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Unveiling Anxiety: Navigating Symptoms, Causes, and Recovery
Anxiety Struggles: Overcoming the Grip of Fear and Stress
John has been standing at his front door staring at his car for several minutes now. He knows how much it would mean to his family to show up at the reunion today, but that also means he is going to need to get in that car and drive the hour-long trip it will take to get there. He doesn’t want to let his family down, but since the accident three months ago, getting into a car, let alone driving one, has been impossible for him. As he walks to the car, his hands begin to get clammy, his heart is racing, it is becoming hard for him to breathe, and he feels like he is going to throw up.
As he opens the car door, he begins to have tunnel vision with a pounding headache. What John is experiencing are some of the many symptoms of anxiety. It would be easy to tell John to “get over it” and “relax.” To us who don’t suffer from anxiety, this seems like very logical advice. To John, however, these symptoms and fears are very real. John is in a toxic cycle of overthinking; his thoughts become his worries, and his worries become his thoughts.
Anxiety Disorders: Navigating Causes and Diagnoses
Anxiety is a normal response to a threat or to psychological stress. Normal anxiety is rooted in fear and serves as an important survival function called “fight or flight.” It is considered a disorder when it:
- Occurs at inappropriate times,
- Occurs frequently
- Is so intense and long-lasting that it interferes with normal activities.
To receive a diagnosis, a person must experience excessive worry and anxiety about several different events or activities on more days than not for at least six months, have difficulties controlling worry, and have at least three anxiety symptoms on more days than not in the last six months. According to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America, anxiety disorders are the most common mental illnesses. They affect 40 million adults (18 and older) in the United States, which is 18.1% of the population.
The Beyond Blue Support Service states that “anxiety conditions are not developed or caused by a single factor but a combination of things such as personality, difficult life experiences, and physical health.” These factors, along with family history, will help lead a health professional to a diagnosis of anxiety. Some people who have a parent or a family member with an anxiety condition may have a predisposition towards anxiety, but it is not always the case. People who have personality traits such as timidness, perfectionism, inhibitedness, lack of self-esteem, and control may be more likely to have anxiety.
Physical Triggers and Manifestations of Anxiety
Anxiety can develop because of stressful life events such as work stress, change of job, change in living arrangements, family and relationship problems, pregnancy and the birth of a child, major emotional shock following a stressful or traumatic event, verbal/sexual/emotional or physical abuse, death or loss of loved one. Chronic physical illnesses such as diabetes, asthma, hypertension, and heart disease can also play a part in anxiety conditions. A disruption to hormones and electrical signals in the brain can also bring on an anxiety condition.
Anxiety can affect the body in many different ways. One or more of these symptoms can occur at a time: trembling, disturbed sleep, palpitations, headaches, chest tightness, stomach aches/nausea, shortness of breath, tiredness, sweating, dry mouth, loss of appetite, and bowel issues. Since these symptoms are general and not specific to any one medical condition, one needs to go through three areas of examination to get a diagnosis. An extensive medical and personal history must be taken, as well as an extensive physical examination and blood and urine laboratory tests.
Treating Anxiety: Approaches for Recovery and Relief
Once the tests are done and other medical issues are ruled out, a health professional can begin to treat the anxiety. The main treatments for anxiety disorders include psychotherapy, medications, exercise, and natural remedies. Medications are usually prescribed along with therapy. The two general types of medications are Antidepressants and Anti-anxiety medications. A form of psychotherapy called cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is often used to treat anxiety disorders. CBT focuses on changing unhealthy thinking and behavior patterns through talk sessions. A CBT therapist may also introduce relaxation techniques like deep breathing exercises to help counteract your symptoms.
Suma Chand, a Ph.D. and director of the Cognitive Behavior Therapy Program in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience at St. Louis University School of Medicine in Missouri, states, “One of the biggest strengths of CBT is that the improvement tends to be durable and long-lasting.” “By the end of the sessions, the person has learned strategies that can be used for the rest of his or her life. Most importantly, the treatment also results in changes in the thinking patterns and beliefs that maintained their anxiety.”
Lifestyle and Anxiety: Coping Strategies and Changes
Lifestyle changes can also be helpful to people who struggle with anxiety. These can make a difference. However, they are not a cure. Some lifestyle changes include Exercise, Avoidance of alcohol and drugs, smoking, Cutting back on caffeinated beverages, relaxation techniques, Getting plenty of sleep, and eating healthy. Some herbal and dietary supplements such as Kava, Lavender, and St. John’s Wort have been known to help as well.
In conclusion, it can be said anxiety is a very personal disease. The symptoms can be varied, and the reasons behind the disease are different from person to person. One cannot just “relax,” “chill,” or “pull themselves together” to get over the disease of anxiety. It takes an in-depth look and treatment by trained professionals to overcome the disease of anxiety.
References
- Anxiety Disorders Association of America. (n.d.). Facts & Statistics.
- Beyond Blue. (n.d.). Anxiety.
- National Institute of Mental Health. (2021). Anxiety Disorders.
- Mayo Clinic. (2021). Anxiety disorders.
- Harvard Health Publishing. (2018). Exercise is an all-natural treatment to fight depression.
- National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health. (2021). Kava.
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