ANXIETY: CAUSES, SYMPTOMS, AND TREATMENT

Anxiety can be normal in stressful situations such as wanting to make an effective presentation to management, wondering if you will receive an award at an awards banquet or taking a test. Anxiety, however, becomes a mental health issue when anxious feelings become excessive, all-consuming, and interfere with daily living.

When you have serious anxiety, it can feel like the world is caving in on you. Indeed, you may feel like the sky is falling down. People with anxiety disorders may feel anxious most of the time or for brief intense episodes, which may occur for no apparent reason. The feeling of anxiety can be so prominent that people with acute anxiety avoid the simplest daily routines. Sometimes, the onset of an anxiety episode can be so intense they feel frightened and become immobilized.

The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) frequently point out the people with anxiety disorders are usually aware of the irrational and excessive nature of their fears and when they come for treatment, many say, “I know my fears are unreasonable, but I just can’t seem to stop them.”

Feeling anxiety is real, frightening, and debilitating and requires professional help and intervention. An edited and abridged article from NURX presents a terrific overview of anxiety, causes, symptoms, and treatment.

Overview

Everyone has anxiety from time to time. However, it’s when you feel persistent and excessive worry about your everyday life that ‘ordinary’ anxiety can move into the realm of something that needs treatment.?

For example, you may be dreading going to work or meeting new people. Or thinking about unpredictable future events might cause you intense fear or terror. Or, in order to compensate for or avoid developing symptoms of anxiety, you may start avoiding certain people or places.

What is anxiety?

From a scientific standpoint, anxiety is your body’s physiological reaction to perceived mental or physical threats.

This leads to some of anxiety’s tell-tale physical symptoms: rapid heart rate, flushed skin, and tense muscles. However, it is the emotional aspect of anxiety is what overwhelms us.

What are anxiety disorders?

It’s natural to feel anxiety sometimes. But when it’s persistent and doesn’t seem to go away, it’s known as an anxiety disorder. Often, anxiety disorders get worse over time and interfere with your daily life.

What are the types of anxiety disorders?

There are different kinds of anxiety disorders, all of which affect everyone a little bit differently.

Phobias

If you have a phobia, you’re afraid of something that’s not inherently dangerous. This irrational fear is intense and can even cause panic attacks. Examples include being afraid of spiders, birds, crowded places, or flying.

Panic Disorder

With panic disorders, you’ll have a panic attack often without any underlying cause. You may find it hard to breathe, experience chest pain, feel like you’re going to die, or feel your heartbeat fluttering.

Social Anxiety Disorder

People with social anxiety disorder?have high levels of anxiety when it comes to interacting with others. They may avoid social situations because they’re embarrassed or self-conscious.

Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD)

If a person has GAD, they’ll worry over normal things like money, relationships, and work. While most people eventually get over these worries, people with GAD eventually find themselves consumed by them.

How common are anxiety disorders?

Anxiety disorders are relatively common. The American Psychiatric Association estimates they affect almost 30% of adults at some time in their lives. Right now 10% of adults are struggling with an anxiety disorder, while 7% of children ages three to 17 have an axiety disorder.

Symptoms

Learning more about the symptoms of anxiety disorders can help you better understand if you are experiencing an anxiety disorder and if you are, you could certainly benefit from professional help and therapy.

What are the symptoms of anxiety disorders?

The symptoms of anxiety disorders can vary a bit depending on what type of disorder you have. However, general anxiety symptoms to look out for include:

• Experiencing a constant feeling of nervousness or restlessness
• Feeling like you’re in danger or that your future is at risk even when it is not actually at risk
• Having a faster heart rate and breathing faster than usual
• Sweating and trembling
• Being tired or weak
• Being unable to think about anything other than what you’re worrying about
• Problems sleeping
• Having recurring gastrointestinal issues
• Being unable to control your worry
• Feeling like you want to avoid situations or people that trigger your anxiety

Causes

There can be many different causes of anxiety disorders. Scientists are still trying to piece it all together, but they believe that in most people, anxiety disorders are caused by several factors.

What causes anxiety disorders?

Some research suggests that genetics could play a role in the development of anxiety disorders.

However, beyond genetic factors, the biggest cause of anxiety is stress. When you’re continually stressed, it sends your your mind and body into over-drive – you feel under stress at all times and in all situations. Trauma can also cause an anxiety disorder in much the same way.

The Mayo Clinic also feels that stressful life events are some of the most widespread causes of everyday anxiety. These events may occur at home, at work, or in school. Often, they involve issues related to personal relationships or financial stability:

• exhaustion
• lots of change or uncertainty
• feeling under intense pressure while studying or in your work
• long working hours
• being out of work
• ?finding housing and homelessness
• losing someone close to you (sometimes called bereavement)
• lonely or isolated
• financial and money concerns
• bullied, harassed or being abused, including experiencing racism .

World events beyond our control are also common causes of anxiety in everyday life like war in other countries, wildfires, floods, and worrying about the environment or natural disasters (sometimes called climate anxiety or eco-anxiety)

In many cases, other medical issues can cause anxiety disorders. Some of the health problems that can contribute to anxiety include:

• Asthma
• Diabetes
• Heart disease
• Irritable bowel syndrome

Who is at risk for anxiety disorders?

The biggest risk factors for anxiety disorders include:

• Gender. Women are more at risk for developing many types of anxiety disorders, and researchers think this is a combination of both societal and biological factors.
• Personality type. Interestingly, research has found that people who are critical of themselves, don’t take criticism well, or had a lot of negative thoughts as a young adult had a greater chance of having anxiety. Introverts were also slightly more likely than extroverts to have a disorder.
• Trauma survivors. Trauma plays a huge role in anxiety disorders, whether you’re a soldier who’s been in the front lines of combat, someone who suffered abuse as a child or someone raised around violence or unstable family situations. These experiences can cause an imbalance in the limbic system.
• Those with family members with other mental health problems. Anxiety disorders are common in people with relatives who have anxiety or depression.
• Those who use drugs and alcohol. Misusing drugs and alcohol can lead to anxiety, as can withdrawing from these substances.

When should people seek treatment for anxiety?

If you feel like your anxiety is interfering with your life, it’s time to seek treatment. It’s normal to feel stressed and worried every once in a while, but usually, these feelings pass. If it’s been weeks and you still aren’t finding relief, it’s best to speak to a professional who can evaluate your situation and recommend treatment.

Treatments and Therapies

The good news is that if you’re suffering from an anxiety disorder, there are many kinds of anxiety treatment you can try.

How are anxiety disorders treated?

There are four main ways to treat anxiety disorders. Often, your doctor may prescribe a combination of these anxiety treatments to help you achieve a fuller recovery.

Psychotherapy

With psychotherapy, you’ll have counseling sessions with a therapist where you can talk about your issues. A specific form of psychotherapy which has been studied for the treatment of anxiety is cognitive behavioral therapy. In this therapy, you’ll work on changing your patterns of thought so you can react differently in specific situations. However, other forms of therapy can be used to treat anxiety as well. Over time, therapy can help you learn to control your fears and anxiety.

Medication

Your doctor may prescribe you an antidepressant or anti-anxiety medication . Both of these work by altering the levels of neurotransmitters in your brain. Neurotransmitters send signals to various parts of the brain, so medication that brings those different areas of the brain and their functions into balance, thereby helping to mitigate anxiety problems.

Support Groups

Support groups may be an excellent way for you to talk with others who are also experiencing anxiety. In these groups, you’ll share your stories and listen to how others have overcome their worries.

Stress Management Techniques

Your doctor (if you have one) can recommend some stress management techniques to help you deal with triggers better. For example, exercise is a good way to relieve stress, as is eating a healthy and balanced diet. They may also give you tips on how to meditate or practice deep breathing to help calm your body.

Managing Symptoms: Staying Healthy

Once you are seeking help with an anxiety disorder, you need to do your part to keep yourself healthy. There are plenty of ways you can do that by:

• Keeping a journal of your thoughts. This can help you identify triggers and act as an outlet for times you’re feeling stressed.
• Stepping away when something is stressing you out. If you’re feeling overwhelmed, it may be best to step back and take yourself out of that situation.
• Getting plenty of sleep. Try to get seven to eight hours?of quality sleep each night. That means putting away electronics an hour before bed, sleeping in a dark room, and going to bed and waking up at the same time every day.
• Keeping with your treatment plan. It’s important to stick with what your medical provider has recommended. Keep taking your medication, as it may take a few weeks to start working. Continue with your therapy, and be consistent in your efforts.

Prevention

In many cases, there are no ways to completely prevent anxiety disorders. However, you can take a few steps to lower your chances of developing an anxiety disorder.

• Stay active. Exercising is a powerful way to relieve stress and regulate your mood.
• Don’t drink or use drugs. These substances can interfere with your brain’s activity and sometimes lead to stress that can cause anxiety.
• Eat a healthy diet. Make sure you’re consuming enough whole grains, fruits, vegetables, and healthy protein, like fish, which is important for brain health.
• Reduce your caffeine consumption. Sometimes, too much coffee or tea can make you feel jumpy and increase your anxiety.

Outlook / Prognosis

With proper treatment, your prognosis after being diagnosed with an anxiety disorder is great. Many people find that their quality of life improves after seeking help from their doctor. They may also see improved relationships and greater productivity.

Where/How to get help

If you’ve read this and feel like you may have an anxiety disorder, there are plenty of ways to get help. Your primary care physician (if you can find one) can listen to your concerns and help you devise a treatment plan to reduce your stress levels. You can also get help from a psychiatrist, counselor, or psychologist.?