If you feel that you, or someone close to you may be suffering from Anxiety, this article may help you to understand and define what you are going through a little better.
Anxiety is a very common feeling that we all have at some point in our lives. Even healthy and well people experience anxiety. For example, before a job interview or before going out on a first date. Performing on stage or public speaking are more common examples of situations which could cause a healthy person to experience an amount of anxiety. However, these feelings could help the person to be more vigilant and perhaps even better prepared for a challenging situation. Being anxious in such situations may even be helpful.
For some people though, anxiety is invasive in all aspects and situations in their lives and becomes an uncontrollable negative contributor to their entire life. They may experience deeply distressing and paralysing feelings and find that many or all situations in their daily lives trigger feelings that something extremely bad or catastrophic is going to happen. These feelings could be triggered by many things including the health of a family member, financial problems or work related matters.
Persistent and excessive worrying about situations which do not fit with the persons circumstances in life, may be indications of a more serious condition. Anxiety disorders are recognised medical conditions and are not indications that the person is going mad, strange or weird etc.
The symptoms of Anxiety include stomach problems like 'butterflies' and emptiness, excessive gas, pains and perhaps even diarrhoea. Choking feelings and discomfort in the throat and chest, difficulty with breathing, panic, blushing, dry mouth and difficulty speaking are also common signs of Anxiety. Intense and extreme self consciousness or fear of situations and humiliation, twitching and palpitations are also common.
For people who suffer from these symptoms, everyday life may become very difficult, if not impossible if these feelings becoming catastrophic and uncontrollable. In such cases, a person may begin to avoid troubling situations and this may hinder their ability to work and lead a healthy life.
These avoidance behaviours may trigger a self perpetuating cycle of fear which can make interaction with others very difficult. That is, the more an anxious person avoids problematic situations, the more their coping skills decline and they are even less likely to be able to lead healthy working lives or take part in healthy relationships.
The causes of Anxiety disorders are not known exactly, but some research suggests that the part of the brain which controls the fear response may be overactive in anxious people. Reportedly, up to 13% of the population suffer from anxiety related conditions at any given time.
Anxiety may coexist with other mental illnesses such as Depression. As I pointed out in my last article, if you feel that you may be suffering from an emotional or mental disorder, please don't wait. Seek help from your doctor immediately.
The good news is that conditions such as anxiety can be treated. They are recognised medical conditions and are not signs of weakness or that a person is mad or crazy. It is possible to overcome anxiety with time and with the help of your medical professionals.
I wish you well in your recovery.
---------------------------------------------
Join Our Forum and leave your comments on this article or anything else you have read on this site. To create your own account on our forum, please click on the following link.
QUICK LINKS
