Tuesday, May 11, 2010

Anxiety Disorders

Anxiety is a state of mind wherein a person experiences a number of emotions at the same time such as nervousness, fear, uneasiness, worry to name a few. This is accompanied by physical symptoms such as palpitation , headache, unsettled stomach, chest pain and the like. This can be triggered off due to a number of reasons such as one’s circumstances, certain traumatic experiences or anything perceived by the person as traumatic. When this anxiety extends for a prolonged period it is time to be warned and seek professional help. This condition of the person is known as anxiety disorder. Anxiety disorder is a rather common problem especially in today’s stress filled world. But the bigger issue is that we don’t treat it as a problem in the first place. Most people who suffer from anxiety disorders and the people around them tend to consider it just as mood swings and the temperament of the individual and thus, overlook the seriousness of the issue. But the point to be noted here is that the symptoms should not be ignored as timely help can cure the person completely. Anxiety disorders are of different types. People develop anxiety disorders for various reasons and under various circumstances. One should understand the reasons thoroughly to be able to treat the patient. A good talk with the patient along with a standard questionnaire which could include questions about the family, friends, likes and dislikes of the patients would help in finding out the root cause which has led to the anxiety disorder and thus, would help in the treatment. The various kinds of anxiety disorders include panic disorders, kinds of phobias like agoraphobia (which is the fear of being in a social setting), stress disorder, social anxiety to name a few. Anxiety disorder symptoms would vary depending upon the individual and also with the kind of disorder that the patient is suffering from. The good thing is that there is treatment for this condition. When in the pursuit of anxiety help, it would be better to know the kind of anxiety that is the cause of trouble. One should also find out the situations which cause the condition to aggravate. This would go a long way in deciding the treatment and making the treatment more effective. Anxiety and depression go hand in hand. People who develop some sort of anxiety disorder tend to undergo a state of depression if timely treatment is not provided. People who suffer from depression tend to be sad, irritable and always have negative thoughts. People suffering from anxiety disorders need to be made aware of their problem. They need to use self help methods also to curb these issues. One can take prescription drugs from the doctor to treat the problem and if not suitably convinced can opt for alternative treatments for anxiety disorders such as ayurveda, acupuncture , acupressure, aroma therapy, yoga and the like. Many people do try alternative treatment for anxiety disorders even though they are not endorsed by any legal authority. If the anxiety attacks cease to arise it does not necessarily mean that the person is fully cured but there can always be a relapse of these problems. Therefore, it is of utmost importance that the patient undergoes a thorough treatment that deals with the root cause of the problem so that the person can continue to lead a quality life.

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