10 Things Everyone Hates About Anxiety Disorders
Anxiety Disorders Symptoms
It's normal to experience anxiety and fear from time to the time. But if these feelings become constant and interfere with daily life, you may be suffering from an anxiety disorder.
A healthcare professional can help you find a treatment that fits your symptoms. This may include psychotherapy, antianxiety drugs or natural remedies like exercise, healthy eating, and sleep.
1. Worry and Fear
Everyone experiences feelings of anxiety and fear from time time -- it's a natural part of our body's "fight-or-flight" response to danger. If the feeling is extreme and doesn't go away or interferes with your daily routine it could be a sign that you have anxiety disorder. Your doctor can determine whether you suffer from anxiety disorders by speaking to you and conducting physical examinations, taking blood or urine tests and asking about your previous health. You could also be asked to complete questionnaires that aid your doctor in determining if you suffer from anxiety disorders.
The different types of anxiety disorders have different symptoms. For instance, those with generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) suffer from persistent excessive and irrational worries about everyday events, even though they are aware of no risk. They also have trouble relaxing or falling asleep. Other signs include a rapid and pounding heart, fluttering, or a thumping (heart palpitations), trembling and sweating. People suffering from panic disorders are prone to experiencing frequent episodes of fear or terror that are intense that reach their peak in minutes. They also have trouble managing their emotions. They usually try to avoid certain places or activities to prevent these attacks from occurring.
People with phobias have very intense fears of certain things, such as snakes or flying. Other symptoms may include headaches or difficulty breathing. People suffering from PTSD have anxiety following an experience or witnessing a traumatic event, such as the aftermath of a car crash or war. Other symptoms include nightmares and flashbacks to the traumatic event.
Other anxiety disorders include ocd (obsessive compulsive disorder) hoarding disorder, and social anxiety disorder. These disorders cause you to feel anxious in social situations. There's also anxiety related to a specific health problem, called illness anxiety disorder (formerly known as hypochondria). Stress and a chemical imbalance may cause anxiety. Some medicines can cause anxiety as a side effect.
2. Panic Attacks
People suffering from anxiety disorders have recurring feelings of fear and panic that are not proportional to the situation. These feelings can trigger extreme physical reactions such as a racing pulse, breathlessness and nausea. You might also feel disengaged or unreal.
Although anyone can suffer from panic attacks however, you're more likely develop this mental health issue in your the adolescent years, childhood or early adulthood. It can be caused by a variety of factors, including severe or prolonged stress that causes a chemical imbalance in your nervous system and brain. A severe trauma, particularly during childhood or adolescence, can also increase the likelihood of developing an anxiety disorder.
The attacks can happen without cause or in response to a situation that causes you to be anxious, for example, being in a large group. They differ from normal anxiety symptoms because they have more intense symptoms, and are often unexpected. People suffering from anxiety disorders may also experience a combination of unexpected and expected panic attacks.
The most commonly used treatments for anxiety and panic attacks include medication and talk therapy. Talking therapies can help you manage your anxiety and help you eliminate the irrational thoughts that fuel your anxiety. They can also help you learn to relax through exercises like deep breathing and mindfulness. Certain medications, especially SSRIs (such as Prozac and Paxil) and SNRIs (such as duloxetine and venlafaxine) can help make your anxiety and panic less intense.
It is essential to consult your doctor immediately if you experience recurrent panic attacks. Your doctor can check for any other health conditions that exhibit similar symptoms and recommend other treatments.
3. Insomnia
People who are anxious may have trouble falling asleep or staying asleep. This is referred to as insomnia. It can last for a short time or it may last for a long time. Insomnia can make it hard to make it through the day and could cause serious health issues. It is more prevalent among older adults and is more common in women than men. It is more common among those with psychiatric disorders.
Many different factors can trigger insomnia. There are a variety of things that can cause it. In the short term, illnesses such as colds or headaches, as well as chronic conditions such as arthritis, acid reflux or Parkinson's disease; and medications can affect your sleep. Stressful life circumstances can also be a cause. Around half of those who suffer from chronic insomnia suffer from mental health issues which is usually anxiety or depression.
A doctor will first look for physical causes. They will ask you questions about your medical history and the symptoms that make it difficult to sleep. They will also inquire whether you are taking any medications that might affect your sleep. They may also conduct a sleep study to ensure they can monitor your breathing and heart rate at night.
The most effective treatment of insomnia is a form of behavioral therapy. It helps you to change the negative thoughts that keep you awake. It also teaches ways to unwind before going to bed. There are a myriad of methods to assist you in relaxing, including progressive muscle relaxation meditation, biofeedback, and biofeedback. Your doctor can help locate a therapist that can teach you the methods. If you find that behavioral therapy does not work it is possible to try a variety of medications to aid in sleeping better. They include benzodiazepines, which are employed for short-term relief of symptoms and antidepressant or antianxiety medication.
4. Eating Disorders
Eating disorders are characterized by anxiety about weight, body shape, and food as well as eating habits such as binge eating, purging vomiting, abuse of laxatives or exercising. Many people with an eating disorder also have anxiety and suffer from a mental illness that is co-occurring such as depression or bipolar disorder. Both conditions can lead to an unhealthy cycle where eating disorder symptoms are further aggravated by the person's mood issues.
There is a strong correlation between anxiety and eating disorder severity. More anxiety symptoms are associated with the disorder. In reality, a person with anorexia tends to exhibit excessive levels of anxiety symptoms and this is true for those with an eating disorder called bulimia, also known as binge eating disorder. In some instances, anxiety can be a direct reason for an eating disorder. In some cases anxiety could be a supplementary indication of an eating disorder.
Researchers discovered that the presence of anxiety and depression comorbid symptoms was strongly associated with more severe eating disorders among young females. The research team used the Patient Health Questionnaire-4 (PHQ-4) which is a four-item measurement of anxiety and depression symptoms. They also assessed the severity of an individual's eating disorder and asked participants to rate their strategies for coping for anxiety.
The researchers behind the study also examined three aspects that could explain the relationship between eating disorders and anxiety: perfectionism, self-esteem and mood dysregulation. They discovered that these variables played a role in reducing the connection between anxiety/depression symptoms and eating disorder symptomatology, and that they did this in different ways for different subgroups of the sample. They hope that the results will allow them to develop more precise and focused treatment of eating disorders.
5. Physical Conditions that are a result of anxiety
Most people have feelings of anxiety at some time, but it becomes an illness when it becomes severe and affects daily life. Some sufferers also experience physical symptoms, like stomach pain or chest pain in response to the kind of anxiety they experience.
The appropriate treatment can help people live more healthy and happier lives. Psychotherapy, also known as talk therapy, helps many people. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is a very common kind. CBT is a method of helping you identify and alter negative thoughts that cause anxiety and anxiety. It also teaches you how to face the things that scare you and overcome your fears with small steps.
Medication can be helpful. Benzodiazepines, such as diazepam and Valium can help ease anxiety or panic attacks. Antidepressants, such as SSRIs or tricyclic antidepressants can also be prescribed. These drugs increase levels of certain brain chemicals that regulate mood, and are able to be used in conjunction in conjunction with other treatments for anxiety disorders.
Medical conditions can cause anxiety and may exhibit the same symptoms as anxiety disorders. Head trauma can cause anxiety and depression for instance. Other conditions that can cause anxiety include chronic fatigue, pain, some rheumatologic illnesses, like Lupus, as well as some nutritional deficiencies.
Certain factors increase the likelihood of developing anxiety disorders. These are called risk factors. Some are genetic, such as the family history of anxiety disorders. Other factors such as childhood abuse, depression or other mental disorders, as well as an accumulation of stress for a long time can increase the risk of suffering from anxiety disorders. If you suspect that you are suffering from anxiety, it is important to have an examination of your body.