What is anxiety?
What is anxiety?
Anxiety is a feeling and emotion of excessive and prolonged worry, a sense of dread and generalized tension. Fear and anxiety are similar emotions but have important differences. While fear is based on a specific threat and is relatively short, anxiety has no definite basis and often prolonged. We all experience anxiety at some level.
Anxiety disorder is a mental health condition characterized by excessive and persistent fear, worry, and anxiety that limit the performance of daily activities of the affected individual. The most common forms of anxiety disorder are panic attacks and social phobia. Social anxiety disorder (SAD) is another form of worrying disorder that people are increasingly diagnosed with today. Clinicians have started taking this condition seriously only a couple of years ago after recognizing that much deeper psychological issues can stand behind what we are used to labeling as shyness.
Anxiety disorders are quite common, affecting nearly 30 percent of adults.
Anxiety can cause sudden and repeated intense attacks of fear.
Anxiety can also cause physical symptoms, such as chest pains, a fast heart rate, and lightheadedness.
Remember, anxiety is your brain's natural response to stressful situations (fight or flight). Everyone has experienced anxiety at least once in their lifetime, but that doesn't mean you should or have to just "deal w/ it". If your anxiety is interrupting your everyday lifestyle, and your ability to function comfortably, seek help. Here are a few resources/tips that could be beneficial to individuals struggling with anxiety disorders:
Meditation - Meditation is a form of relaxation that can essentially be done anywhere. It’s a great option for mild anxiety that most of us experience from time to time.
Healthy Lifestyle - Maintaining a healthy diet with balanced meals, getting enough sleep and exercising daily can help you feel good and maintain your mental health.
Alcohol/Caffeine Intake - Limit alcohol and caffeine, which can aggravate anxiety and trigger panic attacks.
ADAA - The Anxiety and Depression Association of America is an international nonprofit membership organization and a leader in education, training, and research for anxiety, depression and related disorders.
NAMI - The National Alliance on Mental Illness is the nation's largest grassroots mental health organization dedicated to building better lives for the millions of Americans affected by mental illness.