Anxiety is a normal emotion that we all experience from time to time. Its primary function is to warn us about potential danger or stress, such as a work issue or before an interview. However, anxiety can become a burden when it manifests as a disorder.
Anxiety disorders cause overwhelming worry and fear when exposed to specific triggers that have a debilitating effect on your quality of life, to the point where you avoid places, people and situations.
Symptoms of anxiety disorders will differ depending on your particular disorder. However, there are common signs many people experience that are grouped into three categories: mental, physical and behavioural.
Mental symptoms:
Physical symptoms:
Behavioural symptoms:
Anxiety disorders go beyond the typical feelings associated with anxiety; they cause you to experience intense dread and fear and induce physical symptoms such as a racing heartbeat. Different anxiety disorders have various triggers that lead to feelings of anxiety.
Generalised anxiety disorder (GAD): There are no specific triggers for generalised anxiety disorder. Instead, you experience intense worry and fear over several areas of your life, such as work, health and relationships, for no reason.
Panic disorder: With panic disorder, you experience sudden and intense panic attacks caused by specific triggers. Panic attacks feel similar to heart attacks, with chest pain, heart palpitations, sweating and hyperventilating are common symptoms.
Social anxiety disorder: People with social anxiety disorder experience overwhelming feelings of self-consciousness and worry in social situations. People with this disorder fear judgement and ridicule from others and may avoid social situations altogether.
Separation anxiety: Separation anxiety, while more common in children, can impact anyone and causes feelings of fear and worry when someone close to you leaves. You fear being isolated and that something awful might happen to your loved one.
Agoraphobia: Those who experience agoraphobia fear being unable to escape or leave certain places during an emergency. Common areas or places that trigger agoraphobia are planes, public transport, enclosed spaces, lines and crowds.
Distinctive phobias: A phobia is an intense fear of particular objects or situations, such as the fear of heights or snakes. However, the level of fear caused by distinctive phobias doesn't always match the situation. Instead, phobias cause fear and stress, similar to anxiety disorders, and people go as far as to avoid specific situations altogether.
Anxiety caused by medication and substance abuse: Certain medications and substance abuse or withdrawal can cause anxiety symptoms and lead to anxiety disorders.
Selective mutism: Selective mutism is a mental health disorder that affects children and is categorised as a type of social anxiety. For example, your child might speak at home but refuse to speak in certain situations, such as school.
The direct cause of anxiety disorders is unknown, but research shows that a combination of factors can cause them. Brain structure, chemical imbalance, environmental, genetic and social factors play a role in a person developing an anxiety disorder.
The treatment for anxiety disorders is dependent on your specific disorder and symptoms. Therefore, I aim to help you work through your symptoms and understand your triggers to determine the best treatment method.
