Anxiety is something I have always been accustomed to, and even some of my earliest memories involve that anxious, nerve stricken feeling in the pit of my stomach. I was always the shy kid in the class, something to grow out of once I grew older, except that was not the case at all. Anxiety and I have grown closer over the years, so much so, that I developed several crippling anxiety disorders that shaped my life and how I lived it. It came on during my high school years and it affected my school work, my home life, and just about every instance in between. I would wake up every morning filled with anxiety dreading the day ahead of me, and waiting for it all to be over. Severe anxiety and panic attacks flooded in preventing me from living me
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I understood the basics and how they affected my own life, but beyond that was a mystery to me. My personal experiences could only aid me to an extent due to the vastly different experiences that varied based on the person. It was my hope to determine what it was, how it affected an individual’s life, and what could be done about it in terms of treatments. I understood that it could impact a person’s work, school life, relationships, and many other aspects of their life. But to what extent? I knew there was no definitive cure for any of these disorders, only treatments for its management. But, which are the most effective? I had lingering questions of which was the most effective long term treatment method and which could only provide temporary relief to the anxiety. I wanted to find out what which treatment was the best for a majority of …show more content…
There is a distinct difference between being nervous or anxious and having a diagnosable anxiety disorder. Lets start with the basic definition: “Anxiety is a painful or apprehensive uneasiness of mind usually over an impending or anticipated ill. It is a fearful concern or interest, marked by physiological signs (as sweating, tension or increased pulse), by doubt concerning the reality and nature of the threat, and by self-doubt of one’s capacity to cope with it” (Basset 24). Everyone has anxiety. It is a natural part of life. When it reaches a level where it disrupts your lifestyle, it becomes a disorder. If symptoms persist for a period of six months or longer than it can be classified as an anxiety disorder. There are many symptoms some of which include panic attacks, insomnia, excessive worrying, irrational fears, muscle tension, chronic indigestion, flashbacks of disturbing or traumatic events, and or compulsive behaviors. When the physical aspect persist beyond a normal time period and are interfering with a person’s life then anxiety disorders should be considered. There are seven types of anxiety disorders including Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD), Panic Disorder, Social Phobia, Phobias, Agoraphobia, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). According to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America, there are approximately 40 million people over the age of 18 that have anxiety,
I understood the basics and how they affected my own life, but beyond that was a mystery to me. My personal experiences could only aid me to an extent due to the vastly different experiences that varied based on the person. It was my hope to determine what it was, how it affected an individual’s life, and what could be done about it in terms of treatments. I understood that it could impact a person’s work, school life, relationships, and many other aspects of their life. But to what extent? I knew there was no definitive cure for any of these disorders, only treatments for its management. But, which are the most effective? I had lingering questions of which was the most effective long term treatment method and which could only provide temporary relief to the anxiety. I wanted to find out what which treatment was the best for a majority of …show more content…
There is a distinct difference between being nervous or anxious and having a diagnosable anxiety disorder. Lets start with the basic definition: “Anxiety is a painful or apprehensive uneasiness of mind usually over an impending or anticipated ill. It is a fearful concern or interest, marked by physiological signs (as sweating, tension or increased pulse), by doubt concerning the reality and nature of the threat, and by self-doubt of one’s capacity to cope with it” (Basset 24). Everyone has anxiety. It is a natural part of life. When it reaches a level where it disrupts your lifestyle, it becomes a disorder. If symptoms persist for a period of six months or longer than it can be classified as an anxiety disorder. There are many symptoms some of which include panic attacks, insomnia, excessive worrying, irrational fears, muscle tension, chronic indigestion, flashbacks of disturbing or traumatic events, and or compulsive behaviors. When the physical aspect persist beyond a normal time period and are interfering with a person’s life then anxiety disorders should be considered. There are seven types of anxiety disorders including Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD), Panic Disorder, Social Phobia, Phobias, Agoraphobia, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). According to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America, there are approximately 40 million people over the age of 18 that have anxiety,