Anxiety disorders: Common cold of mental health
DO YOU sometimes find yourself worrying about everything? COVID-19, finances, health, family, to the point where you are unable to function effectively? Do you stay awake at nights ruminating, or overthinking, so that your sleep is disturbed? Do you worry excessively about how others see you or what they think about you?
Are you terrified of specific situations or things, to the point where you will do almost anything to avoid it? For example, avoiding travelling by air or speaking in a group. Have you ever been so afraid of being in an enclosed space that you were unable to travel in a bus, or you had to turn the window down while driving in a car?
Or, have you had intense feelings that you were going to have a heart attack or sudden death, but you were assessed as physically normal?
Well, you could be experiencing a form of anxiety disorder, which are so common, especially when COVID-19 is upon us, that they have been called the common cold of mental health.
SIGNIFICANT FEELINGS
Anxiety disorders are characterized by significant feelings of anxiety and fear, which are significant and persistent enough to affect functioning. It is more than the regular feelings of anxiety and fear that everyone experiences from time to time. These feelings can cause physical symptoms, such as increased heart rate and shakiness.
The main types of anxiety disorders are generalised anxiety disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder, panic disorder, agoraphobia, social anxiety disorder and specific phobias. You are not to be blamed.
Although you can take responsibility to learn to manage worrying patterns of thinking, anxiety disorders may develop from a number of risk factors. These risk factors include genetics, brain chemistry, personality and life events. Neurotransmitters, such as serotonin, dopamine, norepinephrine and GABA (GammaAminobutyric acid), are believed to be linked to anxiety disorders. It is a medical condition, much like diabetes or hypertension.
YOU CAN GET HELP
Some of the biggest barriers to getting help are stigma and ignorance, driven by various myths.
Help usually takes the form of counselling, and psychotherapy and medication. Not everyone needs medication, but if needed, it can be very helpful. Psychotherapy and counselling usually focus on helping persons to manage stress, worrying and the distressing thoughts that precipitate anxiety.
If untreated, anxiety disorders may limit your potential and prevent you from living a satisfying and productive life. It could also be associated with the development of other physical illnesses.
If you think you may have an anxiety disorder, get help now. Speak to your doctor or mental health provider. You deserve to live your best life.