Having anxiety is not usually an immediate cause for concern since everyone experiences it. It is a normal human reaction to a variety of circumstances or stress. It is our body’s way of alerting us and preparing our fight or flight reaction depending on the situation that we are facing.
Anxious thoughts can sometimes motivate us to solve problems. A long quiz schedule at school can make you anxious, but it also pushes you to study before the examination. A small amount of anxiety can make us productive. But if you feel it every waking moment and it starts to take over your life, that is not regular anxiety anymore. You might be suffering from an anxiety disorder.
What is the difference between normal anxiety and an anxiety disorder?
It is usually normal anxiety if:
- You feel it as a response to a problem you are currently encountering.
- You only feel it as long as the problem exists. When the situation that is giving you anxiety is solved, it goes away.
- Its intensity also depends on how light or severe the problem is.
On the other hand, it is an anxiety disorder if:
- It comes up for no reason at all.
- You are feeling a disproportionate amount of anxiety in response to a problem.
- It makes you fearful of problems that are not currently existing or may not happen at all.
- You continue to feel it even if the problem is already resolved.
- You find it difficult to manage.
- You have an irrational urge to keep away from things that you believe will trigger it.
Symptoms
A general anxiety disorder is a serious mental issue that should be referred to a specialist since it can intervene with a person’s daily life. Here are some symptoms that you should watch out for:
- Becoming tenser
- Increased heart rate
- Unexplained panic or feeling of dread
- Sweating / cold sweats
- Hyperventilation or rapid breathing
- Fatigue
- Involuntary trembling
- Loss of focus
- Obsession with the present problem
- Insomnia
- Uncontrollable worry
- Stomach problems
- Extreme aversion to triggers
Types
Anxiety disorders can be classified into the following:
1. Generalized anxiety disorder. You feel a persistent and excessive worry about ordinary problems and simple issues. You may feel this along with other kinds of anxiety disorders.
2. Panic disorder. Recurring episodes of intense fear which brings panic attacks. A panic attack is characterized by hyperventilation, cold sweats, and chest pain. It is almost similar to heart attack symptoms.
3. Agoraphobia. You feel an intense aversion to places or things that might cause you to worry or feel anxious.
4. Selective mutism. It is the inability to speak when feeling intense anxiety. This commonly happens to children. Kids with selective mutism may not be able to speak at school or on stage even though they converse normally at home with family or close friends.
5. Specific phobias. A phobia occurs when you have an irrational fear about places, things, or people. A person who suffers from this experiences panic attacks and crippling anxiety responses when exposed to a specific thing or circumstance.
6. Separation anxiety. Anyone can get this but it is commonly associated with children. You tend to feel extremely anxious or fearful when a person close to you leaves. You fear that something will happen to you or that person if you are not together.
7. Social anxiety disorder. You evade social gatherings or social situations because you want to avoid being judged by people or embarrassed in front of a crown. Because of too much worry, people who suffer from social anxiety disorder may also feel headaches or an upset stomach.
8. Anxiety arising from medical conditions. People with health problems may sometimes feel extreme panic or worry because of the medical condition that they are in.
9. Drug-induced anxiety. This comes from misusing, overusing, or withdrawal from drugs, as a side-effect of some medications, or after coming into contact with toxic substances.
10. Other anxiety disorders. Unspecified anxiety disorders happen if the condition does not fall into other forms of anxiety but is substantial enough to prevent the person from continuing his or her daily routine.
When to see a doctor?
Some worries will eventually go away on their own but if the anxiety you are feeling becomes unbearable that it interferes with your social life, personal life, and work, you might consider consulting a medical practitioner who specializes in anxiety disorders. Try contacting your family physician. If you do not have one, you can consider booking an online doctor Vancouver from virtual healthcare clinics so you can get diagnosed and treated.
Nowadays, we need to take care of not only our physical wellbeing but also our mental health. Do not hesitate to seek help and talk to people who care. Remember that you are not alone in this fight.