Do you sometimes think about too many things at once and then suddenly you can hear your heart racing at just the thought of certain situations? Have you ever felt the need to avoid specific scenarios because you always feel like things will always take a turn for the worse? These are classic signs of anxiety.
According to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America (ADAA), Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) is a general type of anxiety that is characterized by “persistent and excessive worry about a number of different things.” Individuals with GAD may be unable to keep their worrying thoughts at bay and may find it difficult to control how they respond to certain situations. Although it is normal to feel anxious about certain situations, there is risk of suffering from anxiety if you don’t take the time to recognize and manage symptoms before the condition worsens.
Symptoms and Types of Anxiety
Anxiety manifests itself in different ways depending on the gravity of your condition. Symptoms may vary and can happen all at once, while some people may go through their lives not knowing that they have anxiety. Meanwhile, other people may also be unable to normally function because of it. Watch out for the common signs of anxiety:
- Difficulty breathing (hyperventilation)
- Feeling that your heart is racing/pounding (palpitations)
- Nervousness, restlessness
- Excessive sweating
- Feeling irritable
- Difficulty concentrating on tasks at hand
- Difficulty in sleeping (insomnia)
- Hot and cold flushes
As mentioned, those with GAD usually worry about a number of things and episodes can last from weeks to months if left untreated. It helps to know what kind of anxiety you have to arrive at an appropriate treatment.
There are different types of anxiety:
- Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) – PTSD is a known condition that affects those who were exposed to extremely stressful events like a close encounter with death, witnessing a crime, undergoing some form of abuse, serving in the military, etc.
- Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) – OCD causes unwanted and repetitive thoughts or feelings that leads to anxiety. For example, some people with OCD may overthink the presence of germs around them, so they resort to repetitive cleaning and avoiding certain situations to relieve their anxiety.
- Panic disorder – Panic attacks are a result of intense feelings that can overwhelm you and leave you feeling helpless about ordinary situations which can even make you think that you are dying. Contrary to how a panic attack feels like, it is not life threatening in nature and can be treated by a professional and by taking medications.
- Phobias – Suffering from certain phobias causes anxiety like fear of heights, flying in airplanes, etc. According to Anxiety.org, the fear is usually disproportionate to the real level of danger posed by the object and situation.
Diagnosis and Treatment
Just like any other medical condition, your doctor will perform a physical examination and run a few tests to properly diagnose if you have anxiety. Suffering from a mental illness can easily be mistaken as other physical health conditions like heart disease so these need to be ruled out before you are referred to a mental health professional for a proper assessment. Depending on your diagnosis, your doctor may advise you to undergo psychotherapy and take prescription medications for your anxiety to help alleviate your symptoms.
Helpful Tips to Manage Anxiety
Anxiety can be caused by a variety of stressors, whether it is workplace anxiety or something else, it can be treated with the proper diagnosis. There are a few things that you can do to help yourself feel better like:
- Opening up to your friends and family
- Joining a support group
- Exercising on a regular basis
- Meditating or doing similar practices like yoga
- Taking care of your body through proper diet and getting ample sleep
- Avoiding substance and alcohol abuse
- Consulting a licensed mental health professional
Those who are suffering from anxiety tend to overthink certain situations, which usually leaves them with a sense of dread about the future. It is a mental condition that may require medical attention from a psychiatrist. Speak to a family member or a trusted friend about how you are feeling to help take the weight off your shoulders. Seek assistance from support groups and the Department of Health’s National Mental Health Crisis Hotline at 0917-899-8727 (USAP) or 8-989-8727 (USAP).
General disclaimer
Your doctor will always be in the best position to give the appropriate medical advice for your condition. For suspected undesirable drug reaction, seek medical attention immediately and report to the FDA at www.fda.gov.ph and UNILAB, Inc. at 8-UNILAB-1 or productsafety@unilab.com.ph. Always buy your medicine from your trusted drugstores and retailers.
Sources:
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/anxiety/symptoms-causes/syc-20350961
https://adaa.org/understanding-anxiety/generalized-anxiety-disorder-gad
https://www.beyondblue.org.au/the-facts/anxiety/signs-and-symptoms
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/generalised-anxiety-disorder/symptoms/
https://depression.org.nz/is-it-depression-anxiety/anxiety/
https://www.anxiety.org/what-is-anxiety
https://www.nami.org/About-Mental-Illness/Mental-Health-Conditions/Anxiety-Disorders
https://www.health.harvard.edu/mind-and-mood/are-you-missing-these-signs-of-anxiety-or-depression
https://www.psychiatry.org/patients-families/anxiety-disorders/what-are-anxiety-disorders
