Feeling nervous or anxious before we do things in our everyday life is normal. We feel a little anxious before an important work, a stage performance, an exam, or an important seminar. But an excessive and persistent fear and anxiety obstruct our day-to-day activities, which are considered anxiety disorders. We need to remember that anxiety disorders are different from normal anxiety and fear. Anxiety disorders are persistent and have a longer-term effect than normal fear or anxiety.
Anxiety disorders are characterized by excessive fear and anxiety, which have an effect on our emotional, psychological, and physical well-being and affect our everyday activities.
Types of anxiety disorders:
There are several types of anxiety disorders; each type has different symptoms and treatment approaches. Some of them are mentioned below:
- Separation anxiety disorder: inappropriate, excessive, and persistent worry, fear, or anxiety or distress occurring upon separation from a major attachment figure.
- Social Anxiety Disorder: experience excessive distress from social interactions, being observed by people, meeting unknown people, and performing in front of others.
- Panic disorder: recurrent unexpected panic attacks, which are featured by the intense fear or discomfort that reaches a peak within minutes.
- Generalized Anxiety Disorder: experience excessive anxiety and worry while doing general activities such as work, performance, etc.
Symptoms: Different types of anxiety disorders have different symptoms. However, there are some common symptoms for all anxiety-related disorders.
- Excessive and persistent fear, worry, or distress.
- Experiencing intense restlessness, tension, and feeling overwhelmed
- Fear of losing things in life or of something bad happening in life
- Experiencing shortness of breath, increased heart rate, or palpitations
- Difficulty in concentrating or feeling blank-minded.
- Feeling unsteady, dizzy, nauseated, light-headed.
- Experience sweating, trembling, or shaking.
- Avoid different social situations, such as social interaction and performance.
Treatments:
All anxiety disorders have specific treatment approaches. The mental health professionals, psychiatrists, and psychologists use DSM or ICD criteria to diagnose and plan for interventions based on the diagnosis. The treatment plans are a combination of medication and psychotherapy.
Medication: There are several medications for anxiety disorders; they cannot cure them completely, but help in better functioning and manage the symptoms. Sertraline, Paroxetine, Venlafaxine, and Duloxetine are some common medications.
Psychotherapy: it is also known as talk therapy. There are a variety of strategies that psychologist provides to identify unhealthy emotions, understand, and manage anxiety disorders. CBT, REBT, Exposure therapy, Implosive therapy, and systematic desensitisation are some common treatment plans.
A healthy lifestyle also plays a key role in anxiety management. A balanced diet, regular and mindful exercise, and proper sleep significantly help in improving emotional regulation.
Anxiety disorders can affect an individual emotionally, psychologically, and physically. With proper intervention, we can manage the symptoms of anxiety disorders. Understanding symptoms and seeking help in right time can help us to lead a meaningful life.