A Brief History Of Anxiety Disorders History Of Anxiety Disorders

Anxiety Disorders Symptoms It's normal to feel anxiety and apprehension from time to time. If these feelings persist and disrupt your daily routine, then you might be suffering from anxiety disorder. A healthcare professional can help you find a treatment that fits your needs. This can include psychotherapy or antianxiety medication and natural remedies such as exercise as well as a healthy diet and sleeping. 1. Fear and Worry Every person experiences feelings of anxiety and fear from time to time — it's an inherent part of our body's “fight-or-flight” response to danger. If the anxiety is severe and does not go away, or if it interferes with your daily activities, then you may have anxiety disorder. Your doctor can identify anxiety disorders by having a discussion with you, a physical exam as well as urine or blood tests, and inquires regarding your past health. You could also be given questionnaires to fill in that help your doctor evaluate whether you have a specific anxiety disorder. The symptoms of anxiety disorders differ by type. For instance, people suffering from generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) have persistent excessive and irrational anxiety about everyday events, even though they are aware of no real danger. They also have difficulty relaxing or falling to sleep. Other signs include a fast or fast heart (heart pounding) as well as trembling and sweating. People suffering from panic disorder experience regular moments of intense terror or fear that reach a peak within minutes, and they experience difficulty controlling their emotions. They stay clear of certain areas and activities to avoid attacks. People who suffer from phobias have intense fears of certain things, like snakes or flying. They may also have other symptoms like breathing problems or headaches. People suffering from PTSD are anxious after experiencing or witnessing traumatizing events, such as a war or car crash. They might have other symptoms, too, such as flashbacks and nightmares of the traumatic incident. Other anxiety disorders include the ocd (obsessive compulsive disorder) as well as hoarding disorder and social anxiety disorder. These disorders cause you to feel anxious in social situations. There's also anxiety over a specific health problem, called illness anxiety disorder (formerly known as hypochondria). Other causes of anxiety are stress and an imbalance in the chemical system of your brain. Some medicines can cause anxiety as a side-effect. 2. Panic Attacks People with anxiety disorders experience recurring feelings of fear and panic that are out of proportion to their situation. These feelings can trigger extreme physical reactions, such as an intense pulse, a breathing problems, and nausea. They can also cause you to feel unreal or detached from reality. While anyone can suffer from a panic disorder but it's more common to experience it during childhood, adolescence or in early adulthood. It is caused by a variety of factors that include prolonged or severe stress that triggers an imbalance in the chemical system of your nervous system and brain. Trauma, especially in the adolescent years or childhood, can increase your chances of developing anxiety disorders. Panic attacks may occur for no reason or in response a situation that makes you feel afraid, like being around a large group. They differ from normal anxiety symptoms since they are more intense symptoms and are usually unexpected. People with anxiety disorders may also experience a mixture of unanticipated and expected panic attacks. The most commonly used treatments for anxiety and panic attacks include medication and talk therapy. Talking therapies can help you manage your anxiety and reduce the negative thoughts that fuel your anxiety. They can also help you learn to relax through exercises like deep breathing and mindfulness. Certain medications, especially SSRIs (such as Prozac and Paxil) and SNRIs (such as duloxetine and venlafaxine) — can make anxiety and panic less intense. If you experience a frequent panic attack, you need to consult your doctor and seek treatment right away. Your doctor can look for other medical conditions that have similar symptoms and suggest other treatments. 3. Insomnia People who are anxious might be unable to fall asleep or staying asleep. This is referred to as insomnia. It could be a short-term problem or a long-term one. Sleep deprivation makes it difficult to get through the day, and can cause serious health issues. It is more common among women than men and is more common in older adults. It is more prevalent among those with psychiatric disorders. Sleepiness can be caused by a myriad of different factors. Sleep is affected by a variety of temporary illnesses like colds or headaches or chronic illnesses like acid reflux, Parkinson's disease or arthritis and medicines. Stressful life events could also be the cause. Around half of those who have chronic insomnia also have a mental health condition that is most often anxiety or depression. A doctor will first investigate physical causes. They will review your medical history and ask about the symptoms that are making it difficult to sleep. They will also ask whether you are taking any medication that might affect your sleep. They may also perform an examination of your sleep to check your heart rate and breathing at night. The most effective way to treat insomnia is behavioral therapy. It helps you to change the negative thinking patterns that keep you awake. It also teaches ways to relax before going to sleep. There are methods for doing this, including biofeedback, progressive relaxation and meditation. The doctor can help you find a therapist who can teach you these methods. If the behavioral therapy doesn't work then you can try a variety of medications to assist you in sleeping better. These include benzodiazepines that are employed for short-term relief of symptoms, and antianxiety or antidepressant medication. 4. Eating Disorders Eating disorders are defined by anxiety about body shape, weight, and food, as well as eating habits like eating excessively, purging frequently, vomiting, or misuse of laxatives or exercising. Many people with an eating disorder suffer from anxiety. This is also the case for those who suffer from mental illness such as depression or bipolar disorder. Together, the two disorders can create a vicious cycle where the person's mood disorders can exacerbate the symptoms of their eating disorder. There is a strong link between eating disorders and anxiety as higher levels of anxiety symptoms being associated with higher severity of the disorder. Anorexia nervosa sufferers tend to have high levels of anxiety symptoms. The same is true for bulimia, binge-eating disorders or bulimia. In some cases anxiety can be the primary cause of an eating disorder. In others, it may be a secondary symptom of an eating disorder. Researchers discovered that the presence of anxiety and depression comorbid symptoms was significantly associated with more severe eating disorders among young females. The team of researchers used the Patient Health Questionnaire-4 (PHQ-4) which is a four-item measure of the core anxiety and depression symptoms. They also assessed the extent of an eating disorder and asked participants to rate their ability to manage anxiety. The authors of the study also looked at three variables that could help explain the relationship between eating disorders and anxiety: self-esteem, perfectionism and mood dysregulation. They discovered that these variables moderated the link between anxiety/depression symptoms and eating disorder symptomatology and did this in different ways for different subgroups of the sample. They hope that the findings will lead them to more precise and focused treatment of eating disorders. 5. Physical ailments that are associated with anxiety The majority of people have anxiety at some point in their lives, but it could turn into an illness if it's severe and causes problems in daily life. Some sufferers also experience physical symptoms, like stomach pain or chest pain in response to the kind of anxiety they experience. Finding the right treatment for anxiety disorders can make people feel better and lead happier lives. Psychotherapy, also known as talk therapy, is beneficial to many people. The most common type is cognitive behavior therapy (CBT). CBT helps you recognize and overcome negative thoughts that cause anxiety and fear. It also teaches you how to face your fears and take small steps to overcome them. The use of medication can also be beneficial. Benzodiazepines such as diazepam and Valium can help ease anxiety or panic attacks. Antidepressants like SSRIs and tricyclic antidepressants may also be prescribed. These medications boost levels of certain brain chemicals that regulate mood and are able to be used in conjunction together with other treatments to treat anxiety disorders. Certain medical conditions can trigger anxiety and may cause the same physical symptoms as those of an anxiety disorder. panic anxiety disorder can trigger depression and anxiety, for example. Other conditions that can elicit anxiety include chronic fatigue and pain and rheumatologic conditions, such as lupus; and a few nutritional deficiencies, including iron deficiency. Certain aspects make a person more likely to develop an anxiety disorder. These are referred to as risk factors. Some risk factors are genetic, for example, a family history or anxiety disorders. Other factors, such as childhood abuse, depression, or other mental disorders, and a long-term buildup of stress can increase the risk of anxiety disorders. If you suspect you have anxiety issues it is essential to get an examination of your body.