Anxiety, Brain Chemicals, Drugs: A Psychological Perspective on Anxiousness
It is funny to think that your body has the potential to self-abate. After all, the whole point of your immune system and Bobby McFerrin’s “Don’t Worry Be Happy” is to make certain that we are living our life without any sort of illness. There are so many particles of bacteria on and around us at all times. Most of them are now harmless to us, given that we are immune to them, while others may have been the cause for that pesky stomach ache. Luckily, with our advanced medicine and treatment programs, getting the flu today would not be quite as pernicious as it was about 200 years ago. But yet, even with these developments, psychological disorders, such as anxiety, still persist. In fact, 40 million adults in the United States are impacted by anxiety disorders, making them the most common mental illnesses in the country.
First and foremost, it is imperative to recognize the difference between normal stress and an anxious disorder that makes you reconsider your life. Personally, I have experience with getting a little anxious after a strong cup of coffee, but that does not mean I have an anxiety disorder. You know your body better than anyone else and your body can show signs of anxiety long before you recognize it. Anxiety can be presented through many lenses. Muscle tension, muscle aches, balling and unclenching your fists often, and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) are all signs that you may have a certain type of anxiety. Unfortunately, anxiety can be masked at first, shown through other emotions. Anger is one of them. When you are anxious, you might be angry, as you do not want to admit that you are upset. It is very easy to make someone who is stressed completely flip out on you. The best way to unravel your feelings is to let yourself think and explore your emotions.
Anxiety can happen due to a multitude of reasons. The true cause of it is still somewhat a mystery, but researchers have been able to connect the dots to some medical causes and risk factors. The link between anxiety and heredity/genetics is still unknown- however, it has been proved that family history aggravates it. Trauma and some medical conditions may also be the root cause of it. Heart disease, diabetes, thyroid problems, drug misuse, and even some rare tumors that produce fight-or-flight hormones can cause anxiety. Risk factors that increase the chances of you having anxiety include:
- Trauma
- Stress due to an illness
- Stress buildup
- Personality
- Other mental health disorders (ie. depression)
- Having blood relatives with an anxiety disorder
- Drugs or alcohol
Anxiety wears many hats. In other words, there are many illnesses that fall under the category of an anxiety disorder. Generalized anxiety disorder affects 6.8 million adults, about 3% of the population of the United States. Social anxiety disorder, also known as social phobia, impacts 15 million adults, or about 6.8% of the population. Panic disorder, specific phobias, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and major depressive disorder are just a few more illnesses that impact thousands of people. Not all of them stem from the same cause, and some may lead to others, but each of them have their own characteristics and treatments.
Patients that feel anxious all day, may have generalized anxiety disorder. Some symptoms include: feeling restless, having difficulty concentrating, and insomnia, or trouble falling or staying asleep, for more than 6 months. Normally, stress is present when a stressor makes us feel uncomfortable. When that stressor goes away, so does the feeling of uneasiness. However, this is not the case for those with generalized anxiety disorder. If your symptoms continue to get out of control and impact your day to day life, it might be time to go to a therapist or psychiatrist.
Another common kind of anxiety is social anxiety. Patients that find themselves to be at ease at home but pressured when there are other people around may have this disorder. Dwelling on just the idea of having to talk in public can make these patients stressed out. They may think about every little thing that could go wrong. Symptoms of this disorder include stomach aches, muscle aches, a sped-up heart rate, and the feeling that everyone is watching and judging you. Finding a way to calm yourself is a great way of soothing your symptoms. Try meditating and listening to music you like. Visualize yourself with everything going right.
When most people think about anxiety, they worry that they may be at risk of an anxiety attack. These panic attacks are abrupt onsets where patients feel overwhelmed that can span from a few seconds to 10 minutes. They may start to sweat, tremble, have trouble breathing, chest pain, nausea, and dizziness. They may also express a fear of dying, numbness in their body, or a sense of choking.
The best way to treat anxiety and panic attacks is by visualizing yourself being in a better place and doing things that calm you down. There are some medications available, but there is no guarantee that it will work. It is recommended that you stay away from drugs, alcohol, and stimulants such as coffee. Hopefully, with time, it will become easier to predict and control your anxiety. With the right treatment, anxiety can go away, and given how common anxiety disorders are, they have become highly treatable.
References
Anxiety and Panic. (2007, January 1). Retrieved from https://www.webmd.com/anxiety-panic/guide/anxiety-attack-symptoms
Felman, A. (2020, January 11). What to know about anxiety. Retrieved from https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/323454#treatment
Holland, K. (2020, February 13). Everything You Need to Know About Anxiety. Retrieved from https://www.healthline.com/health/anxiety#symptoms
Understand the Facts. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://adaa.org/understanding-anxiety
