Anxiety is a type of mental health disorder, which mainly leads to fear, worry apprehension, and excessive nervousness. This disorder mainly affects the person’s behaviour followed with the nervousness, panic attacks, phobia, etc. As per the medical community records, anxiety is the common group of mental disorders in the United States and affects over 35-40 million adults every year.
Anxiety is not normal but necessary for survival. Let us learn more in detail about the Anxiety, its causes, symptoms followed by its treatments.
What is Anxiety?
Anxiety is a common and the body’s natural response towards the stress. Many people experience anxiety at some point in their lives. It is related to the mental health disorder characterized by feelings of worry, tension, or fear. It is quite normal to feel anxious. Waiting for the results, moving to a new place, preparing for the exam, attending a job interview are a few causes of stress in an individual. Anxiety is very distressing and the individual suffering from long-term anxiety are at a greater risk of developing physical illnesses and other mental health conditions. There are different types of Anxiety and the most common types are Generalised anxiety disorder, Social anxiety, Specific phobias, and Panic disorders.
Causes of Anxiety
There are different types of Anxiety and the causes are related to the type of stress.
The causes of Anxiety are complicated and the actual cause of this mental disorder is still unaware. As per the medical community, there are several factors that may contribute to the development of anxiety. Causes and risk factors may include:
- Genetic traits
- Substance abuse
- Traumatic life experiences
- Common Drug Side Effects
- Environmental factors or stressors
- Ongoing stress related to work, finances, home, etc.
- Medical conditions, and other mental health disorders
Symptoms of Anxiety
Anxiety is related to a person’s feeling and experience. Hence, the symptoms of Anxiety, vary with the person’s feeling. There are over 100 signs and symptoms of anxiety, the most common symptoms include:
- Nausea
- Fatigue
- Sweating
- Dizziness
- Headaches
- Being irritable
- Stomach upset
- Inability to rest
- Rapid breathing
- Rapid heartbeat
- Nervous stomach
- Pulsing in the ear
- Shortness of breath
- Electric shock feeling
- Trouble in concentrating
- Shooting pains in the face.
Treatment of Anxiety
Anxiety is highly treatable, and doctors usually recommend a combination of some of the following:
- Counselling session
- Therapy – behavioural therapy and psychotherapy
- Lifestyle changes involving physical activity and meditation
- Medications, including antidepressants, buspirone and other drugs to reduce symptoms.
Prevention of Anxiety Disorders
There are different ways to reduce the risk of anxiety disorders in patients. Anxiousness is a natural factor of daily life, and experiencing them does not always indicate the presence of a mental health disorder. Following are some precautions which need to be followed to moderate anxious emotions:
- Maintain a healthy diet
- Keep a regular sleep pattern
- Avoid alcohol, cannabis, and other recreational drugs
- Avoid caffeine and other mood-altering drugs and food products.
Anxiety is not a serious medical condition, but a natural emotion and can be cured with a few physical activities, medicines, and other lifestyle changes. In certain cases, anxiety can also worsen the mental and physical conditions of an individual. These can be treated with the help of therapies including Cognitive behavioural therapy, Hypnosis and Psychotherapy.
Important Questions on Anxiety
- What is Depression?
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), depression is defined as the most common disorder, characterized by low mood and a feeling of sadness and loss of interest. They have been estimated that over 300 million people are affected by depression, globally.
- What are the complications of Anxiety?
An anxiety disorder is a quite common and natural mental disorder, but in some rare cases it can also lead to other mental and physical conditions, such as:
- Insomnia
- Depression
- Social isolation
- Poor quality of life
- Suicidal thoughts
- Digestive or bowel problems
- Headaches and chronic pain
- Other mental health disorders.
Stay tuned with BYJU’S to learn more about symptoms of Anxiety, and other related topics at BYJU’S Biology.
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