Anxiety Expression
What is anxiety?
Researchers at the American Psychological Association characterize anxiety as an emotion involving worried or anxious thoughts, feelings of tension or danger, and physical changes, like increased blood pressure or racing heartbeat. While everyone feels anxious occasionally, your different emotional reactions may indicate a disorder. These reactions include intrusive thoughts, overwhelming concerns, or constantly feel on edge with your body and brain endlessly in fight or flight mode.
Why do disorders look unique for each person?
How common are these disorders?
According to researchers at the American Psychiatric Association, anxiety disorders are the most common mental health condition among adults in the United States. The data shows that approximately 30% of American adults will be affected by an anxiety disorder throughout their lives. While they are common, anxiety disorders are also highly treatable, with multiple effective treatment options available to help you live a productive, adaptable life.
Anxiety signs to notice
Behavioral—You may actively avoid people, places, and circumstances that could cause anxiety. You might also notice drastic changes in your sleep patterns and eating habits.
Psychological—You might experience mood swings, irritability, stress, an overwhelming and intense feeling of impending doom or danger, disorientation, persistently feel nervous, worried, or afraid, have trouble making decisions or controlling worry, your mind may go blank or “brain fog” can make it difficult to focus.
Physical—Your anxiety may cause muscle tension, fatigue, headache, stomachache, increased heart rate, trembling, hyperventilation or other breathing problems, sweating, or unexplained pain.
Types of mental disorders
Characterized by the persistent fear of social situations, particularly those with exposure to unfamiliar people or involving performance.
Consists of irrational fears of something with little or no risk of real danger. However, despite the lack of probable threat, you may experience extreme reactions when encountering the source of the phobia.
Occurs when a person experiences prolonged or recurrent distress about being separated from a loved, which can involve excessive concern about losing them to a disaster or illness.
PTSD or Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (classified as a trauma and stress-related disorder)
Differences: Men and women
Getty/Vadym Pastukh
Anxiety manifestations: Children and adolescents
According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), approximately 5.8 million (9.4%) of the children in the United States have problems with anxiety. The CDC said roughly one in three of those kids also experience another mental health condition, with 37.9% having behavioral issues and 20.3% having depression.
Young children typically do not have the ability to identify and express their emotional concerns, so physical symptoms are the most common presentation of anxiety.
Recognizing symptoms of anxiety in children can be an important first step in helping support your child and following with mental health guidance from a professional. If your child has trouble processing their feelings of worry and fear, they may frequently complain of stomachaches, headaches, or other types of pain without another apparent cause. They may be constantly worried, clingy toward caregivers, have trouble sleeping, throw tantrums, exhibit trouble in school, or be overly self-conscious.
In adolescents, anxiety symptoms will present differently than in children. They are more likely to internalize their anxiety which may stem from social anxiety, loneliness, and are more susceptible to depression. Teenagers may express their anxiety symptoms as moodiness, isolating themselves socially, confrontational behavior, significant changes in eating or sleep habits, decreased school performance, or other out-of-character behaviors.
Occupation-related anxiety
A recent study shows that some professions are more stressful, emotionally demanding, and anxiety-inducing than others. Careers such as paramedics, teachers, police, firefighters, social workers, customer service and call center workers, correctional officers, and air traffic controllers are some of the most physically and psychologically demanding occupations. Many people in these positions often express low job satisfaction.
Anxiety among minority groups
Mental health experts at the Anxiety and Depression Association of America report that up to 60% of people who identify as LGBTQ+ experience anxiety disorders—which is as high as 2.5 times higher than straight and gender-conforming people.
Minority stress is anxiety and stress experienced due to race, sexual orientation, ethnicity, gender identity, or other factors that make one part of a minority group. According to recent data, minority stress may be situational but is frequently a chronic condition with repeated exposure because it focuses on facets an individual cannot change.
Know when to reach out for professional support and guidance
According to the Mayo Clinic, you should speak to your physician or mental healthcare provider about an assessment for an anxiety disorder if:
You worry too much, often to the point that it interferes with your relationships, work, or other areas of your life.
Your worry, fear, or anxiety are difficult to control and cause substantial distress.
Your anxiety symptoms cause depression, difficulties with alcohol or substance use, or other mental health issues that leave you concerned and distressed.
You are worried your anxiety may be causing or linked to physical health problems.
You have suicidal thoughts, behaviors, or ideation—this requires immediate treatment.
If you or a loved one are experiencing suicidal thoughts, reach out for help immediately. The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline can be reached at 988 and is available 24/7.
What causes anxiety?
Mental health risk factors
Past trauma, particularly in children who experienced or witnessed abuse or traumatic events. Adults who experience trauma are also at higher risk for anxiety disorders.
Serious illnesses and health conditions can cause significant anxiety.
The buildup of stress, either from big events or several more minor stressful situations, such as work problems, financial difficulties, and losing a loved one.
Some personality types and traits tend to have higher anxiety rates.
Mental health conditions, such as depression, can create a higher risk for anxiety disorders.
Genetics can contribute to the development of anxiety disorders. Having a blood relative with anxiety can put you at higher risk.
Alcohol or substance misuse or withdrawal can cause anxiety symptoms or make them worse.
If you or a loved one is experiencing abuse, contact the Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-SAFE (7233). Support is available 24/7.
Treatments for anxiety
According to a recent study, most treatment plans for anxiety disorders involve psychotherapy (talk therapy), medication, or a combination of approaches. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is the most frequently used psychotherapy treatment for anxiety disorders, focusing on helping patients recognize and reshape thought and behavior patterns to healthier, more productive practices.
How therapy can help you manage anxiety symptoms
If you are having trouble managing your anxiety symptoms and want to make meaningful changes to your mental health, consider working with a licensed therapist online through a virtual therapy platform like BetterHelp. If you are looking for different solutions to help your child with anxiety, TeenCounseling works with kids from 13 to 19. Therapy can help you identify harmful thought patterns and behaviors that may be linked to your anxiety. You can then work on shifting them to healthier habits with the support and guidance of a qualified therapist.
Cognitive behavioral therapy is the most widely used treatment for anxiety disorders. According to a recent study, online CBT can be as effective as in-person treatment, often at substantially lower costs with shorter waiting times. In the study, many patients said they preferred virtual therapy due to the convenience of attending from home, making participating in more sessions possible. Medical professionals also reported that the effectiveness and duration of therapeutic outcomes increase with the number of sessions attended by their clients.
Takeaway
Frequently asked questions
What is the real definition of anxiety?
What causes anxiety?
What are the 6 types of anxiety disorders?
There are many types of anxiety disorders. Some experts use the following categories to describe the types of anxiety:
Generalized anxiety disorder – generalized anxiety disorder is a type of ongoing fear about everyday situations. You feel anxious most of the time and may have trouble concentrating or carrying out your daily activities.
Panic disorder – panic disorder is characterized by panic attacks that come on suddenly and include symptoms like racing heart, sweating, feeling like you are having a heart attack, trembling, and feeling like you are choking.
Social phobia or social anxiety disorder – social anxiety disorder is an overwhelming feeling of worry about social situations. You may feel extremely self-conscious and second-guess everything you say. An extreme type of social anxiety is selective mutism, in which you are so nervous about being in social situations that you don't speak at all.
Separation anxiety disorder – separation anxiety happens when someone you love and rely on is away from you. You may fear being alone, and you may begin to panic when you know a loved one is about to leave. When your loved one is away, you might worry that something will happen to them before they can return to you. This disorder often shows up in children, but adults can have it, too.
Trauma-related disorders – A trauma is a reaction to an event in which you feel physically threatened. Examples include a car accident, the sudden death of a loved one, or a violent assault. PTSD is one type of anxiety disorder that's related to trauma.
Specific phobias – a specific phobia is an extreme, irrational fear of a specific thing or situation. Some types of phobias include agoraphobia (the fear of open spaces), claustrophobia (the fear of enclosed spaces), arachnophobia (the fear of spiders), and acrophobia (the fear of heights).
How do I cope with anxiety?
Generalized anxiety disorder treatment:
Panic disorder treatment:
For those with panic disorder, therapy can look quite different. Because this disorder comes with panic attacks, the first thing you might learn is how to deal with a panic attack when it is happening. Next, you can work with your therapist to identify the situations, thoughts, or objects that trigger the attacks. Finally, you can learn to avoid these attacks before they happen.
Social anxiety disorder treatment:
Social phobia requires yet another type of treatment. Because social anxiety disorder happens only in social settings, therapy's focus will be on dealing with those situations. Therapy support groups may help you feel less alone in this. You can learn to think differently about the situations and improve your self-esteem. As your self-confidence grows, you can prepare for upcoming social events, develop a behavior plan, and learn to manage your expectations of yourself and anyone you interact with during the social event.
Separation anxiety disorder treatment:
Treatment for those with separation anxiety usually involves several phases. First, you might talk about your feelings that come up before and during the times when you are separated from your loved one. Next, your therapist can help you analyze those feelings and the thoughts behind them. You can learn to choose new thoughts and adopt new behaviors when facing a separation. Finally, your therapist can help you prepare for a separation and guide you as you evaluate how you did and what you can do differently the next time.
Trauma-related disorders treatment:
People with anxiety disorders related to trauma need very special care. Often, treatment includes talking about the trauma and exposing yourself to some version of the same event. Exposure therapy, a type of CBT, involves being in a situation like the one that terrified you in the first place. You won't be in any real danger, but you will see or hear things that remind you of the frightening event. Sometimes, just talking about the details of the event helps. Other times, you need to experience the same type of situation through virtual reality or visiting the place where it happened.
Specific phobias treatment:
Suppose you feel symptoms of anxiety whenever you are in a specific type of situation or around a specific thing, such as a spider or animal. In this case, therapy might include exposure therapy, in which you are exposed to the frightening thing gradually and systematically. If you are afraid of spiders, you might look at pictures of them, then see a dead one, then see a live one in a glass container, then see one running loose. You might even get to the point where you can pet a tarantula!
Selective mutism treatment:
If you or your child suffer from selective mutism, you will likely need intensive therapy. Your therapist may use a special type of behavior therapy that encourages you to speak, helps you have successful speaking experiences, and helps you reward yourself for speaking. Therapists also teach parents how to interact with their child to promote speaking if it is the child who has selective mutism.
How do I stop my anxiety?
For panic disorder, you need to deal with the scary physical symptoms immediately, calming yourself with deep breathing and peaceful thoughts. Social anxiety disorder symptoms may decrease when you learn to accept yourself as you are and practice relaxation techniques in social settings. As someone with this disorder, you also feel better when you learn to have realistic expectations of what might happen and forgive yourself for making small mistakes.
Anyone with separation anxiety can minimize their symptoms in several ways. You can remind yourself that you've been alone before and the chances of something happening to your loved one is low. You can plan activities for when your loved one is gone so that you don't feel so focused on the separation itself. You may also join one of many support groups.
What can I take for anxiety?
What helps anxiety naturally?
Can foods precipitate anxiety?
If you have an anxiety disorder, it helps to avoid the foods and beverages that trigger symptoms. Some of these include:
Alcohol
Caffeine
Aged, cultured, or fermented foods, including cheeses, cured meats kefir, miso, or kimchi
Sugary desserts or foods with added sugar
Some non-dairy creamers that include trans fats
What food helps anxiety?
Anxiety disorders usually require psychotherapy and often medications. But the foods you eat can help, too. If you have an anxiety disorder, try eating more salmon, turmeric, dark chocolate, yogurt, and drinking green tea. Other foods help with anxiety, including turkey, bananas, oats, eggs, meat, dairy, chia seeds, citrus fruits, bell peppers, almonds, and blueberries. In general, a diet of healthy whole foods with protein, grains, dairy, and healthy fats is best for people with anxiety disorders.
What foods are bad for anxiety?
Foods that contain high quantities of refined sugars may worsen symptoms of an anxiety disorder. These include fruit juices, sodas, ketchup, refined cereals, candy, pastries, and other sweet stuff. Also, avoid foods with artificial sweeteners, as well as those high in caffeine, such as coffee, diet sodas, and energy drinks. Processed foods and fried foods can also increase anxiety.
What vitamins help with anxiety?
Some vitamins may be beneficial for people who manage anxiety. These include vitamin D, vitamin B complex, and vitamin C. Other supplements, such as magnesium and omega-3 fatty acids, may be helpful, too.
Can you beat anxiety without medication?
Mental disorders do not go away on their own and benefit from the treatment of mental health therapy and medications when needed. Usually, you need some form of therapy. Sometimes, you might even need medication. But not everyone with anxiety needs to take medication to get relief. For many, changing thoughts and behaviors is enough to turn the tide. In the meantime, relaxation techniques can help you get through those anxious moments.
Can anxiety be cured completely?
Anxiety is a part of the human experience. Chances are, even after you have treatment for an anxiety disorder, there will be the occasional moment when anxiety will flare up again. However, with the right treatment, the anxiety can decrease enough for you to live a satisfying life, free of constant worry, and ongoing emotional distress.
How long will anxiety last?
Why is anxiety bad for you?
Can anxiety go away with time?
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