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What is Anxiety - Causes and Treatment

Anxiety is a very normal part of the human experience. Almost every person feels anxious or nervous before big events in life, like an important job interview, or deciding to start something new. In fact, even smaller events, such as an upcoming exam or a blind date can cause the jitters.

Normal anxiety is actually beneficial. It motivates a person to take action (as in studying for that upcoming exam to calm worries of failure) and makes a person cautious and less reckless. However, normal anxiety comes and goes without affecting a persons life significantly. For about 19 million Americans with an anxiety disorder, it is quite a different story.

When Does Anxiety Become a Problem?

For those with abnormally high levels of anxiety, thoughts can become serious and irrational for no known reason or as a result of some small event. Feelings of fear, worry and dread become normal to them which then impacts negatively on their work or school life, family life and personal lives.

To better discern between normal and chronic anxiety, consider a situation in which two different people are waiting upon a friend to arrive at a restaurant. The friend is half an hour late. A person without an anxiety disorder may assume that his or her friend became stuck in traffic and will arrive as soon as they can. However, for a person with chronic anxiety, simple worry about a friend quickly becomes serious and irrational:

Has my friend been in a car accident? Should I call the police? How do I tell her family? Will her family be able to survive?

These are just a few examples f the thoughts that may run through an anxiety suffers mind. These thoughts will be continuous and become more intense even after the friend has arrived.

What Causes Anxiety?

There are many different types of anxiety. In someone with an anxiety disorder, they can become consumed with constant worrisome thoughts. In general, a person can be diagnosed with an anxiety disorder if they have experienced feelings of intense panic, fear and uneasiness for a period of six months or longer.

There is a dispute amongst many as to what actually causes anxiety disorders, however researchers agree that those diagnosed with the disorder had a genetic predisposition to it. Most people afflicted with this disorder begin to show signs during childhood or adolescence, although onset in adulthood is not uncommon. Interestingly, women are twice as likely to have anxiety disorders than men and all ethnicity are affected by the disorder equally.

Many mental disorders are believed to be caused by a chemical imbalance in the brain. The same is true for anxiety. Serotonin and GABA are chemicals of great interest to researchers trying to better understand anxiety. However, researchers also believe that outside influences play a major role as well. Factors such as job loss, death in the family or living in a stressful environment can all bring on different levels of anxiety.

Treatment

Due to the physiological nature of anxiety, it can not yet be cured.

It can, however, be managed through a variety of means. The most effective way to combat anxiety involves both medication and cognitive behavior therapy. Anxiety can also be effectively managed through lifestyle modifications, including changes in diet, physical activity, and other habits. The first step to treating anxiety is recognizing that there is a problem and getting help.

If someone afflicted with anxiety disorder seeks help, they have a much greater chance of living a more normal and fulfilling life.