Anxiety

Feeling anxiety from time to time is normal. However, people who have anxiety disorders often feel intense, excessive and persistent worry, and are fearful for all situations of daily life. Often, anxiety disorders manifest themselves with repeated episodes of sudden feelings of intense anxiety and fear or terror that reach their maximum in just a few minutes (panic attacks).

source

These feelings of anxiety and panic interfere with daily activities, are difficult to control and disproportionate when compared to real danger, and can last for a long time. To avoid these sensations, you can try not to go to certain places or not to participate in certain situations. Symptoms can begin during childhood or the teenage years and continue when you are already an adult.

Examples of anxiety disorders are generalized anxiety disorder, social anxiety disorder (social phobia), specific phobias and anxiety disorder. You may have more than one anxiety disorder. Sometimes, anxiety is the result of a medical condition that needs treatment.

• Symptom
  The common signs and symptoms of anxiety include the following:

· Sensation of nervousness, agitation or tension
· Feeling of near danger, panic or fatality
· Increase in heart rate
· Rapid breathing (hyperventilation)
· Sweating
· Tremors
· Weakness or fatigue
· Problems concentrating or thinking about something other than the current concern
· Problems sleeping
· Gastrointestinal disorders
· Problems to control the worry
· Need to avoid things that cause anxiety
· There are several types of anxiety disorders:

Agoraphobia is a type of anxiety disorder in which you are afraid of places or situations that could cause you to panic and make you feel trapped, helpless or ashamed, and often avoid such places or situations.
Anxiety disorder due to a disease consists of symptoms of great anxiety or panic that are a direct consequence of a physical health problem.

Generalized anxiety disorder consists of feeling persistent and excessive anxiety and worry about certain activities or situations, even ordinary and routine issues. The concern is excessive compared to the real circumstance, it is difficult to control and affects the physical state. It usually occurs together with other anxiety or depression disorders.

Panic disorder involves repeated episodes of sudden feelings of great anxiety and fear or terror that reach a peak within a few minutes (panic attacks). You may feel that something very bad is going to happen soon, that you have trouble breathing, your chest hurts or your heart is accelerated by fluttering or pounding (heart palpitations). These panic attacks may cause you to worry about the possibility that they might happen again or may cause you to avoid situations in which they have occurred.

Selective mutism is a systematic inability of children to speak in certain situations, such as school, even when they can speak in other situations, such as with close relatives in the home. This can interfere with school, work and social functioning.

Separation anxiety disorder is a disorder that occurs in childhood characterized by excessive anxiety regarding the level of development of the child and that is related to the fact of separating from parents or other people who have parental functions.

Social anxiety disorder (social phobia) involves high levels of anxiety, fear and evasion of social situations due to feelings of shame, shyness and concern that others judge or see you in a negative way.

Specific phobias are characterized by feeling great anxiety when you expose yourself to specific objects or situations; In addition, they carry a desire to avoid such exposure. Phobias cause panic attacks in some people.

Substance-induced anxiety disorder is characterized by symptoms of high anxiety or panic that are a direct result of drug abuse, drug use, exposure to toxic substances or drug withdrawal.

Another specific anxiety disorder and non-specific anxiety disorder are terms that refer to anxiety or phobias that do not meet the exact criteria of any other anxiety disorder, but that are important enough to be distressing and disturbing.

• Risk factor's
  The following factors may increase the risk of developing an anxiety disorder:

· Trauma.
Children who endured mistreatment or trauma or experienced traumatic events have a higher risk of developing an anxiety disorder at some point in their lives. Adults who experienced a traumatic event may also develop anxiety disorders.

· Stress due to illness.
Having a health problem or a serious illness can cause great concern about issues such as treatment and the future.
Accumulation of stress. An important event or an accumulation of smaller stressful situations in life can cause excessive anxiety; for example, the death of a relative, stress at work or continuing concerns about the financial situation.

· Personality
People with certain personality types are more likely to suffer from anxiety disorders than other people.
Other mental health disorders People who suffer from other mental health disorders, such as depression, often also suffer from an anxiety disorder.
Have blood relatives who suffer from an anxiety disorder. Anxiety disorders can be hereditary.

· Drugs or alcohol.
Consumption, drug addiction or alcoholism, or abstinence can cause or worsen anxiety.
Complications

Having an anxiety disorder does not just make you worry. It can also cause or worsen other mental and physical disorders, such as:

· Depression (which often occurs along with an anxiety disorder) or other mental health disorders
· Substance abuse
· Sleep disorders (insomnia)
· Digestive or intestinal problems
· Headaches and chronic pain
· Social isolation
· Problems at school or work
· Poor quality of life
· Suicide

• Prevention
  It is not possible to predict with certainty what causes a person to have an anxiety disorder, but you can take steps to reduce the impact of the symptoms if you feel anxious:

· Ask for help right away. Anxiety, like many other mental disorders, can be more difficult to treat if you delay.

· Stay active. Participate in activities that you enjoy and that make you feel good about yourself. Enjoy social interaction and your affections, which can alleviate your worries.

· Avoid alcohol or drugs. The consumption of alcohol and drugs can cause anxiety or make it worse. If you are addicted to any of these substances, the idea of ​​quitting can make you feel anxious. If you can not stop using on your own, check with your doctor or look for a support group to help you.