Anxiety Disorders: 11 Thing You're Not Doing
Anxiety Disorders Symptoms
Everyone experiences anxiety and fear at times - it's an inherent part of being human. If these feelings are constant and disrupt your daily life, you might have an anxiety disorder.
A healthcare professional can assist you in finding the right treatment for your symptoms. This may include psychotherapy, antianxiety drugs or natural remedies like exercise, a healthy diet and sleep.
1. Worry and Fear
Everyone experiences anxiety and fears at times. It's part of the body's "fight or flight" response to danger. If the feeling is extreme and doesn't go away or is interfering with daily life and activities, then you could be suffering from anxiety disorder. Your doctor can identify anxiety disorders through a conversation with you, a physical examination and urine or blood tests, and inquiries regarding your past health. You might be asked to complete questionnaires that will help your doctor determine if you have an anxiety disorder.
The symptoms of anxiety disorders differ by type. People suffering from generalized anxiety disorder , for example are constantly worried and irrationally about everyday events even though there is no real threat. They also have trouble getting comfortable or falling asleep. Other signs include a fast or racing heart (heart pounding) and trembling. They also experience sweating. People who suffer from panic disorders have frequent periods of intense terror or fear, which reach a peak within a matter of minutes. They also have difficulty managing their emotions. They often try to avoid certain activities or places to stop these attacks from occurring.
People who have phobias are scared of certain things, such as flying or snakes. They might have other symptoms, such as difficulty breathing or headaches. People with PTSD suffer from anxiety after experiencing or witnessing an event that is traumatic like an accident in a car or a war. Other symptoms include nightmares and flashbacks to the traumatizing incident.
Other forms of anxiety disorders include ocd hoarding disorder and social anxiety disorder that makes you feel anxious in social settings. There's also anxiety about the specific health issue known as illness anxiety disorder (formerly known as hypochondria). Other causes of anxiety are stress and an imbalance of chemicals in your brain. Certain medications can cause anxiety as a side effect.
2. Panic Attacks
Although everyone is worried or anxious at some point, those who suffer from anxiety disorders experience frequent feelings of extreme fear and panic that are disproportionate to their circumstances. These feelings can trigger intense physical reactions, including an increased heart rate, shortness of breath and nausea. They can cause you to feel disoriented or disconnected from reality.
While anyone can suffer from a panic disorder but it's more common to develop it in childhood, adolescence or in the early years of adulthood. It can be caused by a variety of factors that include prolonged or severe stress that triggers a chemical imbalance in your nervous system and brain. Trauma, especially in childhood or adolescence can increase your risk of anxiety disorders.
Panic attacks can occur without reason or in response to a particular event that causes you to be afraid like being in an en masse. They are different from normal anxiety symptoms in that they are more intense and are usually unexpected. People suffering from anxiety disorders might also experience a mixture of unanticipated and expected panic attacks.
Talking therapies and medication are the most commonly used treatments for panic attacks and anxiety. Talking therapies can help you manage your anxiety and reduce the irrational thoughts that fuel your anxiety. They can teach you relaxation exercises such as mindfulness and deep breathing. Certain medications, especially SSRIs (such as Prozac and Paxil) and SNRIs (such as duloxetine and venlafaxine) can help to reduce anxiety and make panic less severe.
If you're experiencing a regular panic attack, it's crucial to see your doctor and get treatment right away. Your doctor can check whether you have any other health conditions with similar symptoms and recommend other treatment options.
3. Insomnia
If people are stressed they may have trouble falling asleep or staying asleep at night. This is called insomnia. It can be a temporary problem or a long-term one. Insomnia can make it difficult to get through the day, and could cause serious health problems. It is more prevalent among older adults and affects more women than men. It is more common among people suffering from psychiatric issues.
Many different factors can trigger insomnia. In the short term, illnesses such as colds or headaches, as well as chronic conditions like acid reflux, arthritis or Parkinson's disease; and medication can all affect your sleep. Stressful life events can trigger it. About half of those suffering from chronic insomnia suffer from a mental illness, which is most often depression or anxiety.
A doctor will first determine physical causes. They will ask you questions regarding your medical history, as well as the symptoms that make it difficult to sleep. They will also inquire whether you are taking any medications that may be affecting your sleep. They could also conduct a sleep study so they can monitor your breathing and heart rate during the night.
Behavioral therapy is the most effective treatment for insomnia. It helps you overcome the negative thoughts that keep you awake. It also teaches you ways to sleep more peacefully before you go to bed. There are techniques for doing this, such as biofeedback, progressive muscle relaxation and meditation. Your doctor can help find a therapist to teach you the methods. If you don't respond to behavioral therapies there are many medications that can help improve your sleep. They include benzodiazepines, that are used to treat symptoms for a short period of time, and antianxiety or antidepressant medication.
4. Eating Disorders
Eating disorders are characterised by anxiety about the body's shape, weight, and food as well as eating habits like binge eating, purging or vomiting, or the use of laxatives, and compulsive exercising. A lot of people who suffer from an eating disorder also suffer from anxiety and have a mental illness co-occurring with it such as depression or bipolar disorder. The two conditions can result in an unhealthy cycle where eating disorder symptoms are further aggravated by a person's mood issues.
There is a strong link between eating disorders and anxiety as greater levels of anxiety symptoms being linked to greater severity of the disorder. In fact the person suffering from anorexia tends to exhibit the presence of anxiety-related symptoms at a high level and this applies to those suffering from an eating disorder called bulimia, also known as binge eating disorder. In some cases anxiety can be the primary reason behind an eating disorder. In certain cases, anxiety may be a secondary sign of an eating disorder.
In disorders anxiety , researchers discovered that comorbid anxiety and depression symptoms were significantly related to more severe symptoms of eating disorders among young females. The team of researchers used the Patient Health Questionnaire-4 (PHQ-4) which is a four-item measure of core depression and anxiety symptoms. They also measured the severity of a person's eating disorder and asked participants to rate their strategies for anxiety.
The researchers behind the study also examined three aspects that could explain the connection between eating disorders and anxiety: self-esteem, perfectionism and mood dysregulation. These factors influenced the relationship between anxiety/depression and eating disorders however in different ways based on the subgroups. They hope that their findings will allow them to develop more precise and targeted treatment for eating disorders.
5. Physical conditions that are a result of anxiety
Many people experience anxiety-related feelings at some moment, but it turns into an illness when it becomes severe and interferes with daily life. Some people might also experience physical symptoms such as chest pain or stomach discomfort in relation to the type of anxiety they are experiencing.
Finding the best treatment for anxiety disorders can make people feel better and lead happier lives. Many people benefit from psychotherapy or talk therapy. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is a popular kind. CBT helps you identify and alter negative thoughts that trigger anxiety and anxiety. It also teaches you to confront the things that make you anxious and conquer your fears with small steps.
Medication can also help. Benzodiazepines like diazepam or Valium can help ease anxiety and panic attacks. Antidepressants, such as tricyclic antidepressants or SSRIs, may also be prescribed. These medications boost levels of certain brain chemicals that control mood, and they can be used on their own or with other treatments for anxiety disorders.
Certain medical conditions can trigger anxiety and can cause physical symptoms as those of an anxiety disorder. Head trauma can cause anxiety and depression, for example. Other conditions that can trigger anxiety include chronic fatigue and chronic pain and rheumatologic conditions, such as lupus; and some nutritional deficiencies, such as iron deficiency.
Certain factors increase the chance of developing an anxiety disorder. These are referred to as risk factors. Certain risk factors are genetic, like an ancestral history of anxiety or disorders. Other factors, like the abuse of children, a history of depression or other mental health issues and the accumulation of stress over a long time, can increase the risk of developing anxiety disorders. If you suspect that you have anxiety issues, it is important to get an examination for physical health.