Anxiety

Anxiety is the most common form of mental illness out there.

Just think about that for a second...almost everyone suffers from anxiety to one degree or another. Because it’s so widespread, it’s not always well understood or taken seriously. When people imagine anxiety they think of being nervous before a test or giving a presentation—something minor like that. Little do they know that Anxiety as a clinical mental illness can cause panic attacks so crippling that the victim can’t even go outside. They can get so wound up for so long that it drives them nearly insane. At its worst, the person begins to hyperventilate and feels like they’re having a heart attack that’s going to kill them. Many end up in the emergency room and are told they only are having a panic attack.

If this debilitating kind of Anxiety happened to you, wouldn’t you suspect you had a certifiable mental illness?  

To help you understand better, here’s what’s going on inside a person’s head with Anxiety.

They begin to fee extremely panicky and nervous for no apparent or obvious reason. They’re pacing continuously, their hands are shaking uncontrollably, while at the same time they’re unable to think straight or concentrate. Their heart is racing and they might even see spots or even blackout from all it all.

Most of these symptoms are the body’s natural defense response called Fight or Flight triggered when someone is under immense pressure. For normal people the body only reacts this way when facing some kind of threat, but for those suffering from Anxiety, any stressor, even relatively minor ones, can set them off, triggering a full-blown panic attack.

Paranoia can often accompany Anxiety. They’ll suddenly snap worried that they themselves or a friend or family member is about experience some catastrophe, like dying in a car accident.

As mentioned earlier, Panic Attack victims can feel as if they are literally about to die or completely lose control. An attack can come on suddenly and without any warning. One typically peaks at around ten minutes and usually lasts no longer than a half hour. During this intense period, the person is gripped with dread and fear—as if something is about to end their life. The symptoms, similar to a heart attack, involve chest pain, heart palpitations, surges of surreal panic, feelings of doom, and a sense of simply going crazy. Hyperventilation is common, along with hot and cold flashes, worries about passing out, trouble breathing and even choking.

Some, so afflicted, may use cutting as a way to subdue their panic attack demons.

When the pressure builds, those with Anxiety know they need to let their caged-in fears and worries escape or face the consequences which can explode into a full-blown panic attack. Cutting can calm the savage beast before they end up in the emergency room. Note, I’m not recommending anyone handle Anxiety this way, so do find better alternatives.

The diagnosis of Anxiety isn’t just one disorder.

While reading about each type, think of somebody you know who might suffer from it. I guarantee someone’s name will pop into your head.

The First is Generalized Anxiety Disorder.

This type can interfere with a person's day-to-day life by overwhelming them with fears and worries. People with this disorder have a persistent feeling that something bad is going to happen. Often these people feel anxious all the time and they have no idea why. There may be physical symptoms as well such as insomnia, restlessness, fatigue and stomach upset. 

Another type is Panic Disorder.

The victim will experience repetitive panic attacks, along with the debilitating fear that these attacks will occur at any time without warning. People with this disorder may also have agoraphobia, in which the person may avoid places where they feel trapped or unable to escape, like small rooms or elevators. They may also feel to need to avoid busy places with lots of people and confusion in order to not feel that sensation. 

The third type is Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder.

Characterized by repetitive, unwanted behaviors or thoughts, impossible to control, OCD has been exploited for years by the entertainment industry. If you’re not familiar with OCD characteristics, think of Monk, the USA Network series featuring a fastidious detective who lined up the cans in the pantry and noticed when anything was out of place. The audience laughed, but the reality of OCD can be terrifying.

Someone with this disorder might innocently enter a bathroom to wash their hands and not come out for an hour after washing them over and over again. Another victim might leave the house to go to work, but before reaching their car feel a compulsive need to go back inside to check on whether they locked the door or turned a light off. Even after checking something many times, they still feel an unreasonable anxiety that something is still wrong.

Phobias are another type of Anxiety disorder.

Some people start shaking when faced with walking onto a plane, others when having to speak in front of people or climbing up a ladder. Such exaggerated fears when there is no real danger are phobias. In extreme cases, phobias can incapacitate someone, as the agoraphobic who becomes anxious by merely stepping out their front door.

Social Anxiety Disorder affects people in social settings.

They avoid being around people because of past experiences where they’ve been humiliated, teased, or bullied. In the extreme, they’ll avoid social interactions at all costs.

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder can follow some terrible event.

Combat soldiers are probably the most common example. They’ve been shot at, nearly been killed, had an IED go off near them, and the nervous system plants an intense echo of that fearful experience in their memory. Innocent triggers, such as a car backfiring, or a cork popping out of a bottle, can take them back to the traumatic event to relive the event as if it were happening all over again. Symptoms include nightmares, flashbacks, hyper vigilance, being easily startled and withdrawing from people and situations that might remind them of the event.

Here are some ways to counter Anxiety in order to live a more happy and healthy life.

Write down in detail the things that worry you to the point of bringing on anxiety. Create an Anxiety Worry Period in which you establish a time each day to stress, while staying relaxed the rest of the day. As a general principle, it is critically important that one learn to accept uncertainty—understanding that day in and day out not everything is going to go your way.

Relaxation techniques, such a yoga and meditation, can help, along with adopting healthy eating and exercising habits, reducing the use of alcohol and nicotine, and make sure to get enough sleep. If you take these suggestions seriously, you can reduce your anxiety levels drastically!   

If you feel that the anxiety is a detriment to your life, however, you should probably seek Professional Help. 

Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy helps you challenge the negative thoughts and irrational beliefs that fuel your anxiety. Exposure Therapy encourages you to confront your fears in a safe and controlled environment. Through repeated exposures to the fear, you will gain a greater sense of control over them and your anxiety will gradually diminish. There are also medications that can help. 

If you want to help someone dealing with anxiety, make sure not to add stress to their life or put undue pressure on them to change.

Instead, just hang out and try to make them feel comfortable. Support them whenever they voice their anxieties aloud. Physical activity can greatly reduce anxiety levels, so get them out of the house to work up a good sweat. Basically, just have fun with them and be their friend. 

Outline

ANXIETY

More than Getting Nervous before a Test

Can be Incapacitating

Cutting Can Relieve Anxiety

Cutting Not a Good Solution

For Bad Anxiety, Get Professional Help

ANXIETY SYMPTOMS     

Feel Panicky, Hands Shake

Heart Racing, See Spots, Blackout

Can’t Think Clearly

Panic Attack Feels like a Heart Attack

ANXIETY DISORDERS    

Generalized Anxiety Disorder

Panic Disorder

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder

Phobia

Social Anxiety Disorder

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

COUNTER ANXIETY 

Establish an Anxiety Worry Period

Yoga, Meditation, Exercise

Healthy Eating, Get Enough Sleep

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

Exposure Therapy

Medication