Darrick Robles On Halloween, many people indulge in the comfortingly conscious horror. Fear is basically a helpful emotion that serves our survival. But it can get out of control and manifest itself as a pathological anxiety disorder. In fact, anxiety disorders are the most common mental illness: every fourth person suffers from it in the course of their life, women more often than men.
recognize anxiety disorders
Fear is not only a feeling, but also a physical reaction to a threatening situation or a situation that is perceived as threatening. When anxiety manifests as a mental disorder, it is referred to as an anxiety disorder. The fear response to the threat is then inappropriately high and very intense or long-lasting. It is difficult for those affected to explain or control their fear.
The level of suffering can be very high with an anxiety disorder, both on a psychological and physical level. Common symptoms are:
- sweating and trembling
- tachycardia
- Increased blood pressure and heart rate
- difficulty breathing
- nausea , vomiting and diarrhea
- Dizziness, weak knees
- disturbances of consciousness
- sleep disorders
- feeling of being beside yourself
- Feeling of oppression and chest pain
- Feeling of losing control over one’s own thinking
Causes of Anxiety Disorders
What triggers an anxiety disorder is highly individual. Some people are naturally more anxious than others. The following factors often play a role in the development of irrational fears :
- Genetic Prerequisites
- trauma
- Stress oder Burnout
- alcohol and drug use
- side effects of medication, e.g. B. Neuroleptics
- thyroid disorders
- heart diseases, e.g. B. Angina pectoris
- brain diseases, e.g. B. Multiple sclerosis
Types of Anxiety Disorders
Anxiety can come in different forms, e.g. e.g.:
as generalized anxiety disorder : The fear is rather diffuse and cannot be clearly assigned to a specific trigger. The sufferer is generally nervous and overly anxious in everyday life for a long time (at least 6 months). Associated physical symptoms are e.g. B. Insomnia , high blood pressure or digestive problems.
as a phobia : The fear is related to a specific object or situation. Typical examples are fear of flying and heights, arachnophobia (fear of spiders) and agoraphobia (fear of public places or crowds).
as a panic attack : The fear occurs all of a sudden in the form of a panic attack and is accompanied by strong physical symptoms such as e.g. B. tachycardia, shortness of breath or dizziness. Some of those affected have to endure fear of death. The panic attack is usually over after a few minutes.
in connection with a depressive mood : anxiety and depression are mutually dependent. The typical symptoms of a depressive mood such as listlessness, tiredness and depression can be made worse by fear or feelings of guilt.
This is how you overcome your anxiety disorder
Fear is a terrible emotion that makes us unhappy over time. So doing nothing about morbid anxiety is not a good idea. There are different ways to face fear. The goal is not total liberation from fear, but adequate control that allows for a normal life, but at the same time allows one to feel (helpful) fear in the face of justified dangers.
therapies for anxiety
An anxiety disorder is a medical condition, just like the flu or shingles . As such, it is best handled by qualified professionals. Depending on how severe the fear is, inpatient treatment or outpatient psychotherapy is an option. The latter is useful for fears, especially in the form of behavioral therapy . However, depth psychological methods can also be used , in which the psychological causes of the fears are researched.
Exposure therapy has proven to be particularly effective for phobias in particular. The patients are gradually confronted with their fears and experience that the dreaded catastrophe does not occur. You have to endure the bad feelings until they finally subside and you get used to it.
medication for anxiety
Particularly severe and chronic anxiety disorders can also be treated with medication. Antidepressants or sedatives are primarily considered here . If possible, however, they should be used in addition to psychotherapeutic measures. It should be taken under medical supervision and for a limited period of time, as there is a risk of dependency. However, it often takes a while for the medication to have any effect.
Take action against fears
About half of all people suffering from an anxiety disorder do not seek professional help. Unfortunately, these people are missing out on an important tool for treating their symptoms. However, your own measures can also help to find a way out of the fear or at least to alleviate the associated symptoms – ideally as an accompaniment to therapy. The following self-help measures are particularly recommended from a medical point of view:
Understand the fear. The first important step is to recognize and accept the irrational fear as such. The more you know about your fear, the more rationally you can deal with it. Visiting a self-help group can also be useful for this purpose.
learn to relax. Anxiety is often associated with strong physical tension. Relaxation techniques such as meditation, autogenic training or progressive muscle relaxation enable relaxation on a physical level and also lead to more mental serenity.
Move and play sports. It’s actually quite simple: Sport reduces stress and thus ensures that many bodily systems function better again. For example, exercise improves sleep , which is often disrupted in anxiety patients.
Reduce stress. Stress is a common anxiety trigger that can affect not only our mental but also our physical health. Effective stress management can help reduce stress-related anxiety.
Fears in Corona times
During the current corona pandemic, people with anxiety disorders have it twice as difficult: fear of the corona virus is now added to their usual fears. In addition, it is unclear how long our lives will continue to be accompanied by social restrictions. In order to better deal with this long-lasting exceptional situation, the World Health Organization recommends the following :
- Stress relief and calm breaths
- Talking to people close to you and articulating fears and worries
- Fixed routines , including times for physical activity and relaxation
- Reducing news consumption to a few, trusted sources
- If necessary , take advantage of professional help , e.g. B. Calling help lines
Fears? Get help early
If you’re unsure whether to treat your anxiety yourself or seek professional help, we recommend speaking to a doctor . A doctor at Med-Healths can also make an initial assessment of your situation.
You should definitely seek medical help if the fear is very strong and restricts your quality of life, so that you may even withdraw from social life. Anxiety can be overcome – and the sooner you do it, the better the chances that the symptoms of an anxiety disorder will not become entrenched.
