Anxiety how do you know

Those experiencing a panic attack may experience:. PTSD occurs after a person experiences a traumatic event such as:.

Symptoms include trouble relaxing, disturbing dreams, or flashbacks of the traumatic event or situation. People with PTSD may also avoid things related to the trauma. This is an ongoing inability of a child to talk in specific situations or places. For example, a child may refuse to talk at school, even when they can speak in other situations or places, such as at home. Selective mutism can interfere with everyday life and activities, such as school, work, and a social life.

This is a childhood condition marked by anxiety when a child is separated from their parents or guardians. Separation anxiety is a normal part of childhood development. Most children outgrow it around 18 months. However, some children experience versions of this disorder that disrupt their daily activities. Phobias , such as arachnophobia fear of spiders or claustrophobia fear of small spaces , may cause you to experience panic attacks when exposed to the thing you fear.

Genetics may also play a role in anxiety. In some cases, anxiety may be caused by an underlying health issue and could be the first signs of a physical, rather than mental, illness. A person may experience one or more anxiety disorder at the same time. It may also accompany other mental health conditions such as depression or bipolar disorder. This is especially true of generalized anxiety disorder, which most commonly accompanies another anxiety or mental condition.

Without treatment, your anxiety may not go away and could worsen over time. Treating anxiety and other mental health conditions is easier early on rather than when symptoms worsen. They can determine if your anxiety is related to an underlying physical health condition. If they find an underlying condition, they can provide you with an appropriate treatment plan to help alleviate your anxiety. Your doctor will refer you to a mental health specialist if they determine your anxiety is not the result of any underlying health condition.

The mental health specialists you will be referred to include a psychiatrist and a psychologist. A psychiatrist is a licensed doctor who is trained to diagnose and treat mental health conditions, and can prescribe medications, among other treatments. A psychologist is a mental health professional who can diagnose and treat mental health conditions through counseling only, not medication.

Ask your doctor for the names of several mental health providers covered by your insurance plan. To help diagnose an anxiety disorder, your mental healthcare provider will give you a psychological evaluation during your first therapy session. This involves sitting down one-on-one with your mental healthcare provider.

They will ask you to describe your thoughts, behaviors, and feelings. They may also compare your symptoms to the criteria for anxiety disorders listed in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders DSM-V to help arrive at a diagnosis. Remember that it takes time to start seeing results of treatment for anxiety. Be patient and follow the directions of your mental healthcare provider for the best outcome. Ask your primary care doctor to give you referrals to other mental healthcare providers in your area.

Connect with others. Loneliness and isolation can trigger or worsen anxiety, while talking about your worries face to face can often make them seem less overwhelming. Make it a point to regularly meet up with friends, join a self-help or support group, or share your worries and concerns with a trusted loved one. Manage stress. If your stress levels are through the roof, stress management can help.

Look at your responsibilities and see if there are any you can give up, turn down, or delegate to others. Practice relaxation techniques.

When practiced regularly relaxation techniques such as mindfulness meditation, progressive muscle relaxation, and deep breathing can reduce anxiety symptoms and increase feelings of relaxation and emotional well-being.

Exercise regularly. Exercise is a natural stress buster and anxiety reliever. Rhythmic activities that require moving both your arms and legs are especially effective. Try walking, running, swimming, martial arts, or dancing. Get enough sleep. A lack of sleep can exacerbate anxious thoughts and feelings, so try to get seven to nine hours of quality sleep a night.

Be smart about caffeine, alcohol, and nicotine. Caffeine and alcohol can make anxiety worse. And while it may seem like cigarettes are calming, nicotine is actually a powerful stimulant that leads to higher, not lower, levels of anxiety.

For help kicking the habit, see How to Quit Smoking. Put a stop to chronic worrying. Worrying is a mental habit you can learn how to break. Strategies such as creating a worry period, challenging anxious thoughts, and learning to accept uncertainty can significantly reduce worry and calm your anxious thoughts.

If your physician rules out a medical cause, the next step is to consult with a therapist who has experience treating anxiety disorders. The therapist will work with you to determine the cause and type of your disorder and devise a course of treatment. Anxiety disorders respond very well to therapy —and often in a relatively short amount of time.

The specific treatment approach depends on the type of anxiety disorder and its severity. But in general, most are treated with therapy, medication, or some combination of the two. Cognitive-behavioral therapy and exposure therapy are types of behavioral therapy, meaning they focus on behavior rather than on underlying psychological conflicts or issues from the past.

They can help with issues such as panic attacks, generalized anxiety, and phobias. Cognitive-behavior therapy helps you identify and challenge the negative thinking patterns and irrational beliefs that fuel your anxiety.

Exposure therapy encourages you to confront your fears and anxieties in a safe, controlled environment. Through gradual exposure to the feared object or situation, either in your imagination or in reality, you gain a greater sense of control. As you face your fear without being harmed, your anxiety will diminish. However, anxiety medications can be habit forming and cause unwanted or even dangerous side effects, so be sure to research your options carefully.

Many people use anti-anxiety medication when therapy, exercise, or self-help strategies would work just as well or better—minus the side effects and safety concerns.

Authors: Melinda Smith, M. Panic disorder is another type of anxiety disorder in which a person may experience recurring panic attacks.

Panic attacks produce an intense, overwhelming sensation of fear that can be debilitating. Panic attacks can happen as isolated occurrences, but they may be a sign of panic disorder if they occur frequently and unexpectedly. You may be showing signs of social anxiety disorder if you find yourself:. Social anxiety disorder is very common, affecting 5 to 10 percent of people worldwide. Social anxiety tends to develop early in life. In fact, the average age of people with a social anxiety disorder is 13, while around 90 percent of people diagnosed with social anxiety disorder receive their diagnosis by age People with social anxiety may appear extremely shy and quiet in groups or when meeting new people.

While they may not appear distressed on the outside, they may feel extreme fear and anxiety. Extreme fears about specific things — such as spiders, enclosed spaces, or heights — could be a sign of a phobia. A phobia is an extreme anxiety or fear about a specific object or situation. The feeling is severe enough that it interferes with your ability to function normally. Some common phobias include:. Agoraphobia is another phobia that involves fears of at least two of the following:.

Around These phobias tend to develop in childhood or the teenage years. If you feel anxious on most days and experience one or more of the symptoms listed above for at least 6 months, it may be a sign of an anxiety disorder. Licensed psychologists and psychiatrists can treat anxiety disorders through a variety of methods. Treatment often includes cognitive behavioral therapy , anti-anxiety medications, or some of the natural therapies listed above. Working with a professional can help you manage your anxiety and reduce your symptoms as quickly and safely as possible.

One of the most common symptoms is excessive and intrusive worrying that disrupts daily functioning. Other signs include:. Recurring panic attacks may indicate panic disorder, fearing and avoiding social situations could point to social anxiety disorder, and extreme phobias could be a sign of specific phobia disorders. Here are the ones you need to pay attention to, and how to know if you may have an anxiety disorder.

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