Anxiety is a natural response to stress. We face stressful situations on a daily basis so we tend to experience anxiety often. Anxiety is an unpleasant emotion with the expectation, but not the certainty of something untoward happening. Some of the most common feelings include apprehension or fear of thinking about the challenges we are about to face. It is perfectly okay to feel anxious when we are about to do something completely new like starting a new job, taking a test, or moving to a new place. Even though anxiety is unpleasant it actually encourages us to perform better, adapt and learn.
What are anxiety disorders?
Anxiety becomes a problem when it can be felt without a reason or cause to worry. When this constant or recurrent anxiety disrupts day-to-day functioning, it becomes a disorder. If you don’t pay attention to the condition at an earlier stage, it can worsen causing avoidance, and isolation leading to devastating consequences. Anxiety disorders are quite common and can affect people at any age. Early evaluation and treatment can make the person lead a healthy and happy life
Based on the cause of anxiety and associated symptoms, anxiety disorders are of multiple types.
Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD)
Are you unable to concentrate on your studies as you fear that you will fail in your exams?
Do you repeatedly check your watch worried that you would be late for work even when you start early?
Do you fear that the worst may have happened when your partner gets late from work?
Do you fear that child might have a life-threatening disease when he or she gets a headache?
Do you fear your son will get divorced because he had a fight with his wife?
Generalised anxiety disorder is characterised by free-floating, persistent, and excessive worry. This anxiety doesn’t go away with time and may get worse if left untreated. If you feel that most things make you anxious for no obvious reason, you may be dealing with a generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). It can last for a few months to several years.
What are the symptoms of GAD?
The patient may experience some of the following symptoms:
- A constant worry for no apparent reason
- Despite trying you can’t stop worrying
- You can’t recall the last time you felt relaxed and didn’t fear that something will go wrong
- You think of a contingency plan for the fear that something will go wrong
- It is difficult to deal with uncertainty and avoidance feels like a better choice
- Taking a decision is difficult for the fear that it will go wrong
- You cannot concentrate easily
- It takes very long to fall asleep
- Tiredness throughout the day
Physical symptoms of GAD
- Muscle tension
- Nausea, Stomach ache, Diarrhoea
- Headache, giddiness, twitching
- Palpitations, breathlessness, sweating
All the above-mentioned symptoms occur without any physical illness.
Social Anxiety Disorder
Your friends are having a social gathering and you are invited. You have no reason to not go yet you decide to not show up even when everyone asked you repeatedly.
Social anxiety disorder is a condition where the person experiences the fear of scrutiny or getting judged by people thereby leading to avoidance of social situations. Meeting even one or two people may cause anxiety, self-consciousness and embarrassment. Severe anxiety can disrupt routine social interactions that form a part of personal relationships, at the workplace or school or in other activities. Following tasks may become extremely challenging for a person with social anxiety disorder:
- talking to strangers
- speaking in public
- making eye contact
- entering rooms full of people
- using public restroom
- going to parties/dinners
- talking to a cashier
- going to school or work
- starting a conversation
What are the symptoms of social anxiety disorder?
Some of the following symptoms may be experienced by people dealing with social anxiety disorder:
- You don’t want anyone to know that you are anxious so you avoid all social scenarios
- Anxiety is felt before any big gathering that may even start weeks before the event
- Experiencing panic attacks before or during the social interaction
- Feeling judged or scrutinised during a social interaction
How can social anxiety disorder impact your life?
Avoiding social situations can lead to an impact on your personal life and may lead to:
- Low-self esteem
- Sensitivity to criticism
- Poor social skills
- Trouble being assertive
- Difficulty maintaining social relationships
- Low academic and professional achievements
Panic Disorder
You were working normally and then suddenly you experience a strong feeling of terror even when there is no real threat. The feeling reaches its peak in ten-fifteen minutes at which point you feel the worst will happen.
This is a panic attack!
A panic attack is characterised by sudden onset of palpitations, chest pain, choking sensations, dizziness, and feelings of unreality. There is often also a secondary fear of dying or losing control
It develops into a panic disorder when you have recurrent panic attacks and harbour a fear of another attack. You may associate the attack with the place where it has occurred and even starts avoiding it.
What are the symptoms of panic disorder?
During a panic attack you may experience the following:
- Sweating profusely
- Chest pain
- Difficulty in breathing
- Headache
- Ringing in ears
- Cramps in stomach
- An intense feeling of terror
- Detachment from reality or oneself
- Fear of losing control or going crazy
- Fear of death
Phobia
Do you avoid standing near windows in a tall building for fear of height?
Do you do everything to make sure there are no lizards in your room?
Do you fear entering an elevator or an enclosed space?
If you have a constant fear of certain situations, activities or objects, you could be dealing with phobias. They are overwhelming and irrational fears that make your body and mind weak.
What are the symptoms of phobia?
The following may happen when you encounter things you fear:
- It feels as if your heart is pounding very hard
- There is difficulty in breathing
- You speak too fast or can’t speak at all
- Nausea
- Shaking or trembling
- Choking sensation
- Dizziness
- You are drenched in sweat all of a sudden
- It feels as if everything is coming to an end
What are the causes and risk factors associated with an anxiety disorder?
Following are the common causes and risk factors for an anxiety disorder:
- Biological factors like imbalance in neurochemicals and it may run in family
- Traumatic childhood or past traumatic events
- Experiencing sudden negative life event
- Certain personality traits can make one more prone to anxiety disorders.
How can anxiety disorders be treated?
Psychotherapy and/or medications form the first line of treatment for anxiety disorders
Medications:
- Anxiolytics
- Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs)
- Beta-blockers
Psychotherapy:
- Cognitive behaviours therapy (CBT)
- Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy
- Relaxation therapy
- Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT)
- Exposure therapy
- Group therapy
We Can Diagnose and Treat Your Condition. We can help you get better. Reach us today for further assistance.
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