Arrow Left Arrow Right Just As Some People Feel Depressed Because Of The Weather Some Feel Anxious Approximately 40 Million Adults In The United States Have Some Type Of Anxiety Disorder And Many More Might Not Realize It Deciphering How Your Thoughts Feelings And Fears Compare To The Average Person Can Be Difficult What Signs Of Anxiety Disorders Might You Have Without Realizing It Click Through To Find Out
Just as some people feel depressed in the winter, some feel anxious.
But how do you know whether your anxiety is a part of life or a serious mental health condition?
Anxiety is a normal emotion that almost everyone feels, Lawrence D. Needleman, Ph.D., associate professor of clinical psychiatry at the Ohio State University Outpatient Psychiatry Clinic, told weather.com. But if it is persistent, and its interfering with important aspects of their lives, then people should seek attention for it.
Although common physical conditions might be easy to diagnose with a number of tests, mental health disorders tend to be more complicated. In fact, doctors diagnose less than half of patients who meet the criteria for psychological disorders, according to the World Health Organization. Medical professionals often underdiagnose because they havent had sufficient training with mental illness, Dr. Needleman said.
But patients also need to seek out help.
People who are suffering might not bring their problem to someones attention because of shame or embarrassment, added Dr. Needleman. might also not recognize what their problem is they might not realize its an underlying anxiety disorder.
Approximately 40 million adults in the United States have some type of anxiety disorder, and many more might not realize it. Deciphering how your thoughts, feelings and fears compare to the average person can be difficult.
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When Should You See A Doctor For Anxiety
As life-disrupting and misery-creating as anxiety can be, its often difficult to know when you should see a doctor about anxiety symptoms. Learning when you need anxiety help will help you feel more confident and less anxious about your decision. Use the following information to help you decide if and when you should see a doctor for anxiety.
If you worry about your anxiety symptoms and wonder if you should see a doctor, then maybe you also worry if seeing a doctor would be silly or pointless because maybe your anxiety isn’t actually that bad. This type of worry is a common feature of anxiety known as meta-anxiety, or anxiety about your anxiety.
For those of us who have experienced it, meta-anxiety is not only obnoxious but can be paralyzing. Having anxiety about when you should see a doctor for anxiety can get in the way of treatment. There are times when a trip to the doctor to discuss your anxiety is a very good idea that can help you move forward past anxiety.
Why Do I Have Anxiety
What causes anxiety and anxiety disorders is complex. It is likely that a combination of both genetics and environmental factors play a role in why some individuals are more prone to anxiety than others. Some events, emotions, or experiences may make it more likely for the symptoms of anxiety to begin or worsenthese are known as triggers. Anxiety triggers can cause panic attacks in some people and differ from person to person and so working with a mental health professional to identify what your triggers are and how you can react when faced with them can be incredibly helpful.
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Can I Get Diagnosed With Anxiety By An Online Mental Health Provider
While online assessments can let you know whether you are experiencing symptoms associated with an anxiety disorder, its best to see a health care professional in person to rule out or discover and treat any physical causes of your symptoms. Only qualified health care professionals can make an accurate diagnosis and start you on a treatment plan.
Anxiety In Adults Vs Anxiety In Children
Anxiety seems to be an adult problem. Even if each person deals those issues differently, most adults can empathize with an adult friend who talks about his or her anxiety.
Anxiety in children is quite different in one major aspect: children do not talk about their anxiety. This is not a word that belongs to their world and they generally do not know that they suffer from anxiety.
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How Is Ocd Treated
OCD is highly treatable often through a combination of cognitive behavior therapy and, in some cases, medication. To learn more, read our OCD Treatment Overview article.
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If you think you or someone you care about may be suffering from OCD, Anxiety, or any other mental health condition, PsyCom.net strongly recommends that you seek help from a mental health professional in order to receive a proper diagnosis and support. For those in crisis, we have compiled a list of resources where you may be able to find additional help at: .
What Are Anxiety Disorders
We all have feelings of anxiety, worry and fear sometimes. These can be normal responses to certain situations. For example, you might worry about a job interview, or about paying a bill on time. These feelings can give you an awareness of risks and what you need to do in a difficult or dangerous situation. This reaction is known as fight or flight.
Your brain responds to a threat or danger by releasing stress hormones such as adrenaline and cortisol. Even if the danger is not real, these hormones cause the physical symptoms of anxiety. Once the threatening situation has stopped, your body will usually return to normal.
But if you have an anxiety disorder these feelings of fear and danger can be ongoing and interrupt your daily routine long after the threat has gone. They can make you feel as though things are worse than they actually are.
Everyones experience of anxiety disorders is different. Not everyone who has an anxiety disorder will experience the same symptoms.
Mental symptoms of anxiety can include:
- racing thoughts,
Anxiety can lead to depression if left untreated.
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How Gad Is Treated
GAD can have a significant effect on your daily life, but several different treatments are available that can help ease your symptoms. These include:
- psychological therapy such as cognitive behavioural therapy
- medication such as a type of antidepressant called selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors
There are also many things you can do yourself to help reduce your anxiety, such as going on a self-help course, exercising regularly, stopping smoking and cutting down on the amount of alcohol and caffeine you drink.
With treatment, many people are able to control their levels of anxiety. However, some treatments may need to be continued for a long time and there may be periods where your symptoms worsen.
If these initial treatments do not help, you will usually be offered either a more intensive psychological treatment or medication. These are described below.
What Can I Do
You might be reading this article and saying, “Hey, that sounds just like me!” If so, we’re glad you recognize that this happens to you. Now you can start taking steps to lessen your test anxiety.
Here are some ways to do that:
Ask for help. Talk to your mom or dad, your teacher, or your school guidance counselor. Just talking to someone about test anxiety can make you feel better. Describe what happens to you when you’re taking a test and these people can help you figure out some solutions. For instance, learning study skills can boost your test-day confidence.
Be prepared. Pay attention in class. Do your homework. Study for the test. On test day, you’re more likely to feel like you know the material.
Expect the best. Once you have prepared, think positively. Say to yourself, “I studied and I’m ready to do my best.”
Block bad thoughts. Watch out for any negative messages you might be sending yourself about the test . These thoughts can make anxiety worse and make it harder for you to do well on the test.
Accept mistakes. Everyone makes mistakes. Be more forgiving of your own mistakes, especially if you prepared for the test and set out to do your best.
Take care of yourself. You’ll feel your best if you get enough playtime, sleep, and eat nutritious food. This is important all the time, but be extra sure you get all three the day before a test.
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Trying To Fight Your Anxiety
Your anxiety doesnt have to be your best friend. But it also doesnt have to be your ultimate nemesis either.
Its possible to find a happy medium with anxiety. That means that youre able to get through the day without a panic attack or breaking down.
Stop trying to fight away your anxious thoughts and feelings. They are there for a reason. Instead, you can work on figuring out whats causing your anxiety in the first place.
Look your anxiety in the face and tell it that youre here to stay. Read more about battling anxiety here.
Coping Strategies That Can Help You Manage Normal Anxiety Or A Disorder
Whether your anxiety is situational or stems from a disorder, a few healthy coping strategies may help restore your sense of calm, says Bourne.
One oft-recommended technique is deep breathing, in which you slowly inhale through your nose so that your chest and belly expand and then slowly exhale through your mouth, according to Harvard Health. Repeat for a period of two to three minutes or longer.
Deep breathing helps relieve anxiety by activating your parasympathetic nervous system, which reduces the overall stress and anxiety you may be experiencing, explain Mayo Clinic experts. This, in turn, typically slows your heartbeat and stabilizes blood pressure. A focus on your breathing can help you let go of distracting thoughts or feelings, Harvard Health says.
Another common technique for reducing anxiety, notes Bourne, is to identify and replace fearful self-talk.
First, Bourne says, identify any fearful thoughts going through your head. Many of these thoughts are What if? statements, with examples including, What if I stutter? or What if they see me sweating?
Try replacing the fearful self-talk with calming and constructive statements, such as, Ive handled this before and can handle it again, or I can be anxious and still deal with this situation, he suggests.
According to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America, other ways to manage anxiety are:
- Identify your personal triggers.
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Can Anxiety Disorders Be Prevented
You cant prevent anxiety disorders. But you can take steps to control or reduce your symptoms:
- Check out medications: Talk to a healthcare provider or pharmacist before taking over-the-counter medications or herbal remedies. Some of these contain chemicals that may make anxiety symptoms worse.
- Limit caffeine: Stop or limit how much caffeine you consume, including coffee, tea, cola and chocolate.
- Live a healthy lifestyle: Exercise regularly and eat a healthy, balanced diet.
- Seek help: Get counseling and support if you experienced a traumatic or disturbing event. Doing so can help prevent anxiety and other unpleasant feelings from disrupting your life.
What It Means To Be Anxious
Anxiety, on the other hand, is something you deal with on an ongoing basis. You live your life in a constant state of dread, and you struggle to calm yourself.
In addition to the physical symptoms, the suffocating feeling of dread accompanying anxiety disorders can even compel you to avoid places or situations that incite these uncomfortable symptoms. These feelings and negative coping behaviors eventually begin to interfere with your day-to-day life.
For instance, its normal to feel nervous about going to the doctor because of what you could learn. But if your fear becomes so overwhelming that you avoid going to the doctor altogether, you may have a diagnosable anxiety disorder.
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What To Do About Your Anxiety Attacks
In some cases, a person has one anxiety attack and then theyre done. Often this occurs when a person is under extreme stress and the body loses its ability to cope. But many people develop panic disorder, which is characterized by recurrent anxiety attacks or a fear of anxiety attacks.
Remember, this disorder isnt something someone can control. Many people think that rational thinking is all a person needs to get out of it, but anxiety attacks are much more like a disease. You need to find something effective to treat it, like cognitive behavioral therapy, rather than try to ride it out and hope that they go away.
Thats why if you do feel like youve had an anxiety attack or have anxiety attack problems, its important that you take action right away. The longer you wait, the harder they may be to cure and the more they affect your life.
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Falling Into A Deep Negative Thinking Trap
Mental health professionals call this type of thinking rumination. Basically, you have repetitive negative thoughts going on in your mind.
These thoughts turn into problems that never get solved. Constant negative thinking causes you to start feeling like a victim in your life. You can end up feeling like youre not worthy of anything.
This negative thinking trap is also where you develop high levels of anxiety. You start to worry about a specific outcome to a situation before it even happens.
Rumination is a difficult thing to overcome, so dont expect it to happen overnight.
Talking to a therapist or a professional can help you walk through these thoughts and finally move forward.
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When Should I See My Doctor
If anxiety is impacting your everyday life, talking to a doctor or a mental healthcare professional is the first step to getting the right support and understanding the options for treatment.
It might help to write down your symptoms for some time leading up to your appointment, so it’s easier to explain to a doctor or mental health professional what you’re going through. It will help them to make a thorough anxiety disorder diagnosis.
If you are thinking about suicide, then its important to seek help immediately by calling an ambulance on triple zero .
How Do You Know If You Have Obsessive
OCD is often a term that is misused to describe people who simply like order or have high standards of cleanliness. In reality, OCD is a serious mental health condition that centers on obsessions, compulsions, or both. OCD is not solely related to germs or cleanliness, but those can be common themes. If you find yourself having recurring, unwanted thoughts that disrupt your daily life and compel you to take an action, you may want to speak to a mental health professional about OCD.1
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