The term anxiety refers to a normal reaction to stressful events or circumstances and is often considered useful in some situations. Through evolution, the anxiety response was developed by humans to alert them to danger and help the individual prepare and pay attention to what may happen next. The specific feelings of anxiety can involve nervousness and excessive worrying, along with self-doubt.
Anxiety is an experience that everyone will have at one point in their life, but sometimes individuals may have excessive amounts which can lead to an anxiety disorder. For some individuals, anxiety can become an overwhelming and recurring emotion that causes significant self-doubt and dread on a constant basis. When anxiety becomes uncontrollable, it may be time to seek the support of a mental health professional. The therapists at Puglisi Counseling are all trained and have become experts in the treatment of anxiety disorders.
When an individual experiences an anxiety disorder, they will have different feelings from the normal nervous system or anxiousness, as it always involves intense dread or fear. In the United States, over 30% of the adult population will experience increased anxiety symptoms at some point in their life. Symptoms of anxiety will vary from person to person and depend on several factors including, personality, co-occurring mental health conditions.
Diagnosing an anxiety disorder will depend on several factors including the level of worry and nervousness, personality, and co-occurring mental health conditions, among other criteria. There are several types of anxiety disorders that can affect an individual in various ways, including:
Anxiety disorders can cause an individual to have uncontrollable intrusive or obsessive thought patterns. Sometimes individuals with anxiety disorders find it difficult to concentrate or may be overly restless and easily frustrated. Prolonged anxiety symptoms can also influence the onset of a depressive disorder without treatment.
Symptoms of an anxiety disorder are not just mental, but rather they can be physical as well. Individuals who experience anxiety disorders may often find themselves experiencing tense muscles, high blood pressure, difficulty breathing and heart palpitations to name a few. In some anxiety disorders, it is common for digestive problems, headaches and even nausea to occur.
Anxiety can take on many faces or behaviors and not everyone will have the same experience all the time. For some individuals, anxiety may prevent the ability to talk and will cause withdrawals and isolation. In other cases, individuals may find themselves excessively talking and engaging in increased events as a means of distracting their mind.
There is a common misconception regarding increased anxiety that a person must visibly show signs for it to be happening. However, friendly, outgoing individuals can have crippling anxiety and just be good at masking it. Some anxiety disorders may influence individuals to become angry or even aggressive, as their fight or flight has been triggered and they feel the need to protect themselves.
If you find yourself in a position where you feel someone is experiencing anxiety it is easy to become frustrated or pressure someone to have an immediate change. However, when they are experiencing anxiety, this may make matters worse. Instead, there are several actions someone can take to support another through anxiety. You can:
Anxiety is a natural reaction the mind and body have in response to a source of stress. When experiencing anxiety, the individual is having a feeling of fear or apprehension to what may be anticipated to come. Generally, anxiety is a feeling that the body produces to protect themselves to avoid harm. Though it is usually a normal response, there are some who may experience high levels of anxiety daily. The feeling of excessive fear or dread will remain for long periods and usually gets worse over time.
To better understand anxiety disorder, it is important to first understand how they develop. Biological and environmental factors play an active role in the development of an anxiety disorder. There is much research indicating that individuals can have a genetic predisposition to developing an anxiety disorder. In other words, excessively anxious behaviors can be passed down through genetics from our parents and other family members. At the same time, anxiety disorders can be learned or developed following extremely stressful situations. For instance, growing up with parents who are overly anxious and have their own anxiety disorders may influence their children to develop anxious behaviors.
On the other hand, someone can go most of their life without experiencing excessive anxiety and then have a traumatic event happen, which activates an anxiety disorder. Unresolved trauma tends to leave a person living in a hypervigilant state where they constantly feel as if they are on edge. The anxiety becomes a way for the body and mind to anticipate danger and remain safe.
Do you find yourself struggling with the symptoms described above? If you are struggling with symptoms of generalized or social anxiety, panic attacks or other experiences, it is important to seek support. The development of an anxiety disorder can lead to a persistent state of anxiety which may hold lasting effects on your everyday life including work, relationships, finances, and daily functioning. Reach out to Puglisi Counseling today and find the freedom from fear that you deserve.
The clinicians at Puglisi Counseling are specialized in the treatment of anxiety disorders and can actively work with you to overcome the struggles you may be facing. Alongside your therapist, you will learn about the cycle of anxiety and develop strategies to relieve the negative symptoms. Throughout the journey, you will gain awareness of your triggers for anxiety and learn how to actively engage in healthier behaviors to reduce the symptoms. Your therapist will help guide you through the process of changing negative thinking patterns to more adaptive thoughts, which will in turn promote more positive feelings and behaviors.
With the right treatment focus and active participation, clients can find themselves experiencing relief from anxiety disorders quickly. You do not have to let anxiety control your life any longer. We offer different treatment options for many anxiety disorders in Northeast Pennsylvania.
