Understanding Anxiety Disorders and Phobias

If you are suffering from anxiety or depression, you need to get help. There are a lot of disorders linked with anxiety and depression. Examples of anxiety related disorders include post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) depression, generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), social anxiety disorder (SAD) and specific phobias. In some cases anxiety may be caused by a physical condition which requires medical attention.

anxiety

Anxiety can be very limiting to your life, affecting your work, schoolwork, relationships and health. It can also lead to self-harm or suicide attempts. Many anxiety sufferers try various treatments for anxiety disorders but if the condition is severe, psychotherapy, medication and sometimes even medication is needed. Some of the most common treatments used for anxiety disorders are cognitive behavioural therapy, medication, relaxation techniques and change in diet and lifestyle.

Consult a doctor if your anxiety gets worse and you cannot think clearly. The doctor will ask questions about your medical history, any thoughts you have had about harming yourself or thoughts of suicide. He wants to know why you feel the way you do and what your mental health is like. The doctor may prescribe some medication to help calm you down.

Talk to your friends or family about what stress you are experiencing. You might find that they also have anxiety and they can give you helpful advice. Talking to other people can help you realise that you are not alone and there are others going through similar thoughts as you are. There is no need to be embarrassed about talking about this form of stress and fear. The more you talk about it, the more you will be helped to deal with it and learn coping mechanisms to help you lower your stress levels.

Generalized anxiety disorder involves unpleasant feelings of panic and worry. These feelings do not subside. The disorder involves overwhelming feelings of worry and fear. These feelings can include unrealistic worries about money or health, or worries that are unreasonable. Someone who worries like this usually finds it difficult to carry out daily tasks.

Panic attacks are another type of anxiety disorders. Panic attacks are abrupt urges of fear or dread. They can be triggered by any number of things. People who have these attacks often find it hard to return to normal life. Some symptoms of panic attacks include sweating, shaking, chest pain, heart palpitations, dizziness, hot flushes, chills, difficulty breathing and trembling. These symptoms can appear anywhere in the body but are most frequent in the head, neck and stomach areas.

It is important to seek help for anxiety if you experience unpleasant physical health complaints. Anxiety can result in poor eating habits, a loss of sleep, or both. If you become aware that you are experiencing any of these unpleasant symptoms, seek medical attention. Your doctor will need to run some tests to rule out any serious underlying physical health conditions such as heart disease or thyroid disease.

If you are feeling an increasing amount of anxiety, speak up. Tell family, friends, co-workers and your doctor about your concerns. You don’t have to live with your problems or go untreated. You have the ability to take control of your life by making simple changes in your thinking and in your behavior so you can feel better and eliminate the feelings of panic and anxiety in your life.

If your anxiety disorder continues, you may find yourself avoiding social situations. This can lead to isolation. It can also lead to avoidance of work or school. Many people with anxiety disorders find that they have trouble functioning during normal work hours and can lose their job or be excluded from many activities. When you have anxiety attacks and you avoid social situations you may feel depressed or worthless.

Your anxiety disorders can have negative effects on your personal relationships. You may worry that you won’t be able to cope with your partner and children. You may be worried that you will become distant and aloof. In addition, you may worry that you will seem incapable of loving anyone because of your fear of having an anxiety attack. Your relationships with other people may be negatively affected by your fear of having an anxiety attack in public.

If you are experiencing frequent anxiety attacks and you are taking medications for anxiety disorder, talk to your doctor about over-the-counter products. Over-the-counter products can often provide the relief you need to help you manage your anxiety disorders. Your doctor may recommend that you try one of these products. Keep in mind that your doctor knows your medical history and may recommend medications that are more effective. If you try one of the over-the-counter products and you do not experience any benefit, you should consult your doctor.