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Understanding Anxiety Disorders

What is an Anxiety Disorder?


Having anxiety can be normal when you are experiencing stress in your life. However, if you have an anxiety disorder you can have intense feelings of worry during everyday situations. Anxiety disorders can impact a person's ability to function and get through daily life situations. Fortunately, anxiety disorders can be treated with various psychotherapeutic treatments. 


Types of Anxiety Disorders 


Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD)


 People with GAD can feel extreme worry and tension about activities and events. This worry is disproportionate to the actual situation and can affect you physically. These feelings of fear and stress can cause you to experience restlessness, feeling on edge, fatigue, and difficulty concentrating. Most days these people worry about health, work, school, and relationships.  


Social Anxiety Disorder 


A social anxiety disorder can involve feelings of anxiety and fear due to feeling embarrassed, and self-conscious about being judged, and viewed negatively by others. People with this disorder will often try to avoid social situations. Some examples of this fear are public speaking, eating/drinking in public, and meeting new people. 


Separation Anxiety Disorder


A person with this disorder is afraid and anxious about being separated from the person they are attached to. This can cause a person to refuse to go out, sleep without this person, or have nightmares about being separated from this person. Physical symptoms of this disorder can develop in childhood and continue throughout adulthood.


Selective Mutism


Children with this disorder fail to speak in certain situations, such as school, but they can speak in other situations. They will often speak in front of close family members at home. Their lack of communication can lead to feelings of loneliness, and academic problems in school. Many children with this disorder can experience shyness, fear of social embarrassment, and high social anxiety.


Symptoms of an Anxiety Disorder 


Some common symptoms include...

  • Sweating

  • Trembling 

  • Feeling nervous, restless, or tense

  • Breathing rapidly (hyperventilation)

  • Feeling weak or tired

  • Having a sense of impending danger, or doom

  • Muscle tension


How are Anxiety Disorders Diagnosed 


The first step is to see your healthcare provider and start with a complete medical history and physical examination. If your healthcare provider does not find anything physically wrong with you they may refer you to a psychologist or psychiatrist. They may use specially designed interview and assessment tools to figure out if you have an anxiety disorder. Typically they will base a diagnosis on your reported symptoms, a discussion about how these symptoms impact your daily life, and the provider's observation of your behavior and attitude.


How are Anxiety Disorders Treated


The main treatments for an anxiety disorder are psychotherapy (talk therapy), medicines, or both.


Psychotherapy can help you to see and change your emotions, thoughts, and behaviors. For it to be effective it should focus on your specific needs. Some types of psychotherapy used for anxiety disorders are:


Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)- CBT can teach you different ways to think and behave. It can help you to change your reaction to things that can cause you fear or anxiety. It can include exposure therapy. This therapy focuses on confronting your fears so you can do things you have been avoiding. 

 

Some medicines you can take for an anxiety disorder include: 


Anti-anxiety medications- They can decrease your anxiety, panic, and worry. They can work quickly, but you can build a tolerance over time, which makes it less effective. 


Antidepressants- Antidepressants help tweak your mood by improving your mood and reducing stress. It can take some time for them to work. 


Beta-blockers- They reduce some physical symptoms of anxiety disorder. They can relieve rapid heartbeat, trembling, and shaking. 


How can you cope with an anxiety Disorder?


  • Explore Stress Management: Learn ways to manage stress, such as meditation and yoga.

  • Join Support Groups: There are support groups online and in person. Support groups can help people share their experiences and coping strategies. 

  •  Get Educated: Learning about the type of anxiety disorder that you have can help you feel in control. It can help friends and loved ones to understand the disorder and support you. 

  • Limit or avoid Caffeine:  Limit or stop the amount of caffeine that you consume. 

Sources

Assessed and Endorsed by the MedReport Medical Review Board

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