15 Of The Best Pinterest Boards Of All Time About Anxiety Disorders
Anxiety Disorders Symptoms
It's normal to feel anxiety and fear from time moment. If these feelings are constant and are affecting your daily routine, then you might have an anxiety disorder.
A healthcare professional can help you in locating a solution that will address your symptoms. This may include psychotherapy or antianxiety medication as well as natural remedies such as exercise and a healthy diet and sleep.
1. Worry and Fear
Every person feels anxiety and fear from time to time. It's normal to experience our body's "fight-or-flight" response to danger. If the feeling is extreme, doesn't go away and interferes with your daily activities you could be suffering from an anxiety disorder. Your doctor can diagnose anxiety disorders by having a discussion with you, a physical examination, blood or urine tests, and inquires regarding your past health. You also might be given questionnaires to fill in to help your doctor determine whether you have a particular anxiety disorder.
The different types of anxiety disorders have different symptoms. For instance, those with generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) have persistent excessive and irrational worries about everyday situations even when they are aware of no danger. They also have difficulty getting comfortable or falling asleep. Other symptoms include a fast and pounding heart, fluttering, or a thumping (heart palpitations), trembling and sweating. People suffering from panic disorder experience repeated periods of intense terror or fear that reach an extreme within minutes, and they experience difficulty managing their emotions. They avoid certain places and activities to prevent attacks.
People with phobias have very extreme fears of certain things, such as snakes or flying. Other signs include headaches or difficulty breathing. People suffering from PTSD have anxiety after witnessing or experiencing traumatizing events like a car accident or war. They may experience other symptoms, too, including flashbacks and nightmares of the traumatizing event.
Other forms of anxiety disorders include ocd hoarding disorder, and social anxiety disorder that makes you feel anxious in social situations. There's also anxiety related to an individual health issue, known as illness anxiety disorder (formerly known as hypochondria). Stress and a chemical imbalance may cause anxiety. Sometimes, anxiety can be an adverse effect of certain medications.
2. Panic Attacks
While everyone feels nervous or scared at some point, people suffering from anxiety disorders are prone to recurring sensations of anxiety and fear that are disproportionate to their circumstances. These feelings can trigger extreme physical reactions, such as rapid heart rate, shortness in breath, and nausea. They can also cause you to feel disoriented or disconnected from reality.
While anyone can experience an anxiety attack but you're more likely to develop this type of mental health condition in the adolescent years, childhood or early adulthood. It is caused by a variety of factors, including severe or prolonged stress that creates an imbalance of chemicals in your nervous system and brain. Trauma, especially in childhood or adolescence can increase the chances of developing anxiety disorders.
Panic attacks can happen without explanation or in response to a particular situation that makes you afraid like being in an en masse. They differ from normal anxiety symptoms since they are more severe symptoms and are typically unexpected. People suffering from anxiety disorders may also experience a mix of expected and unexpected panic attacks.
The use of medication and talking therapies are the most popular treatments for anxiety and panic attacks. Talking therapies can help you learn to manage your fears and overcome the irrational beliefs that fuel your anxiety. They can also help you learn to relax through exercises like deep breathing and mindfulness. Certain medications, like duloxetine and SNRIs, such as SSRIs and venlafaxine, can aid in reducing anxiety and panic.
If you're experiencing a regular panic attack, you need to consult your doctor and get treatment right away. Your doctor can check for other medical illnesses that share similar symptoms, and may recommend alternative treatments.
3. Insomnia
People who are anxious may have difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep. This is referred to as insomnia. This can happen for only a few minutes or can last a long time. Insomnia can make it difficult to function during the day and could cause serious health problems. It affects women more than men and is more prevalent among older adults. It is also more common for those suffering from psychiatric disorders.
Many different factors can trigger insomnia. Many different things can trigger it. Sleep can be affected by illnesses that are temporary such as headaches or colds or chronic illnesses like acid reflux, Parkinson's disease, arthritis and medications. Stressful life situations can also be a cause. Around half of people suffering from chronic insomnia suffer from mental illness, most commonly depression or anxiety.
A doctor will first determine physical causes. They will examine your medical history and inquire about the symptoms making it harder to sleep. They will also inquire if you are taking any medications that might affect your sleep. They might also do a sleep study so they can observe your breathing and heart rate at night.
The most effective way to treat insomnia is behavioral therapy. It helps you to change the negative thought patterns that keep you awake. It also teaches you ways to relax before bed. There are a variety of techniques to aid in relaxation, such as progressive muscle relaxation meditation, biofeedback and biofeedback. Your doctor can assist you to find a therapist to teach you the techniques. If behavioral therapy does not work it is possible to explore a range of medications to help you sleep better. These include benzodiazepines that are used for short-term symptom relief as well as antidepressant or antianxiety medications.
4. Eating Disorders
Eating disorders are characterised by preoccupations about body shape, weight and food and eating habits like binge eating, purging or vomiting, or the use of laxatives and exercise. Many people with an eating disorder experience anxiety. The same holds the case for those who suffer from mental illness such as depression or bipolar disorder. When they are combined, these two conditions can create a vicious circle where the person's mood disorders exacerbate the symptoms of their eating disorder.
There is a strong link between anxiety and eating disorders, with higher levels of anxiety symptoms being associated with greater severity of the disorder. Anorexia nervosa sufferers are more likely to suffer from high levels of anxiety symptoms. The same is true for binge-eating disorders, bulimia or the condition known as bulimia. In some cases anxiety can be the primary cause of an eating disorder. In certain instances, anxiety may be a secondary indication of an eating disorder.
In one study, researchers discovered that depression and anxiety symptoms were significantly linked to more severe symptoms of eating disorders in females who were young. The team of researchers 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 anxiety.
The authors of the study also looked at three factors that could help explain the relationship between eating disorders and anxiety self-esteem, perfectionism, and mood dysregulation. They found that these factors moderated the link between anxiety/depression symptoms and eating disorder symptomatology and that they did so in different ways for different subgroups of the sample. They hope the findings will enable more precise and targeted treatment of eating disorders.
5. Anxiety-related physical conditions that can be linked to anxiety
Most people have anxiety-related feelings at some time, but it can become an illness when it becomes severe and causes problems with daily living. Some people may also experience physical symptoms such as chest pain or stomach discomfort in relation to the type of anxiety they are experiencing.
Finding the right treatment for anxiety disorders can help people feel better and lead happier lives. Psychotherapy, also known as talk therapy, helps many people. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is a common type. CBT is a method of helping you identify and alter negative thoughts that can trigger anxiety and anxiety. It also teaches you to confront the things that make you anxious and conquer your fears in small steps.
It is also possible to get medication. Benzodiazepines such as diazepam and Valium can ease anxiety or panic attacks. Antidepressants, including SSRIs or tricyclic antidepressants, are also available for prescription. These drugs increase levels of certain brain chemicals that control mood, and are able to be used in conjunction in conjunction with other treatments for anxiety disorders.
Medical conditions can cause anxiety and may cause the same physical symptoms as an anxiety disorder. For instance, head trauma can cause anxiety and depression. Other conditions that can trigger anxiety include chronic fatigue, chronic pain and rheumatologic conditions like Lupus, and some nutritional deficiencies.
Certain factors make a person more likely to develop anxiety disorders. These are known as risk factors. Some are genetic, for example, an ancestral history of anxiety disorders. Other factors, such as childhood addiction, depression or other mental disorders, as well as a long-term buildup of stress can increase the risk of developing anxiety disorders. For these reasons, it is essential to undergo a thorough physical exam if you have anxiety.