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December is Anxiety Disorder Awareness Month.  

 

Anxiety is a mental health disorder that affects about 40 million people starting from childhood.  It can be normal in stressful situations, because it is your body’s normal response to stress.  Anxiety can become a problem when it is excessive and interferes with daily living.  Anxiety produces feelings of uneasiness, anxiousness, excessive worry, repeated flashbacks of traumatic experiences, uncontrollable obsessive thoughts, nightmares and fear.  Physical signs of anxiety can be sweating, compulsive behaviors or an increased heart rate.  Other physical symptoms can include: dry mouth, nausea, numbness or tingling in hands and feet, irritable bowel syndrome, cold and sweaty hands, shortness of breath and muscle tension.  There is also behavioral signs of anxiety: inability to sit still and calm, ritualistic behaviors (excessive washing hands), and trouble sleeping.

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There are several types of anxiety disorders:

• Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) -excessive worrying and tension.

• Panic attacks – sudden feelings of terror that can resemble a heart attack.

• Phobias – intense fear of situations and things, the level of fear usually doesn’t equate to the situation.  It can include social anxiety, agoraphobia.

• Separation anxiety – usually occurs with children and teens when being separated from parents or someone they are close to.
   

Other mental health conditions are co-morbid with anxiety disorders. These include post-traumatic stress (PTSD) and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).

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Anxiety disorders can be caused by a number of factors such as:

• Chemical imbalance: Severe or long-lasting stress can change the chemical balance that controls your mood.

• Environmental factors: Experiencing trauma can trigger an anxiety disorder.

• Heredity: Anxiety disorders tend to run in families. You can inherit them from one or both parents.

 

There are no lab tests or scans that can diagnose anxiety disorders.    However, your doctor can run some tests to rule out physical conditions that may be causing symptoms.  If your provider finds no signs of physical illness, they might refer you to a psychiatrist or psychologist. These mental health professionals specialize in diagnosing and treating mental illnesses. Providers also consult the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5). The American Psychiatric Association publishes the DSM-5.

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An anxiety disorder is like any other health problem that requires treatment. You can’t will or pray it away.  A treatment plan could combine medication and psychotherapy.  Some medications are: Benzodiazepines, which is an anti-anxiety medication, anti-depressants, and beta-blockers.  Your healthcare provider will work with you to find the right medication combination and dosage.  Don’t change the dose without consulting your provider.  

 

Psychotherapy, or counseling can also help you deal with your emotional response to anxiety.  They use treatment approaches such as:

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), which is the most common type of psychotherapy used to treat anxiety disorders.   It teaches you to recognize thought patterns and behaviors that lead to troublesome feelings. You then work on changing them.  Exposure Therapy, focuses on dealing with the fears behind the anxiety disorder.   It helps you engage with activities or situations you may have been avoiding in an effort to overcome stressful situations or fears. Your provider may also use relaxation exercises and imagery with exposure therapy.

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Unfortunately, anxiety disorder is not something that can be prevented, if you have the disorder.  But, you can control or reduce your symptoms by talking to a healthcare provider or pharmacist before taking over-the-counter medications or herbal remedies.  Some of these contain chemicals that may make anxiety symptoms worse.  You can also live a healthy lifestyle, exercising and practicing good healthy eating habits, limit caffeine intake, stress management techniques, and seek professional help when needed.
 

Source Mayclinic.org 

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By Dietra Myers