Anxiety is a type of emotion that appears when the body reacts to any stress or alerting conditions. Getting anxious is very normal as it alerts the body to certain situations. Most people face anxiety when they encounter a new situation like an interview or giving a speech etc. Once the person becomes familiar with these situations, these situations become normal. But when a person has an anxiety disorder, the situation is quite different. He may feel anxiety every time he encounters that situation. Anxiety doesn’t seem like a big physical illness but it can cause huge harm to your mental peace. The person can lose his happiness to anxiety. There are certain types of anxieties that can make living difficult.
Types of anxiety disorders
Generalized anxiety disorder
GAD is a type of mental disorder where a person feels excessive worry about daily life events. The events seem very common to others but a person with GAD keeps worrying about them. People with GAD get anxious about work, school, family, health, money, etc. Everyone can face anxiety about these things at some phase of life. But when a person is dealing with GAD, he will also find it difficult to manage work, school, and social life.
Causes
There are no certain causes behind GAD but some factors like genetics and environmental stress can lead to this mental disorder.
Genetics: GAD can pass on to families. If a person has GAD, other family members may face the same mental condition.
Brain chemistry: A person can get GAD if the neurotransmitters are not working correctly. Due to this, people start facing mood disorders.
Environmental factors: Any type of trauma or bad event like the death of a loved one, abuse, bullying, etc can lead to stress. This stress may become anxious if not treated.
Symptoms
- Unrealistic view of problems
- Edgy
- Extreme worry and tension
- Being fatigue
- Trouble in sleeping
- Muscle tension
- Unable to concentrate
- Can’t handle the situations normally
Panic disorder
When a person has panic disorder, he gets symptoms like palpitations, shortness of breath, etc for certain situations. The person can get panic attacks due to sudden fear. When a panic attack appears, it leads to a fight or flight response. Everyone faces panic attacks due to any kind of situation. But when a person has panic disorder, he will face the same symptoms whenever he encounters that situation. Usually, panic attacks are not life-threatening. But most of the symptoms of panic attacks are similar to heart conditions. You should seek a doctor if you are getting panic attacks often.
Causes
The exact cause of the panic disorder is unknown. But some factors can cause panic disorder.
Genetics: A person can suffer from panic disorder if any of his parents have this mental condition.
Major stress: Any major stress in life can lead to panic disorder.
Brain chemistry: The imbalance of brain chemicals can be a cause of panic attacks.
Trauma: Encountering any ill situation can cause panic disorder. The person may get panic attacks whenever he faces a similar situation. Risk factors for panic disorder are sexual or mental abuse, serious accident, or any childhood trauma.
Symptoms
- Sweating
- Sense of danger
- Pounding heart rate
- Hot flashes
- Nausea
- Headache
- Abdominal cramping
Social anxiety disorder
Social anxiety disorder is very common but not normal. In this anxiety, a person gets a phobia of social situations. Any kind of social situation can become very uncomfortable for him. When a person with social phobia faces any social situation, he becomes very nervous and anxious. A simple social gathering seems too much to handle. He starts avoiding all types of social situations like speaking in public, entering rooms, making eye contact, starting conversations, visiting parties, school annual functions, etc.
Causes
There is no particular cause behind social phobia. But some factors like brain structure or inherited traits can cause social anxiety disorder.
Inherited traits: A person can get social anxiety from his family. If any family member has social anxiety, other members may get the same mental disorder. But some research shows that social anxiety can appear due to learned behavior.
Brain structure: Amygdala is a part of the brain that controls the fear response. A person can get anxiety if his amygdala is overactive.
Environment: Any embarrassing situation can cause social anxiety. Some kids can get social anxiety when their parents are overprotective or controlling.
Symptoms
- Blushing
- Sweating
- Stammering
- Muscle tension
- Upset stomach
- Dizziness
- Worrying about social gathering
- Avoid talking to strangers
- Intense fear
- Avoid participating in social events
Other than these common anxiety disorders, there are also some other situations such as:
Specific phobias
This is an intense fear of any object or situation. Many people have a phobia of flying or heights. People also have a phobia of insects and reptiles like spiders or snakes etc.
Separation anxiety
This anxiety is very common in kids. But some adults can also face separation anxiety. They become anxious when their loved one is not near them.
Agoraphobia
It is a phobia of places that seems difficult to escape. People often panic when they are traveling on public transport, airplanes, etc.
Medication-induced anxiety disorder
The use of certain drugs or withdrawal of these drugs can trigger anxiety disorder.
Treatment options for anxiety disorder
Medication
Lots of medications are available to treat anxiety disorders. These medications also have some side effects hence should be taken only with a proper prescription. SSRIs and SNRIs are the common antidepressants for anxiety. Your doctor will prescribe certain antidepressant medicines to reduce the symptoms of anxiety. Some other medications for anxiety are bupropion, benzodiazepines, beta-blockers, anticonvulsants, antipsychotics, etc.
Natural medication
To prevent any kind of side effects, you can adopt natural medications. Many natural medications like homeopathy are very effective for treating anxiety. Talk to the best homeopathic doctor in USA and get better treatment for your anxiety. Natural medication is fully safe and does not cause any harm to the body.
Psychotherapy
Counseling with a therapist may work best to treat the anxiety. Your therapist will work with you to deal with the anxieties. In psychotherapy, the specialist will learn about your fears and anxieties. He will help you to remove the negative thoughts and fears. CBT is one of the most types of psychotherapies to treat anxiety.