Hi, I'm Dr. Craig's Saw chuck,
a clinical psychologist at Mayo Clinic.
And I'm here to talk with you about anxiety,
what it is, what
causes it, and how to treat it.
Whether you're looking
for answers for yourself,
a friend, or loved one.
Understanding the basics of
anxiety can help you take the next step.
Anxiety is a normal part of life.
We all worry about
certain situations from time to time.
When anxiety becomes a problem,
when it starts to interfere
with daily activities,
causes you to avoid places or
situations and makes it
hard for you to enjoy life.
People with anxiety disorders frequently
experienced excessive and persistent worry,
intense physical symptoms such as panic
and uncontrollable fear
about everyday situations.
The good news is that
anxiety disorders are
common and very treatable.
In fact, anxiety disorders are among
the most common mental health condition
affecting over 40 million
adults in the US alone.
While anxiety affects people of
all ages and backgrounds,
women are twice as likely
to be affected as men.
Given that clinical anxiety may cause
significant problems in day-to-day living.
It can also be
common that those struggling with
anxiety may also struggle
with other mental health conditions,
including depression and substance use.
Anxiety often creates a cycle of feeling,
thinking, and behaving that's
designed to keep you trapped.
Anxiety is known as an up-regulating emotion.
So physically our heart rate increases.
It can be harder to breathe, swept,
we just feel on edge and
our muscles feel tight.
It can be harder to think when we're anxious.
We often worry about worst-case outcomes.
Assumed that these worst-case outcomes
are really likely to happen.
And we doubt our ability to cope,
control, or even recover
from these things that they occur.
When we feel physically uncomfortable
and struggle with
the intensity of our worries.
It makes sense that our behavior also changes
when anxious or behavior
can change in two ways.
Sometimes we just don't
do enough of something
like avoid those things that causes anxiety.
Other times we've made actually do too
much of something like seek reassurance.
Constantly check things over and over again,
or use substances we don't avoid or
over engage things because
they make us feel good.
We ought to do them
because they make us feel less bad.
What causes anxiety?
Anxiety can be caused by many things.
Some people may have
a family history of anxiety,
certain personality traits such as shyness or
the tendency to be more physically
reactive to changes in the environment.
Or even health conditions such as
thyroid problems
may contribute to feeling anxious.
Learn factors are thought to play
a particularly important role
in the development of anxiety disorders.
Stressful events,
including traumatic life events,
can set up a learned pattern of
worry and avoidance that
maintain and worsen problems
associated with anxiety across time.
Symptoms of anxiety are different for
everyone and it may be
a sign of another health conditions.
So getting an accurate
diagnosis is important.
Your health care provider may use
a physical exam, lab tests,
or a mental health evaluation to diagnose
anxiety and create
a treatment plan that works best for you.
Several effective treatment options
are also available,
including lifestyle changes,
cognitive behavioral therapy,
and medications.
Lifestyle changes can always be helpful.
Getting enough sleep, physical exercise,
diet, and incorporating
relaxation and meditation.
Perhaps the most effective treatment for
anxiety is cognitive
behavioral therapy or CBT.
Cbt involves learning specific skills
to better manage anxiety,
such as exposure therapy in
which people learn to gradually
and consistently
approach those things that they've been
avoiding in
a more predictable and controllable way.
Some people may also find benefit from
medications to help manage
those symptoms of anxiety.
Always remember that anxiety is
a very treatable condition.
Help is available.
You don't have to let anxiety control
your life and you don't
have to deal with it by yourself.
If you're ever hesitant to
talk to a health care provider,
talk to a friend or a loved
one about how to get help.
Living with anxiety isn't easy,
but getting the support you
need can help you start feeling better.
Want to learn more about anxiety?
Visit Mayo clinic.org. We're here for you.