Description

Experiencing occasional anxiety is a normal part of life. However, people with anxiety disorders frequently have intense, excessive and persistent worry and fear about everyday situations. Often, anxiety disorders involve repeated episodes of sudden feelings of intense anxiety and fear or terror that reach a peak within minutes (panic attacks).

These feelings of anxiety and panic interfere with daily activities, are difficult to control, are out of proportion to the actual danger and can last a long time. You may avoid places or situations to prevent these feelings. Symptoms can begin in childhood or adolescence and continue into adulthood.

Examples of anxiety disorders include generalized anxiety disorder, social anxiety disorder (social phobia), specific phobias and separation anxiety disorder. You can have more than one anxiety disorder. Sometimes the anxiety is the result of a medical condition that requires treatment.

Whatever the form of anxiety, treatment can help.

Symptoms

Common anxiety signs and symptoms include:

  • Feeling nervous, restless or tense
  • To have a feeling of impending danger, panic or doom
  • Having an increased heart rate
  • Rapid breathing (hyperventilation)
  • Sweating
  • Trembling
  • Feeling weak or tired
  • Trouble concentrating or thinking about something other than the present worry
  • Have trouble sleeping
  • Experiencing gastrointestinal (GI) problems
  • Having difficulty controlling worry
  • Having the urge to avoid things that trigger anxiety

Several types of anxiety disorders exist:

  • Agoraphobia (ag-uh-ruh-FOE-be-uh) is a type of anxiety disorder in which you fear and often avoid places or situations that might cause panic and make you feel trapped, helpless or embarrassed.
  • Anxiety disorder due to a medical condition includes symptoms of intense anxiety or panic that are directly caused by a problem of physical health.
  • Generalized anxiety disorder includes persistent and excessive anxiety and worry about activities or events — even ordinary, routine issues. The worry is out of proportion to the actual circumstance, is difficult to control and affects how you feel physically. Often occurs along with other anxiety disorders or depression.
  • Panic disorder involves repeated episodes of sudden feelings of intense anxiety and fear or terror that reach a peak within minutes (panic attacks). You may have feelings of impending doom, shortness of breath, chest pain, or a rapid, fluttering or pounding heartbeat (palpitations). These panic attacks may lead to worrying about them happening again or avoiding situations in which it has occurred.
  • Selective mutism is a consistent failure of children to speak in certain situations, such as school, even when they speak in other situations, such as at home with the members of the family. This can interfere with school, work and social functioning.
  • Separation anxiety disorder is a childhood disorder characterized by anxiety that's excessive for the child's developmental level and related to separation from parents or others who have parental roles.
  • Social anxiety disorder (social phobia) involves high levels of anxiety, fear and avoidance of social situations due to feelings of shame, self-consciousness and concern about being judged or viewed negatively by others.
  • Specific phobias are characterized by major anxiety when you're exposed to a specific object or situation and a desire to avoid. Phobias provoke panic attacks in some people.
  • Substance-induced anxiety disorder is characterized by symptoms of intense anxiety or panic that are a direct result of the misuse of drugs, taking medications, exposure to a toxic substance or withdrawal from drugs.
  • Other specified anxiety disorder and unspecified anxiety disorder are terms for anxiety or phobias that don't meet the exact criteria for any other anxiety disorders but are significant enough to be distressing and disruptive.

When to see a doctor

See your doctor if:

  • You feel like you're worrying too much and is interfering with your job, relationships or other parts of your life
  • Your fear, worry or anxiety is annoying for you and difficult to control
  • You feel depressed, have trouble with the use of alcohol or drugs, or who have other mental health problems along with anxiety
  • You think that your anxiety could be related to a problem of physical health
  • You have suicidal thoughts or behaviors — if this is the case, seek emergency treatment immediately

Their concerns may not go away on its own, and that may get worse over time if they do not seek help. Consult your doctor or a mental health provider before your anxiety gets worse. It is easy to treat if you get help in time.

Causes

The causes of anxiety disorders are not fully understood. Life experiences such as traumatic events appear to trigger anxiety disorders in people who are already prone to anxiety. Inherited traits can also be a factor.

Medical causes

For some people, anxiety may be linked to an underlying health problem. In some cases, anxiety signs and symptoms are the first indicators of a medical illness. If your doctor suspects your anxiety may have a medical cause, he or she may order tests to look for signs of a problem.

Examples of health problems that may be linked to anxiety include:

  • Heart disease
  • Diabetes
  • Thyroid problems, such as hyperthyroidism
  • Respiratory disorders, such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and asthma
  • Drug abuse or withdrawal
  • Abstinence from alcohol, anti-anxiety medications (benzodiazepines), or other medications
  • Chronic pain or irritable bowel syndrome
  • Rare tumors that produce certain fight-or-flight hormones

Sometimes anxiety can be a side effect of certain medications.

It is possible that anxiety may be due to an underlying medical condition if:

  • You don't have any blood relatives (such as father, mother, brothers or sisters) with an anxiety disorder
  • You do not have an anxiety disorder as a child
  • Don't avoid certain things or situations because of anxiety
  • You have a sudden onset of the anxiety that appears to be unrelated to life events and that do not have a previous history of anxiety

Risk factors

These factors can increase your risk of developing an anxiety disorder:

  • The Trauma. Children who have suffered abuse or trauma or witnesses of traumatic events are at higher risk of developing an anxiety disorder at some point in life. Adults who experience a traumatic event can also develop anxiety disorders.
  • The stress due to a disease. Have a health condition or serious illness can cause significant concern about issues such as their treatment and their future.
  • The accumulation of stress. A large event or an accumulation of small stressful life situations may trigger excessive anxiety — for example, a death in the family, the job, the stress, or the constant worry about finances.
  • Of the personality. People with certain personality types are more prone to anxiety disorders than others.
  • Other mental health disorders. People with other mental health disorders, such as depression, often also have an anxiety disorder.
  • Having blood relatives with an anxiety disorder. Anxiety disorders can run in families.
  • Drugs or alcohol. Use of drugs or alcohol, or misuse, or withdrawal can cause or worsen anxiety.

Complications

Having an anxiety disorder does more than make you worry. It can also cause or worsen, other mental and physical conditions, such as:

  • Depression (which often occurs with an anxiety disorder), or other mental health disorders
  • The misuse of substances
  • Sleep problems (insomnia)
  • Digestive or intestinal problems
  • Headaches and chronic pain
  • Social isolation
  • Performance problems in the school or on the job
  • Poor quality of life
  • Suicide

Prevention

There is No way to predict what is going to cause someone to develop an anxiety disorder, but you can take steps to reduce the impact of the symptoms if you're anxious:

  • Get help in time. Anxiety, like many other mental health conditions, it can be difficult to treat if you wait.
  • Stay active. Participate in activities that you enjoy and that make you feel good about yourself. Enjoy the social interaction and the care of relations, which can lessen your worries.
  • Avoid the consumption of alcohol or use of drugs. Use of Alcohol and drugs can cause or worsen anxiety. If you're addicted to any of these substances, quitting smoking can make you anxious. If you are unable to quit smoking on your own, consult your doctor or find a support group to help you.

Diagnosis

You can start by seeing your primary care provider to find out if your anxiety could be related to your physical health. He or she can check for signs of an underlying medical condition that may need treatment.

However, you may need to see a mental health specialist if you have severe anxiety. A psychiatrist is a doctor who specializes in diagnosing and treating mental health conditions. A psychologist and certain other mental health professionals can diagnose anxiety and to provide counseling (psychotherapy).

To help diagnose an anxiety disorder, your mental health provider may:

  • Give a psychological evaluation. This implies discuss their thoughts, feelings, and behavior to help determine a diagnosis and check for related complications. Anxiety disorders often occur along with other mental health problems such as depression or substance abuse, which can make the diagnosis more difficult.
  • Compare your symptoms to the criteria established in the DSM-5. Many doctors use the criteria established in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5), published by the American psychiatric Association, to diagnose an anxiety disorder.

Treatment

The two main treatments for anxiety disorders are psychotherapy and medications. You may benefit most from a combination of the two. You can take a little trial and error to discover which treatments work best for you.

Psychotherapy

Also known as talk therapy or psychological counseling, psychotherapy involves working with a therapist to reduce the symptoms of anxiety. It can be an effective treatment for anxiety.

The cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) is the most effective form of psychotherapy for anxiety disorders. Usually a short-term treatment, CBT focuses on teaching specific skills to improve their symptoms, and gradually return to the activities that have been avoided due to the anxiety.

The CBT includes exposure therapy, in which little by little the encounter with the object or situation that triggers your anxiety to build the confidence that he can handle the situation and the symptoms of anxiety.

Drugs

Several types of medications used to help ease the symptoms, depending on the type of anxiety disorder you have and if you also have other mental or physical health problems. For example:

  • Certain antidepressants are also used to treat anxiety disorders.
  • An anti-anxiety medication called buspirone may be prescribed.
  • In limited circumstances, your doctor may prescribe other types of medications, such as sedatives, also called benzodiazepines, or beta-blockers. These medications are for short-term relief of the symptoms of anxiety and are not intended to be used long-term.

Talk with your doctor about the benefits, risks and possible side effects of the medications.

Lifestyle and home remedies

While most people with anxiety disorders need psychotherapy or medications to get anxiety under control, lifestyle changes also can make a difference. Here is what you can do:

  • Stay physically active. Develop a routine so that you're physically active most days of the week. Exercise is a powerful stress reducer. You can improve your mood and help you stay healthy. Start slowly and gradually increase the amount and intensity of your activities.
  • Avoid alcohol and recreational drugs. These substances can cause or worsen anxiety. If you are unable to quit smoking on your own, consult your doctor or find a support group to help you.
  • Stop smoking and reduce or stop drinking caffeinated beverages. Both nicotine and caffeine can worsen anxiety.
  • Use of the stress management and relaxation techniques. The techniques of visualization, meditation, and yoga are examples of relaxation techniques that can relieve anxiety.
  • Make sleep a priority. Do what you can to make sure that you are getting enough sleep to feel rested. If you are not sleeping well, see your doctor.
  • Eat healthy. Healthy eating — for example, focusing on vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and fish may be linked to reductions in anxiety, but more research is needed.

Alternative medicine

Several herbal remedies have been studied as a treatment for anxiety, but more research is needed to understand the risks and benefits. Herbal and dietary supplements are not monitored by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the same way that medications are. You can't always be sure what you're doing and if it is safe. Some of these supplements can interfere with prescription medications or cause dangerous interactions.

Before taking herbal remedies or dietary supplements, talk with your doctor to make sure that it is safe for you and do not interact with the medicines you take.

Coping and support

To cope with an anxiety disorder, here's what you can do:

  • Learn about your disease. Talk with your doctor or mental health provider. Find out what could be the cause of your specific condition and what treatments might be best for you. Involve your family and friends and ask for their support.
  • Stick to your treatment plan. Take medications as directed. Keep therapy appointments and complete tasks, your therapist can give you. The consistency can make a big difference, especially when it comes to taking the medication.
  • Take action. Learn what triggers your anxiety or causing you stress. The practice of the strategies developed with your mental health care provider so that you're ready to deal with the feelings of anxiety in these situations.
  • Keep a journal. Keep track of your personal life can help you and your mental health provider to identify what's causing you stress and what seems to help you feel better.
  • Join an anxiety support group. Remember that you are not alone. Support groups offer the compassion, the understanding and shared experiences. The National Alliance of Mental Illness, and the Anxiety and Depression Association of america to provide information on the search for support.
  • Learn time management techniques. You can reduce anxiety by learning how to carefully manage your time and energy.
  • Socialize. Don't let the concerns isolate you from your loved ones, or activities.
  • Break the cycle. When you feel anxious, take a brisk walk or delve into a hobby to refocus your mind away from your concerns.

Preparing for your appointment

You can start by seeing your primary care provider. He or she may refer you to a mental health professional.

What you can do

Before your appointment, make a list of:

  • The symptoms of anxiety. Note when they occur, if something seems to be better or worse, and how much they affect your day-to-day activities and interactions.
  • What causes the stress. Include any major life changes or stressful events that we have faced recently. Also take note of any traumatic experiences that we have had in the past or as a child.
  • Any family history of mental health problems. Note: if your parents, grandparents, siblings, or children have had to deal with any mental health problem.
  • Any other health problems you have. Include both the physical conditions and mental health problems.
  • All of the medicines you are taking. Include all medications, vitamins, herbs, or other supplements, and dosage.
  • Questions to ask your doctor to make the most of your appointment.

Some basic questions to ask your doctor include:

  • What is the most likely cause of my anxiety?
  • There are other possible situations, psychological problems or physical health problems that could be causing or worsening my anxiety?
  • Do I need any tests?
  • You should see a psychiatrist, psychologist or other mental health professional?
  • What type of therapy might help me?
  • Would medication help? If so, is there a generic alternative to the medicine you're prescribing?
  • In addition to treatment, there are steps you can take at home that could help?
  • Do you have any educational materials that can I have? What sites do you recommend?

Do not hesitate to ask questions during your appointment.

What to expect from your doctor

Your doctor will probably ask you several questions, such as:

  • What are its symptoms, and how severe are they? How can they affect your ability to function?
  • Have you ever had a panic attack?
  • Avoid certain things or situations, because they make you anxious?
  • Have their feelings of anxiety been occasional or continuous?
  • When did you begin to notice their feelings of anxiety?
  • Is there anything in particular seem to trigger your anxiety or make it worse?
  • What, if anything, seems to improve your feelings of anxiety?
  • What traumatic experiences that you have had recently or in the past?
  • What, if any, physical or mental health conditions do you have?
  • Do you take prescription drugs?
  • Usually, drink alcohol, or use recreational drugs?
  • Do you have any blood relatives who have anxiety or other mental health disorders, such as depression?

Prepare and anticipate the questions will help you make the most of your time.

Symptoms and treatment of Anxiety disorders