Anxiety disorders are conditions marked by persistent feelings of fear, anxiety, or worry that can significantly affect a person’s daily life.

Let’s Talk About Anxiety Disorder in General:

  • There are various types of anxiety disorders, each presenting its own unique challenges. While anxiety can often be a natural response to stress or demanding situations, it is important to recognize that, if left unaddressed, anxiety can lead to considerable disruption in an individual’s life.

Symptoms of Anxiety Disorders:

  • Excessive worry or fear.
  • Restlessness
  • Irritability
  • Difficulty concentrating or
  • making decisions.

Other General Symptoms of Anxiety Disorders

  • Sleep disturbances,
  • Rapid heartbeat,
  • Sweating,
  • Trembling,
  • Nausea,
  • Avoidance behaviors.
  • making decisions.

At CIHS, we understand that recognizing these symptoms is crucial to seeking support and adopting effective coping strategies to enhance overall well-being. Book your next appointment

Types of Anxiety Disorders:

Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD)

  • An excessive and persistent worry about everyday things, even when there is no apparent reason to worry.

Specific Phobias:

  • An intense fear of a particular object, situation, or activity that is often disproportionate to its actual threat.
  • Understanding these fears can help individuals identify triggers and seek appropriate strategies for coping with or overcoming them.

Panic Disorder:

  • Recurring unexpected panic attacks
  • Persistently concerned or worried about having more panic attacks.

Note: The abrupt surge can occur from a calm or anxious state.

At CHIS we understand that these episodes can be challenging but we also know that understanding them is the first step toward effective management and support.

Symptoms of Panic Disorder:

  • Palpitations, pounding heart, or accelerated heart rate.
  • Sweating.
  • Shaking.
  • Sensations of shortness of breath or smothering.
  • Feelings of choking, Chest pain or discomfort,
  • Feeling dizzy, unsteady,  light-headed, or faint, Chills or heat sensations.
  • Paresthesias (numbness or tingling sensations).
  • Derealization (feelings of unreality) or
  • Depersonalization (being detached from oneself).
  • Fear of losing control or “going crazy.”
  • Fear of dying (Pending doom

A panic attack:

Is an abrupt surge of intense fear or intense discomfort that reaches a peak within minutes, and it can occur within any anxiety order. It is not a mental disorder.

Information:

In children, social anxiety must occur in peer settings and not just during interactions with adults

Social Anxiety Disorder:

Fear or anxiety in social situations and situations that involve the possibility of being scrutinized, this can cause individuals to avoid social interactions altogether

Agoraphobia:

Heightened anxiety about being in public spaces or situations where living may be challenging.

Seeking support and gradually facing these fears can help individuals regain control and confidence in their environments.

AT CIHS we believe that support and coping techniques can help to overcome these challenges and cultivate meaningful connections with others.

Selective Mutism:

Difficulty in speaking in specific social situations where verbal communication is anticipated. This condition often arises from underlying feelings of fear or anxiety.

Separation Anxiety Disorder:

Characterized by significant fear or anxiety regarding separation from one’s home or loved ones.

Other types of anxiety:

  • Substance/Medication-Induced Anxiety Disorder
  • Anxiety Disorder Due to Another Medical Condition
  • Other Specified Anxiety Disorder
  • Unspecified Anxiety Disorder

Do You Know that Selective mutism in children: fear or anxiety may be expressed by Crying.  tantrums. Freezing. clinging

At CIHS, we are committed to helping those struggling with anxiety to find effective treatment and support.

Risk factors: Include:

  • Genetic disposition: those with relatives with anxiety disorder are at high risk of developing anxiety.
  • Stress: stressful life events or situations can trigger anxiety like divorce, death in a family work stress, and more
  • Medical and other mental disorders: like Cardiovascular disease, Depression, Panic disorder
  • Trauma. Those who go through or witness traumatic events are at high risk for anxiety
  • Personality: Certain personalities are more prone to have an anxiety disorder than others
  • Drugs and alcohol: Can trigger anxiety disorder.

What could cause anxiety disorder?

Biological Factors

  • Genetics: Those with Family history of anxiety disorders are at higher risk anxiety disorder
  • Neurotransmitter imbalance: Serotonin, GABA and dopamine can cause anxiety disorder Brain structure and function

Environmental Factors.

  • Stressful life events: Divorce, job loss, abuse, disasters
  • Social and cultural, Societal expectations, cultural norms
  • Medical conditions: Chronic illness, pain, sleep disorders

Psychological Factors:

  • Learning and conditioning: Classical conditioning, social learning
  • Cognitive distortions: Negative thinking patterns
  • Trauma: PTSD, complex trauma in one’s life.

Other Factors:

  • Substance abuse: Alcohol, drugs, nicotine
  • Medications: Stimulants, antidepressants
  • Sleep disorders: Insomnia, sleep apnea
  • Nutritional factors: Caffeine, sugar, food sensitivities

Complications of anxiety disorder:

Other problems like insomnia, bowel problems, pain, social isolation, difficulties functioning at work or school, substance misuse, poor quality of life, and suicide.

Medications to Manage Anxiety Disorder

  • Treatment depends on the specific anxiety disorder and severity.
  • Severity could be determined by conducting a test = GAD 7
  • Different medications may be helpful. SSRIs are the first drug of choice for most anxiety disorders
  • Each class of medication works differently to prevent or reduce symptoms of anxiety attacks.

Psychotherapy for Anxiety disorder

  • Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT) will help to address negative thoughts.
  • Other therapy depending on the specific anxiety disorder:
    • Mindfulness Therapy
    • Exposure therapy for phobia anxiety
    • Talk therapy for social anxiety

Prevent, Manage and Live life with anxiety disorders

  • Mindfulness Meditation to focus on the present moment.
  • Social support to build and maintain strong relationships with family and friends
  • Get good Support Networks: Join support groups.
  • Take breaks from work and do things that bring joy and relaxation.

Lifestyle changes

  • Exercise to reduce anxiety symptoms by releasing endorphins
  • Eat healthy food rich in good nutrients.
  • Get good sleep hygiene. Good sleep schedule and enough sleep
  • Relaxation techniques: like yoga and meditation, deep breathing
  • Recognize, know and avoid your Triggers to anxiety.

In Case of Emergency

  • If you’re experiencing a life-threatening emergency, call 911 or visit your nearest emergency department.

OR

  • Check our emergency page for more emergency numbers.

Resources:

https://adaa.org/about-adaa

 THANK YOU FOR VISITING OUR PAGE ON AXIETY DISORDER.

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Note that everyone experiences anxiety uniquely and reacts to treatment differently.

Note Cultural factors influence anxiety expression and treatment