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06-03-2011, 06:07 PM
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Understanding and treating anxiety
The word ‘anxiety’ is used to discuss a group of mental illnesses or anxiety disorders. It refers to an unpleasant and overriding inner emotional tension that has no apparent identifiable cause.
Anxiety is a complex combination of the feeling of fear, apprehension and worry often accompanied by physical sensations such as palpitations, chest pain and/or shortness of breath. It may exist as a primary disorder or may be associated with other medical problems including other psychiatric disorders. Anxiety and fear are often used to describe the same thing. But fear causes emotional tension due to a specific, external reason.
Different categories of anxiety disorders
Generalized anxiety disorder
It is characterized by excessive, unrealistic worry that lasts six months or more. In adults, the anxiety may focus on issues such as health, money or career. In addition to chronic worry, generalized anxiety disorder symptoms include trembling, muscular aches, insomnia, abdominal upsets, dizziness, and irritability.
Obsessive-compulsive disorder
In obsessive-compulsive disorder, individuals are plagued by persistent, recurring thoughts (obsessions) that reflect exaggerated anxiety or fears. Typical obsessions include worry about being contaminated or fears of behaving improperly or acting violently. The obsessions may lead an individual to perform a ritual or routine (compulsions) such as washing hands, repeating phrases or hoarding to relieve the anxiety caused by the obsession.
Panic disorder
People with panic disorder suffer severe attacks of panic which may make them feel like they are having a heart attack or are going crazy for no apparent reason. Symptoms include heart palpitations, chest pain or discomfort, sweating, trembling, tingling sensations, feeling of choking, fear of dying, fear of losing control and feeling of unreality. Panic disorder often occurs with agoraphobia, in which people are afraid of having a panic attack in a place from which escape would be difficult, so they avoid these places.
Social anxiety disorder
It is characterized by extreme anxiety about being judged by others or behaving in a way that might cause embarrassment or ridicule. This intense anxiety may lead to avoidance behaviour. Physical symptoms associated with this disorder include heart palpitations, fainting spells, blushing and profuse sweating.
How to treat disorders
Behaviour Therapy
The goal of Behaviour Therapy is to modify and gain control over unwanted behaviour. The individual learns to cope with difficult situations, often through controlled exposure to them. This kind of therapy gives the individual a sense of having control over their life.
Cognitive Therapy
The goal of Cognitive Therapy is to change unproductive or harmful thought patterns. The individual examines his feelings and learns to separate realistic from unrealistic thoughts. As with Behaviour Therapy, the individual is actively involved in his own recovery and has a sense of control.
Cognitive-Behavior Therapy (CBT)
Many therapists use a combination of Cognitive and Behaviour Therapies, this is often referred to as CBT. One of the benefits of these types of therapies is that the patient learns recovery skills that are useful for a lifetime.
Relaxation Techniques
Relaxation Techniques help individuals develop the ability to more effectively cope with the stresses that contribute to anxiety, as well as with some of the physical symptoms of anxiety. The techniques taught include breathing re-training and exercise. Regular exercise helps one feel healthier, increases the production of natural ‘feel good’ chemicals in the body, boosts self-esteem and significantly reduces the symptoms of depression, stress and anxiety.
Medication
Medication can be very useful in the treatment of anxiety disorders and it is often used in conjunction with one or more of the therapies mentioned above. Sometimes anti-depressants or anti-anxiety medications are used to alleviate severe symptoms so that other forms of therapy can go forward. Medication is effective for many people and can be either a short-term or long-term treatment option, depending on the individual.
Interestingly, some foods help to fight depression and anxiety. A carbohydrate rich diet helps the body produce serotonin - the ‘feel good’ chemical. Special serotonin foods are oats, whole wheat, bananas and other carbohydrate rich foods. Make sure you are having a full supplement of Vitamin B, magnesium, zinc and iron - a deficiency in any of these can lead to depression and anxiety-type symptoms and insomnia.
Understanding and treating anxiety
The word ‘anxiety’ is used to discuss a group of mental illnesses or anxiety disorders. It refers to an unpleasant and overriding inner emotional tension that has no apparent identifiable cause.
Anxiety is a complex combination of the feeling of fear, apprehension and worry often accompanied by physical sensations such as palpitations, chest pain and/or shortness of breath. It may exist as a primary disorder or may be associated with other medical problems including other psychiatric disorders. Anxiety and fear are often used to describe the same thing. But fear causes emotional tension due to a specific, external reason.
Different categories of anxiety disorders
Generalized anxiety disorder
It is characterized by excessive, unrealistic worry that lasts six months or more. In adults, the anxiety may focus on issues such as health, money or career. In addition to chronic worry, generalized anxiety disorder symptoms include trembling, muscular aches, insomnia, abdominal upsets, dizziness, and irritability.
Obsessive-compulsive disorder
In obsessive-compulsive disorder, individuals are plagued by persistent, recurring thoughts (obsessions) that reflect exaggerated anxiety or fears. Typical obsessions include worry about being contaminated or fears of behaving improperly or acting violently. The obsessions may lead an individual to perform a ritual or routine (compulsions) such as washing hands, repeating phrases or hoarding to relieve the anxiety caused by the obsession.
Panic disorder
People with panic disorder suffer severe attacks of panic which may make them feel like they are having a heart attack or are going crazy for no apparent reason. Symptoms include heart palpitations, chest pain or discomfort, sweating, trembling, tingling sensations, feeling of choking, fear of dying, fear of losing control and feeling of unreality. Panic disorder often occurs with agoraphobia, in which people are afraid of having a panic attack in a place from which escape would be difficult, so they avoid these places.
Social anxiety disorder
It is characterized by extreme anxiety about being judged by others or behaving in a way that might cause embarrassment or ridicule. This intense anxiety may lead to avoidance behaviour. Physical symptoms associated with this disorder include heart palpitations, fainting spells, blushing and profuse sweating.
How to treat disorders
Behaviour Therapy
The goal of Behaviour Therapy is to modify and gain control over unwanted behaviour. The individual learns to cope with difficult situations, often through controlled exposure to them. This kind of therapy gives the individual a sense of having control over their life.
Cognitive Therapy
The goal of Cognitive Therapy is to change unproductive or harmful thought patterns. The individual examines his feelings and learns to separate realistic from unrealistic thoughts. As with Behaviour Therapy, the individual is actively involved in his own recovery and has a sense of control.
Cognitive-Behavior Therapy (CBT)
Many therapists use a combination of Cognitive and Behaviour Therapies, this is often referred to as CBT. One of the benefits of these types of therapies is that the patient learns recovery skills that are useful for a lifetime.
Relaxation Techniques
Relaxation Techniques help individuals develop the ability to more effectively cope with the stresses that contribute to anxiety, as well as with some of the physical symptoms of anxiety. The techniques taught include breathing re-training and exercise. Regular exercise helps one feel healthier, increases the production of natural ‘feel good’ chemicals in the body, boosts self-esteem and significantly reduces the symptoms of depression, stress and anxiety.
Medication
Medication can be very useful in the treatment of anxiety disorders and it is often used in conjunction with one or more of the therapies mentioned above. Sometimes anti-depressants or anti-anxiety medications are used to alleviate severe symptoms so that other forms of therapy can go forward. Medication is effective for many people and can be either a short-term or long-term treatment option, depending on the individual.
Interestingly, some foods help to fight depression and anxiety. A carbohydrate rich diet helps the body produce serotonin - the ‘feel good’ chemical. Special serotonin foods are oats, whole wheat, bananas and other carbohydrate rich foods. Make sure you are having a full supplement of Vitamin B, magnesium, zinc and iron - a deficiency in any of these can lead to depression and anxiety-type symptoms and insomnia.