Anxiety is the most common mental health disorder in the United States affecting more than twenty five percent of both adults and adolescents.

We all worry. Doubts and anxieties are a normal part of life. And as strange as it seems, worry can even be a good thing when it helps us to take action and solve a problem. Worry has an evolutionary purpose, it helps us detect and avoid potentially dangerous situations.

But healthy worry can become unhealthy when it becomes persistent and uncontrollable. When worry preoccupies us into endless thoughts of “what if” and imagining worst case scenarios, it can become paralyzing.

When we suffer from chronic anxiety, we will typically look at your life in ways that make everything seem more frightening than it really is. These irrational pessimistic thoughts are known as cognitive distortions.

Examples of cognitive distortions

All or nothing thinking: “if I can’t do everything perfectly, I’m a failure”.

Overgeneralizations: “I can’t figure this out, I’m just stupid and know nothing”.

Labeling based on perceived shortcomings: “I’m ugly and stupid, I deserve to be alone”

Focusing on the negatives: (Ignoring the fact that you got 19 out of 20 answers correct) How could I have missed that answer, I should have known that. I need to study more.

Believing that how you feel reflects reality. “I saw those people talk and laugh during my presentation. I bet everyone is laughing at me.”

Self-Doubt: “Do I love my husband as much as he loves me”. “I think he’s handsome, does that mean I’m gay?”

Anxiety starts in the mind, but manifests itself through physical symptoms. These include:

Problems sleeping, restlessness, irritability

Impatience

Irritable bowels (stomach aches, constipation, diarrhea

Difficulty concentrating

Muscle tension

Nail biting, hair twirling or other habitual behaviors

Nausea, chronic indigestion

Irrational beliefs

 

Anxiety disorders are generally classified into several types

  • Generalized anxiety disorder is characterized by persistent worry or anxious feelings. People with this GAD tend to worry about a number of things, such as health problems or finances, and may have a general sense that something bad is going to happen.
  • Panic disorder is marked by recurrent panic attacks that include symptoms such as sweating, trembling, shortness of breath or a feeling of choking, a pounding heart or rapid heart rate, and feelings of dread. Such attacks often happen suddenly, without warning. People who experience panic attacks often become fearful about when the next episode will occur, which can cause them to change or restrict their normal activities.
  • Phobias are intense fears about certain objects (spiders or snakes, for instance) or situations (such as flying in airplanes) that are distressing or intrusive.
  • Social anxiety disorder People with this disorder are fearful of social situations in which they might feel embarrassed or judged. They typically feel nervous spending time in social settings, feel self-conscious in front of others, and worry about being rejected by or offending others.
  • Obsessive-compulsive disorder is characterized by persistent, uncontrollable feelings and thoughts (obsessions) and routines or rituals (compulsions).
  • Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) can develop after a severe physical or emotional trauma such as a natural disaster, serious accident or crime. Symptoms include flashbacks of the trauma, nightmares and frightening thoughts that interfere with a person’s everyday routine for months or years after the traumatic experience.

Seeing a Therapist About Anxiety Disorders

Anxiety disorders are very treatable. The majority of patients who suffer from anxiety are able to reduce or eliminate symptoms after several (or fewer) months of psychotherapy, and many patients notice improvement after just a few sessions.

Therapists often use Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) to help patients learn to identify and manage the factors that contribute to their anxiety. Patients learn to understand how their thoughts contribute to their anxiety symptoms. By learning to change those thought patterns, they can reduce the likelihood and intensity of anxiety symptoms. Patients also learn techniques to reduce undesired behaviors associated with anxiety disorders. Specifically, patients are encouraged to approach activities and situations that provoke anxiety to learn that their feared outcomes are rarely as frightening as they perceive.

Signs/Symptoms:

  • Worry or dread
  • Restlessness /Irritability
  • Impatience / Ambivalence
  • Difficulty concentrating
  • Rapid or irregular heartbeat
  • Shortness of breath
  • Sweating, flushing, blushing
  • Muscle tension
  • Lightheaded, faintness, shaking and/or tingling
  • Butterflies, nausea or vomiting
  • Dry mouth
  • Sexual difficulties
  • Nail biting, hair twirling, or other habitual behavior
  • Faulty perceptions or irrational beliefs

Risk Factors:

  • Female
  • Family members with Anxiety disorders
  • Stressful life events
  • Ineffective coping skills
  • History of physical or psychological trauma
  • Drug use
  • Unresolved emotional conflicts