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What Causes Anxiety Disorders?

There isn’t one specific cause of anxiety disorders. They are not an illness like the flu which is caused by a virus, or a broken bone caused by an accident.  They are a caused by a complex set of individual circumstances that include genetic and environmental factors.  Each person that suffers with an anxiety disorder has a unique story of how that came to be a reality for them.  Each story is unique, but when looked at as a large group, patterns and similarities emerge.

Research indicates that there is a strong genetic component that may contribute to anxiety disorders. Scientists have not isolated a specific gene that makes a person predisposed to an anxiety disorder.  If you have a family member with an anxiety disorder, you are more like to also be at risk of developing one at some point in your life.  Your family history is no guarantee one way or the other, but it can put you more or less at risk.  Life experiences can trigger a genetic tendency towards anxiety.  If you don’t experience these triggering events, you may avoid this challenge in your life.

Our environment and the experience we grow up with shape our mental processes and in some cases, set us up for developing an anxiety disorder.  Children who grow up in an abusive or neglectful home can be at risk for an anxiety disorder.  Their life experience has taught them to always be on guard, and that it is not safe to trust.  Individuals who experience homelessness, are refugees, live through war, or are victims of violence are also at risk.  Individuals who do not have a strong support system are more at risk than those that do.

While having a difficult childhood, or experiencing severe trauma may place a person at risk for developing one or more anxiety disorders, it does not guarantee that they will.  Some individuals are able to process these negative events and maintain good mental health and a positive outlook on life.  Receiving appropriate counseling after these negative experiences can help prevent a severe disorder from developing.

In many cases it is a combination of a genetic predisposition towards mental health issues and negative life experiences that lead a person to develop an anxiety disorder.  It is usually not one thing, but a list of several contributing factors, that finally tip the scale and send the individual into an anxiety disorder.  The good news is that with professional help recovery and happiness is possible.  There are many effective treatment options and many caring mental health professionals available.

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Disclaimer:
The views and opinions expressed in this post and any associated articles are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect opinions or policies of eTherapyPro. These posts and articles are shared for your enjoyment and consideration. Read them or not at your sole discretion and liability. They are not intended to replace counseling services rendered by licensed professionals. Consult with your counselor before implementing any content from these articles into your life.

Panic Disorder – How to Tell, What to Do!

Panic Disorder

Panic disorder is an anxiety disorder where the person suffers from frequent, sudden, panic attacks. These may last for several minutes, some may be longer, and can happen anywhere. While the feelings they bring on can be extreme, they are not medically harmful in and of themselves. The key is understanding that it is a panic attack and what to do when one is happening.

First, panic attacks and panic disorder itself are sudden, and severe anxiety attacks. Panic attack symptoms include:

  • Intense fear or worry
  • Impending sense of death or doom
  • Feeling overwhelmed
  • Feeling out of control
  • Shortness of breath/difficulty breathing
  • Chest pain
  • Sweating/having the chills
  • Dizziness
  • Numbness or tingling in extremities
  • Rapid, pounding heartbeat
  • Feeling lightheaded or fainting
  • Nausea

To meet the criteria for a diagnosis of panic disorder, the individual must experience repeated panic attacks over a short period of time. It is possible to have a single panic attack, and then never have another one, or to have them infrequently.

What causes panic attacks? Panic attacks occur when the level of stress or anxiety in an individual’s life becomes very intense and overwhelming.  The typical coping mechanisms for stress become overwhelming and stop functioning normally. Each person responds to high levels of stress and anxiety differently, and what one person is able to manage, may completely overwhelm another.  This is not a judgement of strength, or character, but simply a medical fact.

There is strong evidence for a genetic basis for a predisposition to anxiety disorders.  If you have close family members with anxiety, you may be more prone to develop an anxiety disorder.

Living with a high level of stress for an extended period of time may also lead to developing panic disorder.  If this is you, seek help now, learn ways to productively manage your stress before it becomes a debilitating panic disorder.  Talking to a mental health professional, and learning coping methods can turn your life around, and back towards happiness.

How can someone deal with anxiety and panic disorder? It is possible to learn how to cope with, and overcome, panic disorder. The first thing needed is education. People need to know this is a medical condition where their nervous system is misfiring, and they are not in any medical danger. Another way to manage this condition is with medication; anti-anxiety medication helps lessen anxiety symptoms and lowers chances for future attacks. Lastly, talk therapy can be used to help understand what is going on, what triggers there may be, and ways to calm once the panic attack is starting. Simple breathing exercises, mindfulness techniques, and reassuring self-talk is very helpful in overcoming panic attack, or anxiety attack, symptoms.

Panic disorder is treatable with a high success rate.  There are a variety of methods and approaches available.  The important thing is to act sooner, rather than later. If you, or a loved one, are experiencing symptoms of anxiety, or panic disorder, reach out to a mental health professional.

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Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this post and any associated articles are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect opinions or policies of eTherapyPro. These posts and articles are shared for your enjoyment and consideration. Read them or not at your sole discretion and liability. They are not intended to replace counseling services rendered by licensed professionals. Consult with your counselor before implementing any content from these articles into your life.

Coping Strategies for Living with an Anxiety Disorder

Living with an Anxiety Disorder

Anxiety can be a nightmare for some to deal with, especially people who have to deal with it every day of their lives. Chronic anxiety, living with it every day, can be torturous, but it is treatable. Reaching out for help would be the first step to getting this under control. While you are going through the process of therapy to treat your specific anxiety disorder, here are some ways to try to manage the day-to-day, when the anxiety disorder seems out of control.

Break things down into what you can do for your body, what you can do for your mind, and what actions you can take to help yourself out that day. Looking at what you can do for your body, adopting some healthy lifestyle traits will go a long way towards alleviating anxiety and improving your mood as well.

Tips to help your body (to get rid of anxiety disorder) include:

  • Limit or cut out alcohol and caffeine from your diet
  • Try to get the recommended 7-9 hours of sleep per night
  • Eat regularly, and eat well-balanced meals
  • Set up regular exercise, for at least thirty minutes a day
  • Take frequent breaks from what you are doing

These may not seem like much, but anxiety can be intensified when you are, tired, stressed, or intoxicated. By doing this you will take care of your health and lower your anxiety disorder.

Caring for your mind to lower anxiety is a little more complicated. A lot of work can and should be done in talk therapy to help manage these conditions, but here are some tips to help alleviate some anxiety when it happens:

  • Ask yourself if this is something worth getting upset over
  • Ask yourself if this is something that will matter a year from now
  • Learn to accept what you cannot control instead of letting it consume you
  • Learn what you can and cannot control
  • Develop a strong sense of humor
  • Meditation and keeping yourself focused on the present

These are simple steps that may take a lot of practice but will go a very long way in the quest to rid yourself of anxiety.

Now, taking action is another thing that will help, especially when it is action aimed at fighting anxiety disorder, both being proactive and reactive. These can include:

  • Slow, deep breathing or some thoughtful breathing technique
  • Learning distraction techniques, like listening to music, reading, or talking to friends when you are upset
  • Set goals for yourself every day, attainable ones
  • Learn what triggers your anxiety and avoid it until you are strong enough to manage it

Coping skills to combat daily anxiety disorder are a necessary tool in living with it. There are things to do that will overall help lower anxiety, as well as things to do in the moment when the anxiety is getting bad. These will help in conjunction with any medication and talk therapy you are doing to eliminate chronic anxiety from your life.

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Disclaimer:
The views and opinions expressed in this post and any associated articles are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the opinions or policies of eTherapyPro. These posts and articles are shared for your enjoyment and consideration. Read them or not at your sole discretion and liability. They are not intended to replace counseling services rendered by licensed professionals. Consult with your counselor before implementing any content from these articles into your life.

What Is Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD)?

generalized anxiety disorder

Everyone gets anxious from time to time. Anxiety is sometimes thought of as the energy of life, as it motivates us to do, or not do, certain things. But there is a point where it becomes painful, where it interferes with daily living, and that is where it becomes Generalized Anxiety Disorder. You must consult with experts about what causes gad to appear.

Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) is a diagnosable condition where the person suffers from persistent and unrelenting anxiety, with no real cause. If a person were living in a violent situation, like an abusive home, having chronic anxiety would be an appropriate response. For people with GAD, there is nothing in the environment to cause them extreme fear or stress, yet they feel it intensely. Only an expert can tell you what is gad because he or she can explain the fundamental concept. 

It is generally thought that GAD stems from a combination of a genetic component and the way the person is brought up. If a person is brought up to be more fearful and mistrustful of things, they may be more likely to develop an anxiety disorder, like GAD.

Feeling nervous occasionally is normal, but chronic and persistent anxiety, like with GAD, can inhibit how you live your life. A good rule to follow is if you notice that you are unable to stop worrying and it is interfering with any aspect of your life, such as your job, relationships, or spirituality, then it is time to seek help. It is also important to reach out for help if you find yourself using alcohol or other substances to help manage the symptoms, or if you experience thoughts of suicide. What is a gad is a complex question but experts can help you with this topic.

People with GAD will likely experience many of the same types of symptoms, but it may not be each symptom, every day. It is important to note that this is a chronic condition, and feeling anxious over a test coming next week, is not GAD; the test anxiety goes away after the event is over, and GAD does not go away.

Some other symptoms of generalized anxiety disorder include:

  • Persistent worrying or anxiety about several areas that are out of proportion to the impact of the events
  • Overthinking plans and solutions to all possible worst-case outcomes
  • Perceiving situations and events as threatening, even when they aren’t
  • Difficulty handling uncertainty
  • Indecisiveness and fear of making the wrong decision
  • Inability to set aside or let go of a worry
  • Inability to relax, feeling restless, and feeling keyed up or on edge
  • Difficulty concentrating, or the feeling that your mind “goes blank”
  • Fatigue
  • Trouble sleeping
  • Muscle tension or muscle aches
  • Trembling, feeling twitchy
  • Nervousness or being easily startled
  • Sweating
  • Nausea, diarrhea, or irritable bowel syndrome
  • Irritability

 

While this sounds painful, it is important to know that GAD is treatable and can be overcome with the help of medication, education, and talk therapy. If this sounds like you or someone you know, reaching out for help is vital. The sooner you get help, the easier this illness is to overcome. What is GAD? How can it be controlled for all such questions, you must approach experts. 

 

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Disclaimer:
The views and opinions expressed in this post and any associated articles are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect opinions or policies of eTherapyPro. These posts and articles are shared for your enjoyment and consideration. Read them or not at your sole discretion and liability. They are not intended to replace counseling services rendered by licensed professionals. Consult with your counselor before implementing any content from these articles into your life.