Chances are, you’ve felt a bit of anxiety at one point or another.
Maybe before you started a new job or before you got surgery, but some people live with
anxiety disorders, which are much more persistent and severe than normal feelings of anxiety
or nervousness.
Almost 30% of adults will be affected by these conditions in their lifetime.
Which begs the question, what are anxiety disorders anyway?
People with anxiety disorders frequently experience feelings of excessive fear, worry and panic
in normal, everyday life.
They may be grocery shopping and suddenly feel a wave of terror for no reason at all.
Their heart rate skyrockets.
Their breathing quickens.
Adrenaline pumps through their body.
They eventually calm down, but it isn’t always momentary attacks like that.
Oftentimes, it’s persistent, hard to control fear that affects people’s everyday lives.
This anxiety and the coupling symptoms like trouble concentrating, fatigue and even gastrointestinal
problems, are very difficult to deal with.
As with all mental illnesses, anxiety is not just an overreaction or a personal weakness.
There is science backing up these diseases, so telling someone to relax or let it go can
be pretty insulting.
These conditions are deeply rooted and it’s not that easy.
Anxiety is believed to start in the amygdala, the brain’s so-called “fear center”,
where emotions are processed.
Neurotransmitters then alert the sympathetic nervous system of the perceived threat.
This is when muscles tense, heart rate and breathing speed up, and blood flow is rerouted
away from abdominal organs and towards the brain.
This is our body’s fight-or-flight response, or it’s way of telling us we’re in danger.
This bodily response is what happens whenever anyone feels panicked, but brains with anxiety
disorders experience something a little different.
These conditions are characterized by differences in neuroendocrine, neurotransmitter and neuroanatomical
functions.
To put it simply, these people’s brains function differently.
They also appear to have unbalanced activity levels in different parts of the brain.
More activity in emotional centers versus higher cognitive centers.
Some of these abnormalities are so major that they can be seen on brain scans.
While the exact causes of anxiety disorders aren’t fully understood, there are a number
of things that can increase your risk of developing one.
If you’ve been through a serious trauma, you’re more likely to develop an anxiety
disorder.
Genetics, certain personality types and other pre-existing conditions have also been linked
to these illnesses.
Regardless of what may have caused the onset of an anxiety disorder, there are a number
of different types you can have.
General excessive, uncontrollable nervousness is called generalized anxiety disorder.
Agoraphobia is extreme fear of being trapped and unable to escape.
The fear of being embarrassed in social situations is social anxiety disorder.
Panic disorder comes with extreme sudden panic and impending doom.
Specific phobias, of things like heights and snakes, are also considered anxiety disorders.
About 30% of people with anxiety disorders go through life without seeking treatment.
But as horrible as these conditions are, they are treatable.
Benzodiazepines and antidepressants are commonly used to treat anxiety.
Talking to a therapist is very helpful too.
CBT or cognitive behavioral therapy reduces anxiety by creating a new way of thinking,
reacting and behaving.
Those with anxiety disorders are advised to avoid alcohol, drugs and caffeine and to exercise
regularly.
Other self-care techniques like meditating and yoga can be effective in lessening anxiety
too.
And remember, there’s no shame in seeking help to improve your mental health.
You wouldn’t be ashamed of a broken wrist, would you?
Exactly.
What do you do to calm yourself down when you’re feeling anxious or tense?
Let us know
in the comments.