Last updated on April 28th, 2022 at 01:26 pm

This article has been medically reviewed by Dr Robert Lefever, a world-leading addictions specialist.

Understanding Anxiety

Every human being has one point in their life experienced anxiety. Arguably, anxiety is an inevitable experience of the human phase. But, one might ask, what is anxiety? Well, anxiety is a mental health disorder characterised by a severe or mild feeling of fear or worry that is strong enough to impede the progress of one’s day-to-day life.

As to how anxiety comes about, it is mainly associated with a stressful situation like, for instance, sitting for an exam you’re not prepared for or going for your first job interview. However, it is essential to note that being anxious and having anxiety is of two different folds. Thus, feeling anxious is a normal response to a stressful life. In other words, it has to do with your daily worries, while having anxiety deals with severe feelings of apprehension about what is to come or happen next.

When symptoms of anxiety become severe regarding events happening around an individual that negatively impact the individual’s life, it could be signs of an anxiety disorder. According to mental health experts, an anxiety disorder can be detrimental to one’s livelihood but can be managed appropriately with the help of medical professionals.

If you have been struggling with anxiety and need help, do call us on 0203 955 7700, and an experienced advisor will be on the phone to assist you.

What causes anxiety?

Researchers and mental health professionals have not arrived at the exact cause of anxiety as it remains unknown. However, per the experiences and various diagnoses therapists and mental health professionals have undertaken, anxiety is believed to be caused by a combination of environmental and genetic factors and brain chemistry.

Over the years, per the studies by various health professionals, anxiety disorders occur alongside other mental health conditions such as depression and stress. Another critical element in anxiety disorder is substance abuse. Many people believe using alcohol or drugs helps relieve anxiety. But they fail to realise that these substances last for a temporal period when reducing anxiety disorder.

If you are struggling with anxiety, kindly call 0203 955 7700, and an experienced advisor will be on the phone to assist you.

Some Types of Anxiety Disorder

• Panic disorder is a type of anxiety disorder where one experiences sudden panic attacks at unexpected times. Panic attacks, however, is a natural response that is highly associated with stressful or dangerous events.
• Phobia. Phobia is an anxiety disorder associated with a severe or irrational fear of an event or situation.
• Social anxiety disorder. Also known as social phobia, it is an anxiety disorder defined by an intense fear of being judged by others. This anxiety disorder can negatively impact the day-to-day activities of an individual. Its impact is formidable to the extent of hindering one’s chances of making new friends. 

The Symptoms Associated With Anxiety

In dealing with anxiety, it is essential to recognise anxiety symptoms before they can be tackled. Below are some common symptoms of anxiety.

Difficulty in Concentrating

One of the key symptoms of anxiety has to do with difficulty in concentrating. Many people who happen to be anxious have difficulty concentrating. According to some studies, anxiety can impede one’s performance at the workplace mainly because it can interrupt one’s working memory. It goes a long way to causing a gradual drop in performance amongst employees who are experiencing high anxiety or have an anxiety disorder.

Restlessness

If you have an anxiety disorder, restless is a key symptom one may experience. However, restlessness is primarily common in children and teenagers who have an anxiety disorder.  Although not all anxious people experience restlessness when having anxiety, turmoil is one of the doctors’ signs when making a diagnosis.

According to experts, when one experiences restlessness frequently for more than six months, it is a sign of anxiety disorder.

Irrational Fear Of Making the Wrong Decision

In psychology, decision-making is regarded as a cognitive process associated with identifying the best alternative option after evaluating and assessing them via various information at hand. Having an anxiety disorder can cause one to be indecisive because of the fear of making wrong choices. As such, you end up making unnecessary assumptions about the endless possibilities and outcomes of your decision should you decide on what action to take, and that fear can be detrimental.

Irritability

Another symptom of anxiety is irritability. Irritability is a psychological symptom. Most anxious individuals experience excessive irritability. This happens when anxiety is associated with an intense state of worry. According to one study including over six thousand adults, the study revealed that more than 90% of those with an anxiety disorder reported feeling highly irritable during the period when anxiety was at its peak.

Trouble with Sleep

Anxiety disorder is strongly associated with a sleep disorder. Most cases of insomnia are strongly associated with generalised anxiety disorder. Insomnia refers to the inability to get sleep well at night. While experiencing an anxiety disorder, the ability to fall asleep may become harder due to an inflated sense of worry.

If you have been struggling with anxiety and need help, do call us on 0203 955 7700, and an experienced advisor will be on the phone to assist you.

Some Natural Ways To Deal With Anxiety

In dealing with anxiety, one may resort to natural remedies which can be effective in helping curb the impact of anxiety.  In so doing, lifestyle changes are highly recommended, and some of these lifestyle changes include avoiding unhealthy activities that trigger anxiety disorder and participating in healthy activities that will improve your health.

Some of the lifestyle changes include;

• Getting enough sleep
• Regularly exercising and staying active
• Eating healthy diet
• Avoiding caffeine
• Avoiding alcohol

When to Seek Help

Due to how detrimental generalised anxiety disorders can be, it is advisable to seek help from medical professionals if;

• You feel like you’re worrying too much, and it’s interfering with your performances at work, performances at school, your relationships with friends and loved ones and other aspects of your life.
• When the feeling of worry is intense and exceeds your ability to control. When you start feeling depressed.
• If your anxiety has lasted for more than six months or longer.

Your worries may not go away on their own if you don’t seek help from health professionals who are well inclined in dealing with mental health disorders like anxiety. Failure to seek help, your worries may get worse over time. Getting help early is essential because, at that stage, it is easier to treat.

Conclusion

As mentioned earlier, the exact causes of anxiety have not been found, and this makes it difficult for one to prevent the tendencies of attracting anxiety disorder. However, mental health experts and researchers are tirelessly looking into the exact cause of anxiety, although it is mainly associated with environmental and genetic factors.

In light of this, it is advisable to seek help when the feeling of worry and fear hits an extreme high. As you may know, anxiety is a normal emotion but becomes abnormal when the feeling of fear or dread interferes with one’s day-to-day activities.

If you have been struggling with anxiety and need help, do call us on 0203 955 7700, and an experienced advisor will be on the phone to assist you.

Sources                          

1. Anxiety Disorders: Types, Causes, Symptoms, Diagnosis, Treatment
2. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/anxiety/symptoms-causes/syc-20350961
3. Anxiety: Symptoms, types, causes, prevention, and treatment
4. https://www.psychiatry.org/patients-families/anxiety-disorders/what-are-anxiety-disorders
5. https://www.nhs.uk/mental-health/conditions/generalised-anxiety-disorder/overview/
6. https://adaa.org/understanding-anxiety/generalized-anxiety-disorder-gad
7. https://www.hhs.gov/answers/mental-health-and-substance-abuse/what-are-the-five-major-types-of-anxiety-disorders/index.html
8. Diagnosis and Management of Generalized Anxiety Disorder and Panic Disorder in Adults
9. Symptom differences in major depression, dysthymia, panic disorder, and generalised anxiety disorder
10. Generalised Anxiety Disorder and significant depressive disorder comorbidity in the National Survey of Mental Health and Well-Being
11. Delimitation of generalised anxiety disorder: clinical comparisons with panic and major depressive disorders