Anxiety disorder is a psychological and physiological disorder and is characterized by somatic, cognitive, emotional and behavioral components to generate regular patterns of fear, worry, uneasiness and nervousness.
Anxiety disorder is a widespread condition. The exact cause behind this condition is not known. It is likely that the condition has a complex set of causes that may include body's biological processes, genetics, psychosocial, environment and life situation.
The condition is not specific to age. It can initiate at any age including childhood. It is more prevalent in women than in men. Stressful situations in life may be one of the factors contributing in the progress of this disease.
Some of the risk factors could be childhood adversity, serious debiliting illnesses, unmet psychological fulfillments and also familial propensity.
Nausea, fatigue, palpitations, chest pains, shortness of breath, frequent headaches and unexplained stomach aches, inability to sleep soundly are some of the common symptoms of anxiety manifestation.
Signs include hypertension, tachycardia, increased sweating, trembling of hands, papillary dilatations.
Although panic attacks are not experienced by every anxiety sufferer, they are a common symptom. Panic attacks usually come without warning, and although the fear is generally irrational, the perception of danger is very real. A person experiencing a panic attack will often feel as if he or she is about to die or pass out.
The affected person shows tremendous circumstantial concern and worry which is not in proportion to the situation. Impatience, inability to stop worrying and feeling of being in extreme situation all the time is seen in extreme situations.
These patients get immediately irritated and worn-out and they can not focus on their tasks.
There are different varieties of anxieties:
Existential anxiety, test anxiety, stranger and social anxiety and trait anxiety. The symptoms differ depending on the variety of the disorder.
The signs and symptoms exhibited by an affected person are one of the surest ways of arriving at a diagnosis. A through psychological examination is also a must.
Any other causes which may be associated with anxiety should be ruled out. This is done by physical examination as well as by psychological evaluation.
Presence of any physical disorder or drug reaction which may have similar symptoms to anxiety disorder should be ruled out.
To rule out physical disorder and drug reaction many tests are required.
For generalized anxiety disorder to be diagnosed, one must meet these criteria:
Excessive anxiety and worry every day for at least six months
Difficulty managing anxiety leading to a constant state of worriness
Anxiety that causes significant distress or impairment in your daily life
Anxiety that is associated with several specific symptoms, such as feeling keyed up, difficulty concentrating, muscle tension and sleep disturbances
Anxiety that isn't related to another condition, such as panic attacks or substance abuse
The treatment given is generally to help the individual to carry out routine functions properly to live normal life. The success of the treatment depends on the severity of the disorder.
The two main treatments for generalized anxiety disorder are medications and psychotherapy, either alone or in combination.
Medications include anti-anxiety drugs like sedatives, anti depressants like fluoxetin (Prozac).
Understand that whatever be the medications being tried, be it sedatives or antidepressants or both, one must be patient for the drugs to work. One may need to try several to find which works best with the fewest side effects.
Psychotherapy consists of Behavioral Therapies which are used to change the dangerous perceptions of severe anxiety. The behavioral therapies include pleasant mental imagery, cognitive behavioral therapy and relaxation techniques. Patients may be counseled to understand the disorder and the factors which can control it and activate it.
Medications and behavioral therapies should be supported by healthy life style. The healthy life style includes balanced nutrition, exercise and adequate rest.
Patients with anxiety disorder should not try self medications or alcohol to relieve their anxiety which may lead to dependence or substance abuse. The patients of anxiety disorder may develop insomnia, depression or panic disorder and frequent headaches.
