People who have
anxiety problem tend to have fear or worries escalating over time. It can influence
people’s daily activities like school, work, and/ or relationships. Anxiety
disorders are the most common mental health issue in the United States by
affecting 40 million adults over the age of 18, or a little over 18% of the
population, according to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America. [1]
There are several misconceptions about anxiety. First of all, there is a
misunderstanding between everyday anxiety and Anxiety disorder. It is nature to
feel nervous about something big or serious like taking a test, preparing an
interview, making a presentation and etc. However, for the people who have
anxiety disorder, the intense feeling makes them hard to work, go to school, or
function in daily activities. [1] Another big misunderstanding is that anxiety
can be avoided and only occurs under certain special conditions, only weak
people have anxiety problem. Generally, anxiety happen under some special
situations, such as speaking in front of public, taking high risk activities,
making major decisions and etc. “In fact, feeling anxiety for no reason is
sometimes a particular symptom of generalized anxiety disorder (GAD)”, according
to Calm Clinic. [1]
There is a list of anxiety symptoms that
can attack people for short or long time periods. There are three types of
anxiety: panic attacks, panic disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, phobic
disorder and PTSD.
- Sudden overwhelming fear
- Palpitations
- Sweating
- Trembling
- Shortness of breath
- Sense of choking
- Chest
pain
- Nausea
- Dizziness
- A feeling of being detached from the world
(de-realization)
- Fear of dying
- Numbness or tingling in the limbs or entire body
- Chills or hot flushes [2]
There are four steps of anxiety disorder
treatment: self –care, therapies, medication and specialist cares. Self-Care
includes avoiding alcohol, reducing caffeine intake, performing physical exercise,
practicing stress management, quitting smoking, finding relaxation techniques
and doing healthy diet. There are different types of therapies such as
cognitive behavior therapy, meditation and psychotherapy. Medications can
include but not limited to selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitor (SSRI),
Anxiolytic, Antidepressant, Sedative and Nerve pain medication. Please note
that you should always see your therapist before using any medication. [3]
[2]
https://www.webmd.com/anxiety-panic/guide/anxiety-attack-symptoms
[3] https://g.co/kgs/sZnHHw
