Anxiety – Overview, Causes, Symptoms and Management.
Overview
Many different words in the English language relate to the subjective experience of anxiety such as “dread,” “fright,” “panic,” “nervous,” “worry,” “fear,” “horror,” and “terror”. This has led to considerable confusion and inaccuracy in the common use of the term “anxious.”
However, “fear” and “anxiety” must be clearly distinguished in any theory of anxiety that hopes to offer guidance for treatment of anxiety.
“Fear is a primitive alarm in response to present danger, characterized by strong action tendencies” Anxiety, on the other hand is defined as “a future oriented emotion, characterized by perceptions of uncontrollability and unpredictability over potentially dislike events. Anxiety is an emotional response triggered by fear. Thus fear “is the appraisal of danger; anxiety is the unpleasant feeling state evoked when fear is stimulated”.
Anxiety is a complex physiological and behavioral response system (i.e., threat mode) that is activated when circumstances are deemed to be highly aversive (causing strong dislike) because they are interpret to be unpredictable, uncontrollable events that could potentially threaten the vital interests of an individual.
Causes
Anxiety results from bad interactions between the individual and his/her life situation. It includes biological, genetic, environmental and social factors. Environmental factors such as a trauma may trigger an anxiety disorder in people who are more susceptible to developing the disorder.
- Psychological trauma
- Low self-confidence
- Genetics
- Social conflicts
- Negatively biased thoughts, beliefs
- Experiences which may lead to specific phobias
- Excess use of caffeinated drinks
- An unpleasant life experience
- Stress of everyday
Triggering Situation → Anxious Thought → Anxious Feeling
Sign and symptoms
Physiological Cognitive
Increase heart rate fear of losing control
shortness of breath fear of judgement
chest pain frightening thoughts
weakness, faintness poor concentration
Behavioral Affective
freezing, motionless nervous, tense
difficult speaking fearful frightened
restlessness, agitation impatient, frustrate
How to Manage Anxiety
Each patient requires unique management by medicines and therapy. 3 most common way to manage anxiety are below.
Psychotherapy
Psychotherapy also known as “talk therapy” can be helpful to people with anxiety disorders. Therapy can include cognitive behavioral therapy.
Example Shift Threat Focus
One of the first objectives of cognitive interventions is to shift the client’s focus away from an internal or external situation or stimulus as the cause of fear and anxiety. Most individuals with an anxiety disorder enter therapy believing that the cause of their anxiousness is the situation that triggers their anxious episodes.
Medication
Antidepressants, anti-anxiety medications are the common medications used to fight anxiety. It does not cure it, but can help to get relieve from symptoms of anxiety. Health care providers, such as a psychiatrist can prescribe medication for anxiety.
Lifestyle
Stress management techniques, such as
- exercise,
- mindfulness,
- yoga and meditation, also can reduce anxiety symptoms and enhance the effects of psychotherapy.
Conclusion
A large percentage of the general adult population experiences occasional or mild symptoms of anxiety. There is some evidence that individuals are at increased risk for developing a full-blown anxiety disorder if they experience panic attacks, sleep disturbance.
Avoid Chaotic mind, unnecessary negative thoughts, try to calm down by whatever means available like playing sports, doing yoga or any sort of physical activity, talking to person with whom you feel comfortable, try to do things which are more pleasant to you. If you feel more frequent and intense symptoms of anxiety, then you should consult to respective healthcare provider.
References
- Cognitive Therapy of Anxiety Disorders : David A. Clark Aaron T. Beck
- https://www.nhp.gov.in/Anxiety-Disorders_mtl
- https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/anxiety-disorders