnia
People who are anxious may be unable to fall asleep or staying asleep. This is known as insomnia. This can happen for an indefinite period of time, or it can last for a long period. Sleep deprivation can make it difficult to get through the day and could lead to serious health problems. It affects women more than men and is more prevalent in older adults. It is more prevalent among people with psychiatric conditions.
A variety of things can cause insomnia. There are a variety of things that can cause it. In the short term, illnesses such as headaches or colds; chronic ailments like arthritis, acid reflux or Parkinson's disease, and medication can affect your sleep. Stressful life situations can also trigger. About half of those suffering from chronic insomnia have a mental illness, most commonly anxiety or depression.
The first thing doctors will do is to look for physical causes of the issue. They will ask you questions about your medical history, and the symptoms that make it difficult to sleep. They'll also want be aware of whether any medications you are taking affect it. They may also conduct an overnight sleep study so that they can monitor your heart rate and breathing at night.
The most effective treatment of insomnia is to use behavioral therapy. It helps you to change the negative thoughts that are keeping you awake. It also shows you how to relax before you go to bed. There are a variety of techniques to help you relax, including progressive muscle relaxation, meditation, biofeedback, and biofeedback. Your doctor can help you locate a therapist that can teach you the methods. If you find that behavioral therapy does not work then you can explore a range of medications to help you sleep better. These include benzodiazepines which can be used to ease symptoms temporarily and can also be used as an anti-anxiety and antidepressant medication.
4. Eating Disorders
Eating disorders are defined by a preoccupation with weight, body shape, and food and eating habits like binge eating, purging or vomiting, or the use of laxatives, and compulsive exercise. Many people who have an eating disorder also suffer from anxiety, as do those who suffer from a mental illness that is co-occurring like bipolar or depression disorder. Combined, the two conditions can create a vicious circle in which a person's mood issues exacerbate the symptoms of their eating disorder.
There is a strong connection between eating disorders and anxiety as more anxiety-related symptoms being associated with greater severity of the disorder. In reality the person suffering from anorexia tends to exhibit excessive levels of anxiety symptoms and this applies to those suffering from bulimia nervosa or binge-eating disorder. In certain cases, anxiety may be the direct reason behind an eating disorder. In others, it may be a secondary sign of an eating disorder.
In one study, researchers discovered that comorbid anxiety and depression symptoms were significantly associated with more severe symptomatology of eating disorders in young females. The research team used a 4-item measure called the Patient Health Questionnaire-4, which assesses anxiety and depression symptoms. They also assessed the severity of eating disorders, and asked participants to rate their ability to cope with anxiety.
The authors also analyzed three factors that could be a reason for the connection between anxiety and eating disorders self-esteem, perfectionist tendencies and mood dysregulation. They found that these factors affected the relationship between depression and anxiety symptoms and eating disorder symptomatology, and that they did differently for different subgroups of the sample. They hope that their findings will result in more precise and specific treatment for eating disorders.
5. Physical Conditions that are a result of anxiety
Most people have anxiety at some time in their lives, but it can become a disorder if it is severe and causes problems in daily life. Some sufferers also experience physical symptoms, such as stomach pain or chest pain in response to the kind of anxiety they experience.
Finding the right treatment for anxiety disorders can help people feel better and live happier lives. Psychotherapy, or talk therapy, helps many people. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is a popular kind. CBT helps you recognize and change negative thoughts that trigger anxiety and fear. It also teaches how to confront your fears and take small steps to overcome them.
The use of medication can also be beneficial. Benzodiazepines, such as diazepam and Valium can ease anxiety or panic attacks. Antidepressants, including tricyclic antidepressants or SSRIs, can also be prescribed. These medications are used to treat anxiety disorders by themselves or in conjunction with other treatments.
Medical conditions can cause anxiety and may cause the same physical symptoms as an anxiety disorder. Head trauma, for example can trigger anxiety and depression. Other conditions that can trigger anxiety include chronic pain, fatigue disorders as well as rheumatologic diseases like Lupus, and a few nutritional deficiencies.
Certain aspects make a person more likely to develop an anxiety disorder. These are referred to as risk factors. Some are genetic, like a family history of anxiety disorders. Other factors, such as childhood abuse, depression, or other mental disorders, as well as the accumulation of stress over time can increase the risk of developing anxiety disorders. For these reasons, it's important to get an accurate physical exam if you have anxiety.