Live Free from Anxiety Symptoms with Wellness Road Psychology
Anxiety disorders affect more than three million adults in the United States every year. Experiencing anxiety disorders can be overwhelming and impact the quality of life. Wellness Road Psychology’s team of compassionate professionals helps treat the immediate effects of anxiety. We also help equip patients to live a life free from the symptoms of anxiety disorders and concurring conditions.
What is Anxiety?
Anxiety is an ordinary emotion people experience in response to challenging or potentially dangerous situations. However, it can become an issue when it persists over a long period and interferes with the ability to perform everyday activities.
An anxiety disorder is a psychiatric condition characterized by feelings of fear, worry, and uneasiness that are intense enough to cause significant distress and disrupt daily life. It affects approximately 20% of adults in the United States annually, and treatment is available to help manage symptoms.
Symptoms of Anxiety
Predominantly, anxiety is a sense of dread, danger, or distress. Each person experiences this in different ways. Anxiety symptoms may also develop or change over time or differ with varying stimuli.
Anxiety disorders manifest in many ways, including panic attacks, physical symptoms such as sweating and trembling, fear of social situations, nightmares, or intrusive thoughts. It is important to note that the intensity and duration of these symptoms can vary significantly from person to person.
Cortisol Levels
Anxiety triggers a rise in cortisol levels in the blood. This results in a variety of physiological responses. For example, there may be a faster heart rate, increased sweating, or raised glucose levels.
Suppressed Immune System
The body reduces healing processes when under a perceived threat. During prolonged stress, an individual can experience autoimmune disorders and inflammation. As a result, the risk for cardiological conditions also increases.
How is Anxiety Diagnosed?
Anxiety disorders are diagnosed based on a person’s symptoms and the severity of those symptoms. A doctor or mental health professional will typically use a diagnostic interview to assess whether someone has an anxiety disorder. This will involve asking questions about any stressful events experienced in the past, current stressors and feelings, physical symptoms, and any family history of mental health issues.
Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) criteria are also used to diagnose anxiety disorders. These criteria specify that a person must have experienced several symptoms over an extended period, such as persistent fear or worry, physical symptoms like sweating or trembling, difficulty sleeping, and difficulty concentrating.
Sometimes, a doctor may order blood tests or imaging scans to rule out any physical conditions that could be causing the anxiety symptoms. They may also refer you to a psychologist for further assessment and diagnosis, that’s where we come in.
Causes of Anxiety
Understanding what causes anxiety can be helpful for those who are struggling with this mental health condition. The causes of stress can be complex and vary from person to person. However, these are some of the factors that may make someone more predisposed to anxiety disorders.
Genetics
A family history of mental health disorders, such as anxiety or depression, is one indicator that a person may have a genetic predisposition to developing an anxiety disorder. Certain studies show it may be inherited. In addition, specific genes show a correlation to anxiety disorders, such as the RBFOX1 gene.
Biology
Abnormalities in brain structure, chemistry, or function may also play a role in the presence of an anxiety disorder. For example, those with physical disabilities can experience anxiety as a result. Additionally, injury or illness may trigger it. For example, there is a link between TBI and anxiety.
Stressful Events
Anxiety is the body’s “fight or flight” mode in overdrive. Traumatic experiences or stressful situations, such as divorce, the death of a loved one, job loss, or moving to a new city, can trigger intense fear and worry for some people. This may lead to an anxiety disorder.
Substance Abuse
The use of drugs and alcohol can increase feelings of fear, worry, and self-doubt, leading to an anxiety disorder. It also changes the brain’s chemistry by releasing and regulating serotonin, dopamine, and melatonin. As a result, the body physiologically responds with symptoms of anxiety.
Substance abuse can lead to an anxiety disorder by impairing judgment and inhibiting self-control. In addition, when under the influence of drugs or alcohol, people may make decisions that could increase their risk of developing a mental health condition such as anxiety.
Additionally, substance abuse can disrupt healthy sleep patterns, which are essential for managing stress and controlling emotions. Over time, these disruptions can cause overwhelming worry or fear, even when not under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
Environmental Factors
The environment in which a person grows up can significantly impact the development of an anxiety disorder. For example, growing up in a family or community with high-stress levels, criticism, conflict, and other negative influences can create an environment that increases fear and worry for some people. In addition, toxic relationships with peers, family members, and authority figures can lead to feelings of helplessness or insecurity that increase the risk of developing an anxiety disorder.
Other environmental factors also impact the well-being of a person. Issues such as noise pollution, poor water quality, or reduced air quality can contribute to anxiety. Even a lack of green spaces is connected to increased anxiety disorders.
Medical Conditions
Certain medical conditions or illnesses can cause a person to experience physical symptoms associated with anxiety, such as chest pain, shortness of breath, dizziness, and fatigue. Some medical conditions that can induce anxiety-related symptoms include thyroid problems, heart disease, asthma, and diabetes.
Some medications used to treat physical health issues can also cause anxiety as a side effect. Patients may need to speak with their doctor about changing or adjusting their medication regimen in these cases. It is also essential to rule out other medical conditions before determining if one’s symptoms are due to an anxiety disorder. Only a mental health professional can diagnose an anxiety disorder. Therefore, those experiencing persistent fear or worry must seek help to get the appropriate diagnosis and treatment plan for their unique situation.
Cognitive Distortions
Negative thinking patterns that lead to inaccurate beliefs about oneself or the world may also contribute to an anxiety disorder. For example, assuming that adverse events will always occur in life (catastrophizing) is one way cognitive distortions can cause or worsen anxiety symptoms.