What is Anxiety ? Definition of anxiety, Types of anxiety disorder, Symptoms of anxiety, Causes of anxiety, Component of anxiety, what is GAD or chronic anxiety disorder it's symptoms ,causes and treatment plain, What is phobia disorder and it's types

 

What is Anxiety ?

Anxiety is a future-oriented response["What if I mess up this speech? What if she does not like me? "] and often occurs when people encounter a new situation or anticipate a life-changing event[ starting college, getting married]. In most instances, the anxiety that occurs in these situations is time limited and goes away when the event is over. In some cases, however, anxiety spirals out of proportion to the actual situation; when this happens we say that a person suffers from an anxiety disorder.

It is a normal reaction to stress which is beneficial for human beings in some situations but excessive level of anxiety causes some difficulty in human beings. An anxiety disorder is a type of mental health functioning due to which person become anxious or nervous if he Or she face any kind of problem in these work places. A person with anxiety disorders frequently have persistent and excessive worry, fear about everyday tasks or situation.

Definition of Anxiety

"The mental state that results from a difficult challenge for which the subject has insufficient coping skills."

 

"A future oriented mood state in which one is ready or prepared to attempt to cope with upcoming negative events. "[ David Barlow] 

Types of Anxiety Disorders 

There are several types of anxiety disorders:

• Generalized anxiety disorder :- You feel excessive, unrealistic worry and tension with little or no reason.
• Panic disorder :-You feel sudden, intense fear that brings on a panic attack. During a panic attack you may break out in a sweat, have chest pain, and have a pounding heartbeat (palpitations). Sometimes you may feel like you’re choking or having a heart attack.
• Social anxiety disorder :- Also known as  social phobia, .
• Specific phobias .
• Agoraphobia.  

Symptoms of Anxiety

• Fear
• Shortness of breath
• Muscle tension
• Heart palpitation
• Fatigue or Sweating
• Insomnia
• Nausea
• Rapid breathing or Hyperventilation
• Digestive or gastrointestinal problems, such as gas, constipation or diarrhea
• Performing certain behaviors over and over again
• Having difficulty controlling worry
• Having the urge to avoid things that trigger anxiety

Causes of anxiety

The main symptom of anxiety disorders is excessive fear or worry. Anxiety disorders can also make it hard to breathe, sleep, stay still, and concentrate.  Your specific symptoms depend on the type of anxiety disorder you have. 

• Panic, fear, and uneasiness
• Stress from work
• financial stress
• Use of drugs
• Family history of mental health conditions
• Side effect of medication
• Chemical imbalance
• Past or childhood experiences 

Components of anxiety

  for example,

 

What is Generalized anxiety disorder or Chronic anxiety disorder [GAD]

General anxiety disorder characterized by intense, uncontrollable , unfocused, chronic, and unproductive, accompanied by physical symptoms of tenseness , irritability and restlessness. It is difficult from normal feelings of anxiousness. People with GAD may worry uncontrollably about the situations, In 1969, Voltin give a term to this type of anxiety as "Free floating anxiety". When we don't stop this type of anxiety in it's initial stage than it become Phobia.

Symptoms

• Lack of concentration
• Mood swings
• Lack of decision making power
• Dependency on others
• Extreme sensitivity[ weak emotional aspects]
• Sleep disturbances[ most common symptoms] or excessive sleepyness
• Excessive sweating 
• Muscle tension
• Excessive or lack of eating
• stomach ache
• Shaking hands and legs
• Rapid heartbeat 
• Fluctuation in BP
• Nail biting
• Irritability
• Fatigue 

Causes or risk factors of GAD

• A family history of anxiety
• Continuously stressful situations
• Personal problem
• Job problem
• Family problem
• Relationship problem
• Habitual use of tobacco
• Repression of childhood abuses
• Excessive worries
• Through conditioning and modeling

Treatment plan

• CBT[ cognitive behavioral therapy]
• Medications [ SSRIs, Antidepressant, Anxiolytic]
• Changes in lifestyle
• Regular exercise
• Psychoanalysis and Psychotherapy
• Deep sleep
• Meditation
• Mindfulness therapy 

 

Phobia Disorder

It is a type of anxiety disorder that causes irritational fear about place, object, situation and living creature. It is a condition that activates the " Fight or flight" response. A phobic disorder collectively include social anxiety disorder [Social phobia], specific phobia, and agoraphobia. Phobia mostly occur in adolescence and young adults. Women's are mostly suffer from phobia as compared to men.

List of phobia

• Acrophobia - fear of heights
• Agoraphobia - fear of crowds and open spaces
• Hemophobia - fear of blood
• Achluophobia - fear of darkness
• Ailurophobia - fear of cats
• Hydrophobia - fear of water
• Astraphobia - fear of thunder and lightning
• Automysophobia - fear of being dirty
• Claustrophobia - fear of enclosed spaces
• Zoophobia - fear of animals
• Atychiphobia - fear of failure
• Thanatophobia - fear of death
•  Aerophobia - fear of flying 

Types of Phobia disorder

Specific phobia - It is a type of anxiety disorder which is also known as simple phobia. It is an irrational fear of something that may cause little or no actual danger. It is an unreasonable fear associated with a specific object or situation. A patients with this type of phobia experience high level of anxiety and panic attack. Around 19 million adults are affected by specific phobia.

Some examples of specific phobia - 

Animal, air, bee, beard, being alone, fear of death, books, cat, cancer, cold, dead body, doll and so on.

Agoraphobia - It is a type of anxiety disorder that makes fear of certain open places and situations. A fear of being in a places from which it is hard to escape or receive help. The word itself refers to fear of open spaces in excess level. A person with agoraphobia may think that they can't get medical help when they needed.

Social phobia - A type of anxiety disorder which is also known as social anxiety disorder. In social phobia social interactions cause irrational anxiety. People with this disorder have trouble meeting new peoples, attending social gatherings and talking to people. They fear being judged or scrutinized by other's.

for example - Giving a presentation may cause feeling of butterflies in your stomach.

 

References:-

 Abnormal Psychology- Robin S. Rosenberg & Kosslyn

 Essentials of Abnormal Psychology -V. Mark Durand, David H. Barlow

https://www.webmd.com/anxiety-panic/guide/anxiety-disorders#1