Anxiety disorders
Anxiety is a common human emotion, and it’s hard to determine its cause. That’s how it differs from fear because fear has a clear cause. If the anxiety manifests unexpectedly, in inadequate situations, lasts for a long time, or is disproportionately intensive, we’re talking about an anxiety disorder. Up to ¼ people experience anxiety in a lifetime – it’s twice more prevalent among women. What’s the cause? Childhood trauma, stress or genetics might be to blame.
Symptoms
The symptoms of anxiety disorders vary from psychological to physical ones. The affected person lives in constant worry, is weepy, can’t relax and even sleep disorders might appear. Each anxiety attack might come suddenly, reach the maximum level in minutes and subside. Primarily young people with stressful childhood experiences and postpartum mothers face this form of anxiety.
Physical:
- Heart pounding, sweating, shaking, dry mouth, fast breathing
- Headaches, stomachaches or chest pain
- Hot and cold flashes, tingling, dizziness
- Inability to relax
Psychological:
- Uneasiness, fear of death or losing control
- Fear of the future
- Depersonalisation
- Problems concentrating
What’s the treatment?
It lies in psychotherapy and education, and medication is prescribed in some moderate and severe cases.
Children of parents with a panic disorder are at 20% risk of anxiety disorder development.
How to prevent anxiety?
- Try to think positively even if it feels impossible. Positive thinking helps you relax and manage stress. Instead of “I can’t do it”, say, “I’ll do the best I can.”.
- Stop for a few minutes during the day and clear your head (a walk or breathing exercises help).
- Focus on activities that boost your mood. Watch your favourite film, read a book before bed, have dinner with friends, or go back to your old hobbies.
- Don’t forget that you can relax not only by watching your favourite series. You can try some sports, yoga or breathing exercises, or walk on the way home from work.
- Set realistic goals. Make a daily to-do list and get the tasks done.
- Live a healthy lifestyle. Avoid alcohol, cigarettes, and other addictions, which worsen anxiety.
FAQ
What to do when…
When to see a professional?
What are the basic principles of mental hygiene?
Good-quality sleep – Ideally, everyone should sleep between 7–9 hours a night. It all depends on your age, of course. Setting a time you’ll regularly go to sleep and wake up will help a lot.
Balanced and healthy diet – is a building block of mental health, and it supplies us with energy and creates our body's constitution.
Regular exercise – It’s indispensable to overall health. Regular exercise supports our physical and mental health. It relieves stress and anxiety and boosts self-confidence. That’s why it’s an essential factor in mental health prevention. At the same time, it improves the quality of life of people with mental illness (primarily depression treatment). Try to find an activity you’ll like and practise it 3 times a week for at least 30 minutes.
Time management – We all have many responsibilities, so it’s essential to master time management. Add enough relaxing time to your daily schedule (active or passive), and set working and “you” time.
Relaxing and autoregulation exercises – These are essential for mental hygiene, help with purposeful stress management and support inner balance. Relaxing relieves muscle and mental tension and regenerates and recovers our bodies (including the brain). Try yoga, walking, exercising or meditation.
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