Anxiety Disorders Explained In Fewer Than 140 Characters

Anxiety Disorders Symptoms It's normal to experience anxiety and fear from time to moment. If these feelings are constant and disrupt your daily routine, then you may have anxiety disorder. A healthcare professional can help you in locating a treatment that will address your symptoms. This may include psychotherapy, antianxiety drugs or natural remedies like exercise, healthy eating, and sleep. 1. Worry and Fear Every person feels anxiety and fear from time to time. It's an inherent part of our 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 exam and urine or blood tests, and questions about your health history. You also might be given questionnaires to fill in that help your doctor evaluate whether you have a specific anxiety disorder. The symptoms of anxiety disorders differ depending on the kind. For example, people with generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) have persistent, excessive and irrational worry about everyday situations, even though they know there is no danger. They also have difficulty sleeping or relaxing. Other symptoms include a fast and pounding heart, fluttering, or a thumping (heart palpitations), sweating and trembling. People suffering from panic disorder experience frequent periods of intense feelings of terror or fear that reach the point of exhaustion in a matter of minutes. They also have difficulty managing their emotions. They often try to avoid certain activities or places to avoid these attacks happening. People who have phobias are scared of certain things, such as flying or snakes. Other signs include headaches or difficulty breathing. People suffering from PTSD are anxious after experiencing or witnessing traumatizing events like a war or car crash. They may experience other symptoms too, like nightmares and flashbacks of the traumatizing incident. Other forms of anxiety disorders include ocd, hoarding disorder and social anxiety disorder, which causes you feel anxious in social settings. There's also anxiety over the specific health issue known as illness anxiety disorder (formerly known as hypochondria). Stress and chemical imbalances can also trigger anxiety. Certain medications can cause anxiety as a side effect. 2. Panic Attacks Individuals with anxiety disorders experience recurring feelings of fear and panic that are not proportional to the situation. These feelings can trigger severe physical reactions, including rapid heartbeat as well as a shortness of breath and nausea. They may also make you feel unreal or detached from reality. While anyone can have a panic attack but you're more likely to develop this mental health issue in your the adolescent years, childhood or early adulthood. There are many factors that can trigger it, such as prolonged or extreme stress that triggers chemical imbalances in the brain and nervous system. Trauma, particularly during childhood or adolescence can increase your risk of anxiety disorders. Panic attacks can occur for no apparent cause or in response to a circumstance that causes you to be afraid, like being around a large number of people. They differ from normal anxiety symptoms in that they have more intense symptoms and are often unavoidable. People suffering from anxiety disorders may also experience a combination of sudden and anticipated panic attacks. Talking therapies and medication are the most popular treatments for anxiety and panic attacks. Talking therapies help you manage your anxiety and reduce the unfounded thoughts that cause anxiety. They can teach you relaxation exercises like deep breathing and mindfulness. Certain medications, especially SSRIs (such as Prozac and Paxil) and SNRIs (such as duloxetine and venlafaxine) can help to make your anxiety and panic less severe. It is essential to consult your doctor immediately if you experience recurrent panic attacks. Your doctor will determine whether you have any other medical conditions that have similar symptoms, and may suggest alternative treatments. 3. Insomnia People who are anxious may be unable to fall asleep or staying asleep. This is referred to as insomnia. This can happen for an indefinite period of time, or it can last a long time. Insomnia makes it difficult to function during the day, and can cause serious health problems. It is more common among women than men and is more prevalent in older adults. It is more prevalent among people suffering from psychiatric issues. Insomnia can be caused by a myriad of different causes. It can be caused by temporary illnesses like colds or headaches; long-term illnesses like arthritis, acid reflux or Parkinson's disease; and medications can affect your sleep. Stressful life events can contribute to it. About half of the people who suffer from chronic insomnia suffer from mental health issues, most often depression or anxiety. A doctor will first investigate physical causes. They will review your medical history and ask you about the symptoms that are making it harder to sleep. They will also want to know if any of the medications you are taking affect it. They could also conduct an examination of your sleep to check your heart rate and breathing at night. Behavioral therapy is the most effective treatment for insomnia. It helps you change the negative thinking patterns that are keeping you awake. It also shows you how to sleep more peacefully before you go to bed. There are a variety of methods to do this, like progressive muscle relaxation, biofeedback and meditation. Your doctor can help find a therapist to teach you the techniques. If you find that behavioral therapy does not work, you can explore a range of medications to assist you in sleeping better. These include benzodiazepines which can be used to relieve symptoms temporarily, as well as antidepressant and antianxiety medications. 4. Eating Disorders Eating disorders are characterized by anxiety about body shape, weight and food choices, as well as eating habits such as eating excessively, purging frequently, vomiting, or misuse of laxatives, and compulsive exercising. A lot of people who suffer from an eating disorder also suffer from anxiety, as do those who have a co-occurring mental illness such as depression or bipolar disorder. Together, the two disorders can create a vicious cycle in which a person's mood issues increase the symptoms of their eating disorder. There is a strong correlation between anxiety and the severity of eating disorders. Anxiety levels that are higher symptoms are linked to the disorder. Anorexia nervosa sufferers tend to have high levels of anxiety symptoms. The same is true for bulimia, binge-eating disorders, or bulimia. In some cases, anxiety can be a direct reason for an eating disorder. In certain cases anxiety could be a indication of an eating disorder. Researchers discovered that the presence of comorbid depression and anxiety symptoms was strongly associated with more severe eating disorders among young females. The researchers employed a four-item scale known as the Patient Health Questionnaire-4, which measures depression and anxiety symptoms. They also measured the severity of an individual's eating disorder and asked participants to rate their strategies for anxiety. The study's authors also examined three variables that could be a reason for the connection between eating disorders and anxiety self-esteem, perfectionism, and mood dysregulation. They discovered that these variables moderated the link between anxiety/depression symptoms and symptomatology of eating disorders, and that they did differently for different subgroups of the sample. They hope that their findings will lead to more precise and specific treatment for eating disorders. 5. Anxiety-Related physical conditions Many people experience feelings of anxiety at some time, but it becomes a disorder when it's severe and affects daily life. Some sufferers also experience physical symptoms, like stomach pain or chest pain according to the type of anxiety they have. Finding the best treatment for anxiety disorders can help people feel better and live happier lives. Psychotherapy, or talk therapy, helps many people. A common kind is cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). CBT teaches how to identify and alter negative thoughts that trigger anxiety and anxiety. It also helps you confront your fears and take small steps to overcome them. It is also possible to get medication. Benzodiazepines such as diazepam and Valium can help reduce anxiety or panic attacks. Antidepressants such as SSRIs and tricyclic antidepressants are also prescribed. These medications increase levels of certain brain chemicals that control mood and can be used on their own or with other treatments for anxiety disorders. Anxiety-producing medical conditions can be caused by medical conditions and sometimes have the same physical symptoms as an anxiety disorder. Head trauma, for instance can trigger depression and anxiety. Other conditions that can cause anxiety include chronic pain, fatigue disorders and rheumatologic conditions like Lupus, as well as some nutritional deficiencies. Certain factors make a person more likely to develop an anxiety disorder. These are known as risk factors. Some risk factors are genetic, like an ancestral history of anxiety or disorders. Other factors, such as the abuse of children or the presence of depression or other mental health problems and the accumulation of stress over a long time, may increase the risk of suffering from anxiety disorders. For these reasons, it is essential to undergo an accurate physical exam if you think you suffer from anxiety.