Anxiety: Difference between revisions

Latest revision as of 01:01, 20 February 2025

Anxiety is a psychological and physiological state characterized by somatic, emotional, cognitive, and behavioral components. It is the disordered feeling of dread or fear, which may be focused on an object or situation, or be more generalized and non-specific. Anxiety is a natural human reaction that involves the mind and body. It serves an important basic survival function: Anxiety is an alarm system that is activated whenever a person perceives danger or threat.

Causes[edit]

Anxiety can be caused by a variety of factors including genetic predispositions, environmental stresses, physical health, and psychological makeup. Some common triggers include:

Genetics: A family history of anxiety increases the likelihood of developing the disorder.
Life Events: Major life changes such as moving, job change, or significant personal loss can provoke anxiety.
Medical Factors: Certain physical health conditions like thyroid problems or heart arrhythmias can produce or exacerbate anxiety symptoms.
Substance Use: The use of or withdrawal from certain substances, including caffeine, alcohol, and nicotine, can trigger symptoms of anxiety.

Symptoms[edit]

Symptoms of anxiety can vary widely depending on the nature of the anxiety disorder, but common symptoms include:

Persistent worry or fear
Restlessness or feeling on edge
Difficulty concentrating
Irritability
Muscle tension
Sleep disturbances

Types of Anxiety Disorders[edit]

There are several distinct types of anxiety disorders, including:

Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD): Characterized by chronic anxiety, exaggerated worry, and tension, even when there is little or nothing to provoke it.
Panic Disorder: Characterized by unexpected and repeated episodes of intense fear accompanied by physical symptoms.
Social Anxiety Disorder: Involves overwhelming worry and self-consciousness about everyday social situations.
Specific Phobias: An intense fear of a specific object or situation, such as spiders, flying, or heights.
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD): Characterized by recurrent, unwanted thoughts (obsessions) and/or repetitive behaviors (compulsions).

Treatment[edit]

Treatment for anxiety varies and can include psychotherapy, medication, or a combination of both. Common treatments include:

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT): A type of psychotherapy that teaches individuals how to change their thought patterns to affect their anxiety levels.
Medication: Includes antidepressants, anti-anxiety drugs, and beta-blockers.
Lifestyle Changes: Regular exercise, adequate sleep, and a healthy diet can help reduce symptoms of anxiety.

Impact on Daily Life[edit]

Anxiety can significantly impact daily functioning, affecting performance at work or school, personal relationships, and overall quality of life. It can lead to physical health issues over time if not adequately addressed.

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-[[File:Scared Girl.jpg|thumb|Girl looking scared, suffering from anxiety]]
+'''Anxiety''' is a psychological and physiological state characterized by somatic, emotional, cognitive, and behavioral components. It is the [[disordered]] feeling of dread or fear, which may be focused on an object or situation, or be more generalized and non-specific. Anxiety is a natural human reaction that involves the mind and body. It serves an important basic survival function: Anxiety is an alarm system that is activated whenever a person perceives danger or threat.
-'''Anxiety''' is distress or uneasiness of mind cause by fear of danger or misfortune.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.dictionary.com/browse/anxiety|title=Anxiety {{!}} Define Anxiety at Dictionary.com|access-date=2018-05-05}}</ref>  Very often, people with anxiety also feel [[worry|worries]]. There can also be physical symptoms, like having a [[headache]] or an upset [[stomach]].
+== Causes ==
+Anxiety can be caused by a variety of factors including genetic predispositions, environmental stresses, physical health, and psychological makeup. Some common triggers include:
-Anxiety is a very common human emotion and is often associated with fear, [[panic]], and the [[fight or flight response]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.webmd.com/anxiety-panic/understanding-anxiety-basics|title=What Is Generalized Anxiety Disorder?|last=|first=|work=WebMD|access-date=2018-05-05|archive-url=|archive-date=|dead-url=|language=en-US}}</ref> The amount of stress needed to cause anxiety will very from person to person however, basics include: losing one's job, the death of a loved one, or an accident to name a few. In most people, anxiety will settle over time and one will return to normal state.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.webmd.com/anxiety-panic/understanding-anxiety-basics|title=What Is Generalized Anxiety Disorder?|work=WebMD|access-date=2018-05-05|language=en-US}}</ref>
+* [[Genetics]]: A family history of anxiety increases the likelihood of developing the disorder.
+* [[Life Events]]: Major life changes such as moving, job change, or significant personal loss can provoke anxiety.
+* [[Medical Factors]]: Certain physical health conditions like thyroid problems or heart arrhythmias can produce or exacerbate anxiety symptoms.
+* [[Substance Use]]: The use of or withdrawal from certain substances, including caffeine, alcohol, and nicotine, can trigger symptoms of anxiety.
-Some people suffer a lot of anxiety over a long period of time which controls them and makes their lives difficult. These conditions are called [[anxiety disorder]]s and can be treated by [[therapy]] and [[medicine]].
+== Symptoms ==
+Symptoms of anxiety can vary widely depending on the nature of the anxiety disorder, but common symptoms include:
-General anxiety is a disorder in which the victim is constantly worried or fearful about situations or things that normally wouldn’t bother them or others. When this continual anxious state starts to interfere with their social, family and work life, and prevents them functioning in a normal fashion, they may be said to have a General Anxiety Disorder (GAD).
+* Persistent worry or fear
+* Restlessness or feeling on edge
+* Difficulty concentrating
+* Irritability
+* Muscle tension
+* Sleep disturbances
-General anxiety symptoms are things such as; continual tiredness / exhaustion, inability to relax, lack of confidence, low self-esteem, fear of public places, fear of socializing, frequent feelings of irrational anxiety / fear, compulsive behavior, worrying about making mistakes, regular nightmares, disturbed sleep patterns, excessive crying, headaches, stomach problems, diarrhea, nausea, aching muscles, and so on.
+== Types of Anxiety Disorders ==
+There are several distinct types of anxiety disorders, including:
-Symptoms of anxiety attacks are things like; sweating, shaking and tremors, palpitations, shortness of breath, hyperventilating, racing heart beat, tingling in hands and feet, feeling of impending doom, feeling you are having a heart attack. There are more, but these are the usual ones.
+* [[Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD)]]: Characterized by chronic anxiety, exaggerated worry, and tension, even when there is little or nothing to provoke it.
+* [[Panic Disorder]]: Characterized by unexpected and repeated episodes of intense fear accompanied by physical symptoms.
+* [[Social Anxiety Disorder]]: Involves overwhelming worry and self-consciousness about everyday social situations.
+* [[Specific Phobias]]: An intense fear of a specific object or situation, such as spiders, flying, or heights.
+* [[Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)]]: Characterized by recurrent, unwanted thoughts (obsessions) and/or repetitive behaviors (compulsions).
-== Medicine ==
+== Treatment ==
-These symptoms, more or less, define anxiety but they can also be signs of other problems, so your first port of call has to be your doctor or other health care professional. They will be able to define what your problem is exactly, and propose the appropriate treatment. Since the theme of this article is defining anxiety, we’ll assume that your doctor has diagnosed you with anxiety…
+Treatment for anxiety varies and can include psychotherapy, medication, or a combination of both. Common treatments include:
-A doctor’s first line treatment is usually through drug-based medication; for example [[antidepressant]]s, anti-anxiety tablets and [[beta blocker]]s. These can be very effective, but they all have their [[side effect]]s, some worse than others. This can tend to put folks off continuing with them. However, no matter how bad you feel, never, ever discontinue treatment unless advised by your doctor to do so.
+* [[Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)]]: A type of psychotherapy that teaches individuals how to change their thought patterns to affect their anxiety levels.
+* Medication: Includes antidepressants, anti-anxiety drugs, and beta-blockers.
+* Lifestyle Changes: Regular exercise, adequate sleep, and a healthy diet can help reduce symptoms of anxiety.
-Other non-drug therapies are becoming popular such as; self-hypnosis, [[meditation]], [[yoga]], cognitive behavioral therapy, counseling, acupuncture, etc. These are therapies to help you ‘manage’ or ‘cope’ with your anxiety and / or anxiety attacks.
+== Impact on Daily Life ==
+Anxiety can significantly impact daily functioning, affecting performance at work or school, personal relationships, and overall quality of life. It can lead to physical health issues over time if not adequately addressed.
-But what about the underlying cause(s) of anxiety? The two treatment types above focus on either reducing the symptoms of anxiety, or, helping you cope with your disorder. They don’t seem to do anything about the underlying condition(s) that are causing your anxiety.
+== See Also ==
+* [[Stress]]
+* [[Mental Health]]
+* [[Psychiatry]]
+{{Psychology}}
+[[Category:Mental Health]]
+[[Category:Psychological Disorders]]
+[[Category:Anxiety]]
-And the very ‘fear’ of another anxiety attack can bring one on. As long as this irrational fear exists it’s very difficult to stop attacks and resolve your general anxiety. If you can eliminate this fear, you can prevent further attacks and get rid of your general anxiety much more effectively.
+{{medicine-stub}}
+<gallery>
-== Anxiety disorders ==
+File:Edvard Munch, 1893, The Scream, oil, tempera and pastel on cardboard, 91 x 73 cm, National Gallery of Norway.jpg|The Scream
-Anxiety disorders are any sort of disorder caused by a major amount of anxiety. There are many different disorders, each of which may be diagnosed by a trained professional. Examples  of such disorders are
+File:Emperor Traianus Decius (Mary Harrsch).jpg|Emperor Traianus Decius
+</gallery>
-* Fear of certain [[animals]]: [[Arachnophobia]] is the fear of [[Spider|spiders]]
-* Fear of certain situations: [[Agoraphobia]] is the fear of [[wikt:crowd|crowds]] (and of not being able to get away easily), [[Acrophobia]] is the fear of [[Height|heights]]
-* Generalized ones, such as [[Post-traumatic stress disorder]] (which occurs in people who have often been exposed to stressful situations, such as [[War|wars]]).
-== References ==
-{{reflist}}
-{{stub}}
-[[Category:Anxiety disorders]]