Anxiety
What is anxiety?
The feeling of anxiety is likely familiar to all of us. It can be pleasant, such as when we are looking forward to a birthday party or a friend’s visit. On the other hand, it can be an inner tension, restlessness, panic, or fear-like feeling associated with perceiving actual or imagined danger. Evolutionarily, anxiety has played an important role – it prepares us to act in dangerous situations, helping us survive by focusing attention on finding a way out and prompting us to take action.
However, persistent, pervasive, or excessive anxiety can disrupt daily life, whether at school, work, or with friends – this is a sign of an anxiety disorder. The lifetime prevalence of anxiety disorders ranges from 10-28% of people, according to various studies.
Researchers say that anxiety is often caused by a traumatic event or series of events. Trauma is not just a distressing experience that results in depression, anxiety, or numbness. Neuroscientific studies show that trauma can profoundly affect brain activity. Genetic and environmental factors also contribute to the risk of developing an anxiety disorder. The prevalence of anxiety is increasing, especially among young people, with more children and adolescents being diagnosed. One often-cited reason for the general increase in anxiety is the burden of uncertainty in almost all areas of modern life, stemming from numerous economic and cultural changes. Uncertainty does not create anxiety, but it provides a fertile ground for it.
Two important factors that promote anxiety among young people are overly protective parenting styles and the rise of social media. Technology offers new ways to connect people but also brings new experiences of negative social comparison and new paths to social exclusion.
Some suitable practices:
Signs and symptoms of anxiety
Anxiety manifests not only as endless worrying thoughts but also as a pounding discomfort in the body, ranging from general trembling to shortness of breath.
There are several types of anxiety disorders, including generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder, social anxiety disorder, and various phobia-related disorders.
Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD)
GAD typically involves persistent feelings of anxiety or fear that can interfere with daily life. This is not occasional worry about something or anxiety due to stressful life events. People living with GAD experience frequent anxiety for months, if not years.
Symptoms of GAD include:
- Restlessness, feeling keyed up or on edge
- Easily fatigued
- Difficulty concentrating
- Irritability
- Muscle tension, headaches, stomachaches, or unexplained pains
- Difficulty controlling worry
- Sleep problems
Panic disorder
People with panic disorder have frequent and unexpected panic attacks. Panic attacks are sudden periods of intense fear, discomfort, or loss of control even when there is no clear danger or trigger. Not everyone who experiences a panic attack will develop a panic disorder.
During a panic attack, a person may experience:
- Pounding heart
- Sweating
- Trembling
- Chest pain
- Fear of dying
- Sweating
People with panic disorder often worry about when the next attack will happen and try to prevent future attacks by avoiding places, situations, or behaviors they associate with panic attacks. Panic attacks can occur several times a day or just a few times a year.
Social anxiety disorder
Social anxiety disorder is an intense, persistent fear of being watched and judged by others. For people with social anxiety disorder, the fear of social situations can feel so intense that it interferes with work, school, or everyday activities.
People with social anxiety disorder may experience:
- Blushing, sweating, or trembling
- Pounding heart
- Stomachaches
- Rigid body posture or speaking with an overly soft voice
- Difficulty making eye contact or being around strangers
- Fear of negative judgment
Phobia-Related Disorders
A phobia is an intense fear or aversion to specific objects or situations. While it can be realistic to be anxious in some situations, people with phobias experience fear that is disproportionate to the actual danger posed by the situation or object.
People with phobias may:
- Experience excessive fear of encountering the feared object or situation
- Take active steps to avoid the feared object or situation
- Experience intense anxiety upon encountering the feared object or situation
Types of phobias and phobia-related disorders include:
- Specific phobias (sometimes called simple phobias): fear of flying, heights, etc.
- Social anxiety disorder: generalized intense fear or anxiety in social or performance situations
- Agoraphobia: intense fear of two or more of the following situations: using public transportation, being in open spaces, being in enclosed spaces, standing in line or being in a crowd, being outside of the home alone
- Separation anxiety disorder: although often associated with children, this can be diagnosed in adults as well, involving fear of being apart from a close person
