Everyone feels nervous and from time to time and also worries. This is because anxiety is a normal human response to stressful situations. But for some people, those fears and worries aren't temporary and fleeting; their anxiety can persist and get worse over time.
Anxiety disorders can impair your ability to function at work, school, and in social situations. Your anxiety can also interefere with your relationships with loved ones and friends. Fortunately, there are effective treatments for anxiety. In some cases, medications can be helpful in treating anxiety disorders. Yet, research shows that behavioral treatment, alone or in combination with medication, is highly effective for most people with an anxiety disorder.
There are several types of anxiety:
Generalized anxiety which is characterized by a persistent worry or anxiousness.
Panic disorder is marked by recurrent panic attacks that can include symptoms of sweating, trembling, shortness of breath, or a feeling of choking, a pounding heart rate, and feelings of dread. A panic attack can happen suddenly without warning. While not life threatening, panic attacks are very uncomfortable and can cause you to become fearful about whether another attack will occur.
Phobias are intense fears about certain objects (spiders or snakes, for instance, or certain situations (such as flying in an airplane) that are
distressing and intrusive.
Social anxiety/social phobia is a fear of social situations where you might feel embarrassed or judged. Feeling self-conscious and fearing rejection by other people can interefere with your functioning at work or making friends, and you may try to avoid these situations or worry about them in advance. Common symptoms are worrying days before an event, feeling shaky, sweaty or nauseous when you are in such a situation.
Obsessive-compulsive disorder is characterized by persistent, uncontrollable feelings and thoughts (obsessions) and routine or rituals (compulsions). Some common examples include compulsive hand washing due to a fear of germs, or repeated checking work or tasks for errors.
Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) can develop after a severe physical or emotional trauma such as a serious incident, accident or crime. Symptoms include reliving the trauma, nightmares, hypervigilence, and intrusive thoughts about the trauma.
HOW ALLIED BEHAVIORAL HEALTH CAN HELP YOU WITH YOUR ANXIETY
Our mental health therapists are trained in diagnosing anxiety disorders and teaching clients effective ways to cope. Therapy includes an initial assessment, a supportive, collaborative relationship between yourself and your therapist, cognitive-behavioral treatment which will teach you how to recognize how your thought patterns contribute to anxious feelings, and learning how to change these patterns so you experience relief from anxiety. Other ways to cope with anxiety that you will learn are relaxation and mindfulness strategies.