We get anxious over exams, interviews and many other important events and situations.

Getting a little anxious is common. But sometimes intense anxieties can be a concern.

Sometimes excessive worries and fears can interrupt our life choices and make us feel bad.

In this blog, Karepedia will be discussing all about anxiety disorders.

What is Anxiety Disorders ?

An anxiety disorder is a mental health condition. People with anxiety disorder respond to certain things with worry, anxiety, or fear.

It can impact both physical and mental well being of a person.

Symptoms of Anxiety Disorder

- Common anxiety signs and symptoms include:

- Feeling nervous, restless or tense

- Having a sense of impending danger, panic or doom

- Having an increased heart rate

- Breathing rapidly (hyperventilation)

- Sweating

- Trembling

- Feeling weak or tired

- Trouble concentrating or thinking about anything other than the present worry

- Having trouble sleeping

- Experiencing gastrointestinal (GI) problems

- Having difficulty controlling worry

- Having the urge to avoid things that trigger anxiety

Types of Anxiety Disorders

Agoraphobia : A type of anxiety disorder in which you fear or avoid situations that may trigger your anxiety causing panic, fear of being trapped or palpitations.

Anxiety disorders due to medical conditions: They depict symptoms of panic or anxiety disorders, generally caused by physical conditions.

Generalized Anxiety Conditions : Persistent and worry about any things or even ordinary routines can make you feel uncomfortable.

Panic disorder : sudden, recurring intense anxiety and fear within a few minutes.

It can be distinguished by

- shortness of breath,

- chest pain,

- rapid, fluttering or pounding heart (heart palpitations).

Selective mutism : Sometimes people are anxious around certain people or certain circumstances, making them uncomfortable. We may usually say this as stage fright or speculate them as introverted behavior.

Other Anxiety Disorders include anxiety due to seperation (happens on people share high independency with a specific person), social anxieties (fear of embarrassment, being judged or self consciousness), specific phobias to specific objects, and some doesn’t draws back a specific trigger or reason at all.

Causes and Risk Factors

Exact causes of anxiety disorders are not known. But several factors contributing to them are discussed.

1.Genetics

Genetics play a role in causing anxiety disorders. A family history of anxiety disorders can increase your chance of getting it.

2.Family issues
Alcoholism, violence in homes, comparison, abuse, lack of security can all be factors of anxiety disorders.

Absence of parents or probably grandparents can also lead to this condition.

3.Trauma
Trauma plays a significant role in the majority of disorders related to mental health.

Trauma, abuse or losing someone important unexpectedly can all affect the ability of your mental state to function in a positive way.

Some obsessive thoughts can lead to Post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)

4.Depression

Mild depression is common and won't affect you much. But chronic depression is fatal.

Long term depression is not only slowing harming your brain and body but also increases self harm tendencies.

Anxiety is intertwined with depression.

5.Pregnancy and Postpartum

These stages are usually accompanied by depression and anxiety. But usually these are not acknowledged or treated properly.

This can threaten the life of both the mother and the child.

Other Factors include adolescence, constant stress, fear, personality, loneliness, opinions and judgment, sense of failure.

Facts

Women are affected two to three times as commonly as men.

Awareness and Be informed

Our society doesn’t accept mental health as important as physical health. There are many stereotypical opinions on diagnosing or getting treated in this society.

Hence most of the time people try to control their involuntary reactions from anxiety. This gradually builds their sense of conscious behavior in front of the society. And the pressure worsen anxiety disorders.

The primary reason is that anxiety disorders are mental illnesses which can be cured the same way as curing a physical illness.

It is always good to:

- Provide counseling in educational and work environments to support the mental health

- Make psychological education— let people clearly understand depression, anxiety and other disorders can be treated like any other illnesses

- Instruct for anxiety confronting exercise

- Use self help manuals etc.


Treatment

Medicines and psychotherapy are both used to treat anxiety disorders.

The treatment depends on:

- Severity of the condition

- Patient’s preferences

- Age and other social factors

- Expected latency

- Effectiveness of certain treatments or combinations on the type of anxiety etc.

Lifestyle changes can also reverse symptoms of anxiety disorders. Regular exercise, a balanced diet, and healthy communication can all help you overcome your anxiety and depression.

We all get anxious over many things. It is very normal and a basic instinct of survival itself.

But if the anxiety is interfering with your everyday life, work or relationship they need to be treated properly.

Finding factors leading to anxiety disorder helps in reducing stress and anxiety issues properly. Sometimes security and assurance is enough to help with your anxiety issues.

But if you find it affects you and causes you to feel a sense of helplessness or trapped you can consider consulting a doctor.

A lifestyle change, medication or psychotherapy can help you regain your confidence to a great degree.