What is an anxiety disorder?

An anxiety disorder is a kind of mental health disorder. If you have an anxiety disorder, you tend to react to certain things and situations with fear and dread. You may show physical signs of anxiety, like a fast heartbeat and sweating. It's normal to feel some anxiety. You might feel anxious if you face a problem at work, go to an interview, take a test, or make an important decision. Some anxiety can even help us; it makes us aware of dangerous situations and helps us stay focused to stay safe. However, an anxiety disorder is more serious than just the normal nervousness or fear you feel sometimes. An anxiety disorder occurs when:

• Anxiety interferes with your function.
• Your reaction is disproportionate to a situation; some reactions are gross overreactions.
• You cannot control reactions to certain situations.
• Children, adolescents, and adults can develop anxiety disorders. Women and people assigned female at birth are almost twice as likely as men and people assigned male at birth to have one.
• Anxiety disorders can often make it challenging to make it through the day. Fortunately, there are several effective treatments for these conditions.

What are the types of anxiety disorders?

According to the American Psychiatric Association's guide called the DSM-5, there are several types of anxiety disorders. This guide is used to diagnose mental health conditions. The types of anxiety disorders include:

• Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD): It is a condition characterized by fear, worry, and a constant feeling of being overwhelmed. It's described as excessive, frequent, and unrealistic worry about everyday things like job responsibilities, health, or chores.
• Agoraphobia: This is an extreme fear of being overwhelmed and unable to escape or seek help. People with agoraphobia often tend to avoid new places or situations they are not used to, such as broad open areas or enclosed rooms, crowds, and locations outside their houses.
• Panic disorder: It involves having unexpected panic attacks. These attacks happen suddenly, without warning, and are not caused by any other mental health or physical issue. Some people with panic disorder also experience agoraphobia.
• Specific phobias: It occurs when something causes intense fear or anxiety that disrupts daily life. There are hundreds of different types of phobias, and there is one diagnosis for nearly all of them: specific phobia. The only phobia that stands alone as an independent diagnosis is agoraphobia.
• Social anxiety disorder: This disorder is sometimes referred to as social phobia. This happens when you feel intensely and persistently fearful that you are being negatively evaluated, judged, and watched.
• Separation anxiety disorder: This is a disorder whereby you feel an abnormal sense of anxiousness when you have left a loved one behind. Separation anxiety among the babies and toddlers is very normal, but the same cannot be said of a child or adult with a separation anxiety disorder.
• Selective mutism: This is the state where one does not utter a word in specific conditions due to fear or anxiety. Usually, it strikes young children, but adolescents and adults are also at risk.

Some mental health conditions are similar to anxiety disorders. These include post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), acute stress disorder, and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).However, the American Psychiatric Association considers them separate conditions from anxiety disorders.

What are the symptoms of Anxiety disorder?

The symptoms of anxiety disorders can differ based on the specific type of disorder.

• Psychological symptoms
• Feeling panic, fear, dread and uneasiness.
• Feeling on edge or irritable.
• Uncontrollable, obsessive thoughts.
• Trouble concentrating.
• Physical symptoms
• Heart palpitations
• Restlessness
• Nausea
• Shortness of breath
• Trouble falling asleep or staying asleep
• Muscle tension
• Dry mouth
• Numbness or tingling in your hands or feet
• Cold or sweaty hands

What causes anxiety disorders?

Researchers still do not know exactly what causes anxiety disorders. However, they believe a mix of factors is involved:

1. Chemical Imbalances: Neurotransmitters and hormones like norepinephrine, serotonin, dopamine, and gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) affect anxiety. Imbalances in these chemicals can lead to anxiety disorders.
2. Brain changes: A part of the brain named, the amygdala, helps to manage fear and anxiety. Studies show that people with anxiety disorders have more activity in the amygdala when faced with an anxiety trigger.
3. Genetics: Anxiety disorders often run in families, which suggest that genetics may be a factor. You might be more likely to develop an anxiety disorder if a close family member, like a parent or sibling, has one.
4. Environmental factors: Prolonged or severe stress causes an imbalance in neurotransmitters that regulate your mood. Chronic exposure to a significant amount of stress can result in an anxiety disorder. A traumatic event can cause anxiety disorders as well.

What is the diagnosis of anxiety disorders?

Consult a healthcare professional if you or your child is having symptoms of an anxiety problem. They will begin with a medical evaluation. They will conduct a physical exam and inquire about your medical history, any medications you are taking, and if any of your family members have been diagnosed with an anxiety disorder.

There aren't blood tests or imaging scans that would help diagnose anxiety disorders. However, your provider can use some of these tests to rule out any other medical conditions that may cause the symptoms you're having, such as hyperthyroidism, for example. In the absence of any medical condition, your provider might send you to a mental health professional.

A mental health professional, like a psychologist or psychiatrist. They will ask you questions about your symptoms, sleep patterns, and other behaviours. They use the guidelines from the American Psychiatric Association's DSM-5 to help diagnose anxiety disorders.

The provider usually bases a diagnosis on the following:

• The severity and duration of the symptoms you experienced.
• Talk about the ways symptoms affect your day-to-day activities.
• The provider will observe your attitude and behaviour.

How is anxiety disorders managed?

An anxiety disorder is just like other medical conditions that must be treated. You cannot 'snap out of it. It is not a function of willpower or mental attitude. Researchers have taken great strides in the past few decades in the management of mental health conditions. Your primary care physician will help construct a treatment plan that best suits you. Your plan may include a combination of medication and psychotherapy or talk therapy.

Medication for anxiety disorders:

Medications cannot cure an anxiety disorder. However, they can improve symptoms and make you able to function better. Medications to treat anxiety disorders often include:

• Antidepressants: These mainly treat depression but can also help with anxiety. They change the way your brain uses certain chemicals to improve mood and reduce stress. Antidepressants can take a while to show results, so it's important to be patient. The most common types for anxiety are SSRIs and SNRIs. While tricyclic antidepressants can also be used, they tend to cause more side effects.
• Benzodiazepines: These drugs can help reduce the anxiety, panic, and worry you experience. These drugs work quickly, but you can build up tolerance to them. They can also have potential for abuse, so you have to take them cautiously. Your healthcare provider may give you a benzodiazepine for only a short time and taper you off of it later. Some of the commonly used benzodiazepines for the treatment of anxiety disorders are alprazolam, clonazepam, diazepam, and lorazepam.
• Beta-blockers: These can be used in treating several physical symptoms of anxiety disorders, such as a quick heartbeat and shaking and tremors. They don't address psychological symptoms.

Your healthcare provider will guide you in determining the right medication combination and dosage. Do not alter the dose or halt medications except with their help and consent. They will monitor you to ensure the medicines work without causing negative side effects.

Psychotherapy for anxiety disorders:

Psychotherapy, or talk therapy, includes various methods to help you change unhealthy emotions, thoughts, and behaviours. A mental health provider will work with you to understand and manage your anxiety disorder.

Here are some common approaches:

• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT): It is a common type of therapy for anxiety. It helps you identify and change thought patterns and behaviors that cause distress. You will learn to change your thoughts and how you respond to situations that trigger your anxiety.
• Exposure Therapy: In this type of therapy, a mental health provider gradually exposes you to your fears in a safe environment. These fears can include specific objects, situations, or activities. It helps reveal to you that you can face your fears. You'll learn to connect new, more realistic beliefs to the things you are afraid of. You become comfortable with the experience of fear.

Can I prevent anxiety disorders?

There is currently no way to stop anxiety disorders from developing. However, you can reduce related problems by seeking help early. Getting treatment as soon as you notice symptoms can lessen the impact on your life.

What is the prognosis for people with anxiety disorders?

If left untreated, anxiety disorders can lead to serious issues, such as:

• Trouble with social situations and a lower quality of life.
• Problems with substance use, including alcohol abuse.
• Major depression.
• The risk of suicide, especially in severe cases.
• Ongoing anxiety also increases the risk of heart issues, like heart attacks.

That is why seeking help is important when you have an anxiety disorder. Treatment works. The right treatment can improve your life, relationships and work productivity. It can also make a difference in your life in general.

Living With

How do I care for myself if I have an anxiety disorder?

There are several techniques you may employ to manage an anxiety illness and increase the efficacy of treatment, in addition to obtaining expert medical assistance and treatment. These consist of:

• Stress management: It is important because long-term or high stress can make anxiety disorders worse. You can try techniques like meditation, breathing exercises, mindfulness, and regular exercise to manage stress.
• Support groups: Joining a support group of people with anxiety — in-person or online — can give a chance to relate to other people, share experiences and learn how others cope differently.
• Education: Learning about your condition and educating family members helps you and your family better understand the condition and is supportive of you.
• Limiting or avoiding caffeine: Avoiding caffeine can help lessen anxiety symptoms. If you’re worried about how much caffeine you drink, talk to your healthcare provider.

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