Everybody in the world knows what it’s
like to feel anxious every once in awhile. You get
butterflies in your stomach before a first
date.
You start to sweat before a big job
interview. Your heart pounds when you almost get into a
car accident or suffer road rage. Those are all perfectly
normal anxieties – but what if you experienced anxiety
chronically?
What if you felt tense and anxious all
the time, usually with no real
reason?That’s what someone with an anxiety
disorder experiences every day.
Symptoms
Someone with an anxiety disorder will
usually exhibit the same symptoms, no matter what specific
type they have. They’ll get a headache, start sweating, and
experience muscle spasms. They’ll also experience heart
palpitations which make them dizzy, light-headed or out of
breath. They may also suffer from hypertension, or
chronically elevated blood pressure. People suffering from
hypertension are in danger of suffering from strokes, heart
attacks, heart failure or even arterial aneurysms, so you
can imagine just how dangerous it is for someone to
experience those symptoms all the time without
treatment.
Anxiety disorders are considered chronic
conditions. A person can begin experiencing symptoms
suddenly after an event triggers them, or it can be present
from an early age. The disorders flare up in times of high
stress. Almost all patients diagnosed with an anxiety
disorder are also diagnosed with clinical depression, and
vice versa. The two always seem to go hand in
hand.
Causes Of Anxiety
Disorders
Numerous clinical studies have suggested
that there is a correlation between anxiety disorders and
difficulty in maintaining balance due to malfunctions in the
region of the brain known as the parabrachial nucleus. The
parabrachial nucleus coordinates signals from the amygdala,
the part of the brain involved in regulating emotional
reactions – such as fear. There is a well-known connection
between unusually high levels of SK2 potassium and anxiety
as well.
There are a lot of biochemical factors
that come into play as well. Low levels of a
neurotransmitter called GABA – which is responsible for
reducing over activity in your central nervous system –
contributes to anxiety. Even chronic exposure to things like
paint or varnish can cause the
disorders.
Types Of Anxiety
Disorders
There are many types of anxiety disorders.
General anxiety disorder occurs when a person suffers from
long-term anxiety that is not focused on anything in
particular. Panic disorder sufferers experience brief
attacks of intense terror and apprehension. Agoraphobia is
the fear of being in a place or situation where getting away
is difficult or embarrassing. Most other phobias are classed
as anxiety disorders as well. Obsessive-compulsive disorder
(OCD), post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and separation
anxiety are all anxiety disorders.
It’s Not
Easy
People with anxiety disorders suffer
symptoms nearly every day. However, with treatment, it is
possible for them to live more normal lives and start
overcoming the fears that are holding them
back.