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Anxiety

What is Anxiety

Anxiety is nothing but a feeling of unease which is one of the common problems that affect a large number of people. Anxiety is often caused by stress in our lives. It is marked by constant feelings of fear, uneasiness and continuous worrying. Anxiety, stress, and worry are all a part of most people’s life today.

Simply experiencing stress or anxiety does not mean that you have an anxiety disorder. In fact, anxiety is a warning signal for a difficult or dangerous situation. Without anxiety, it would be difficult to anticipate difficulties ahead and preparing for them. Sometimes many people tend to experience anxiety as it helps them to remain motivated and focused on their tasks. But extreme anxiety can be problematic which can affect the normal life of an individual.

Anxiety is different from social phobia or other kinds of fears, because fear is focused on something real and objective danger. Anxiety is not specific to particular situation. It can attack for any reason or no reason whatsoever, at any time.  In some cases, anxiety may be triggered by some factors like bereavement, a traumatic event or relationship problems. Anxiety can be debilitating in some cases and can affect personal as well as professional life of individuals.

Anxiety may cause many sensations in your body as it prepares for danger. It not only affects your body, but also affects your behavior and thoughts. Therefore, there are some physical as well as psychological symptoms of anxiety.
The physical symptoms of anxiety include fast heart rate, palpitations, faster breathing, chest pains, feeling sick, headaches, sweating, heavy legs and dry mouth whereas psychological symptoms include feeling of panic, worry, uneasiness, inability to concentrate, uncontrollable thoughts, nightmares, repeated thoughts, being irritable, etc.

While learning about anxiety, it is also important to understand the different kinds of anxiety disorders. Anxiety disorders are conditions where long-lasting and severe feelings of anxiety interfere with everyday life of an individual. Primarily, these disorders include generalized anxiety disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder, separations anxiety and phobias and panic disorder.

Some treatment plans are also available for anxiety which includes medication, behavioral therapy. The therapy helps to identify faulty thinking pattern and replace them with healthier thinking. Along with therapy, relaxation techniques like muscle relaxation, deep breathing and meditation can also help to provide relief from anxiety. Regular exercise is important for getting relief from anxiety as it results in developing positive feelings. Support from friends and family can also be useful in healing from this condition.