Let us start with the basic question. What is anxiety?
To put it simply, anxiety is the body and mind’s reaction to stressful situations. No need to worry. It is a normal emotion. Feeling anxious on occasion is fine and normal. But if that exceeds, it turns into a disorder. Anxiety disorders are mental illnesses that cause a rush of overwhelming emotions like fear and stress.
Types of anxiety disorders
There is not one, but many anxiety disorders. Let us know about a few of them:
General anxiety disorder: This is when you get worried and stressed out for absolutely no reason at all. Generally, you feel restless.
Social anxiety disorder: This is used synonymously with social phobia. You are prone to this if you constantly worry about your social interactions. You think excessively about how other people will judge you and feel self-conscious all the time.
Panic disorder: You are a victim of panic disorder, if you have panic attacks very frequently at unexpected situations. A sudden and overwhelming emotion of fear brings on a panic attack. You start out by sweating excessively, increased heart rate. Sometimes you get chest pain too. You feel like you are having a heart attack. These persons always live in the fear of the next panic attack.
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD): This usually happens after you have experienced any traumatic moment in your life.
Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD): You keep getting repetitive and irrational thoughts. This leads you to perform certain actions again and again.
Phobias: A phobia means fear of certain objects, places, situations etc. There are different types of phobias. Acrophobia, Claustrophobia, and Hydrophobia are some examples.
Now, let us move on to the next biggest question.
What are the main symptoms of anxiety disorders?
The symptoms might vary from person to person. Nevertheless, here are some common and general symptoms of anxiety.
- Sweating
- Restlessness
- Increased heart rate
- Problem with concentration
- Sleep issues
- Panic
- Nausea
- Dizziness
- Overthinking about certain problems
What are the key causes of anxiety?
There are many factors that contribute towards anxiety.
Basically genetics, environment, situations are some of those factors.
What are the issues that drag you closer towards anxiety?
Any past trauma and negative life events can lead to anxiety. If you have a past history of mental disorders like depression, then you might be more prone to the illness. Additionally, lower self esteem and substance abuse also contribute towards the main issue.
Treatment for anxiety
If you are a victim of anxiety issues, then take medical help immediately. However, if your case is not that severe, you can take certain measures and treat yourself on your own.
Consulting with a therapist and meditation are some helpful options. Some natural remedies for anxiety include:
- Sufficient sleep
- Exercise/Work out
- Avoid caffeine and alcohol as much as possible
- Meditation
- Quit smoking
- Eating healthy
So here you go. Everything important you needed to know about anxiety and to battle against anxiety.
