Anxiety Disorders
By- Ketki K.
Mental illnesses are often misunderstood or prejudiced against due to a lack of awareness. Thus here we present to you, a special series on common mental disorders so that you can learn better about yourself and about your friends struggling with any of these illnesses to help you be a better aid to them!
Have you ever felt scared, panicked, nauseous and cut-off before an important examination, a life-changing event or competition? Can you recall those feelings? You probably must remember all those moments in fast-forward, so many details of the day must've already been erased from your memories. You probably only remember yourself scared and panicked on the way to the exam or event. Tough times.
But can you imagine living with that constant fear, under that impeding stress all the time, with nausea and dizziness? Does it sound scary to you? Well, that's how most people with anxiety disorders live every day.
To understand them better, let's learn about the different types of problems different people may face.
•|•| COMMON TYPES |•|•
1. Generalized anxiety disorder: the person affected may experience excessive and unrealistic worries or tensions for little or no reason. The reason may be too insignificant and the person may know that they are worrying unnecessarily and yet they may not be able to stop their anxiety. This can go on from days to weeks. In some cases, the person may feel anxious all the time and may not know the source or reason for their anxiousness.
2. Panic disorder: In panic disorder, a person who has suffered from panic attacks three or four times, starts fearing having another. A panic attack produces a sudden, intense fear that may last for a few minutes and if severe such an episode can last up to an hour. An average person without any mental disorders may experience such an episode once or twice in their life unlike people with anxiety who may have to recurring undergo it, leading to the fear of going through another.
3. Social Anxiety Disorder: People with this disorder are under the constant of being judged and scrutinized by others. Due to this, they have difficulties in meeting new people, attending large gatherings or developing and maintaining close relationships. They worry about standing out in a social situation by embarrassing themselves and hence try to blend into the surrounding and go unnoticed. Trembling, shaking, excessive sweating, rapid heart rate difficulty in talking are all the common symptoms.
4. Separation anxiety Disorder (SAD): Separation anxiety is a normal phase for babies from eight to twelve months old and young children up to the age of two, after which, it disappears. However, it may occur in toddlers and teenagers and is then called Separation anxiety disorder. The children who have SAD are very fearful of being separated from their parents and loved ones, they refuse when they're made to do activities which include separation such as going to school, sleeping alone and cry and throw tantrum when forced to separate. SAD is common to occur in children who have a family history of anxiety or depression, or have a shy and timid nature, either overprotective or completely careless parents. This disorder can also occur if there is a sudden, stressful change in the child's life such as parents' divorce, moving into a new home or school, or the death of a close one. About one-third of the children diagnosed with separation anxiety are likely to develop other mental illnesses further on in life.
•|•| TREATMENT |•|•
All of these disorders are treated by professionals using psychotherapy and medication. While drugs don’t cure anxiety, they can help you manage your symptoms, so you can function well and feel better in your day-to-day life.
1. Psychotherapy: Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) is the most commonly used method to cure anxiety disorders. These may include one-on-one sessions with the therapist or group sessions where patients can open up about their problems and find ways to deal with them.
2. Drugs:
3. - Benzodiazepines are sedatives that can help relax your muscles and calm your mind. These include alprazolam, diazepam, lorazepam. Benzodiazepines are typically used for the short-term treatment of anxiety. This is because they can increase drowsiness and cause problems with balance and memory
- Buspirone is used to treat both short-term anxiety and chronic (long-lasting) anxiety disorders. Buspirone can take up to several weeks to become fully effective
- Antidepressant medications work by affecting neurotransmitters. These drugs can be used to treat anxiety symptoms, but they usually take four to six weeks to produce noticeable effects.
•|•| SELF-REFLECTION CORNER |•|•
Can you relate to any of the symptoms mentioned or see yourself in some of the lines? If yes, before panicking, think about how long you've been undergoing it and if you are able to manage it. You can try meditating, painting, reading exercising first— that doesn't help you feel better? Try opening up about your issues to your loved ones and see if they can provide you with the support and comfort you need. Have a closure, be ready to speak up. Then, approach a certified psychotherapist rather than popping pills by yourself. Talk to them, attend their sessions regularly. Remember — mental illnesses are nothing to be ashamed about, and opening up is not an act of weakness.
Sources:
Webmd, Healthline.
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