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We have all felt anxious at some point, whether we call it restless, tense or tense. It is only natural to feel anxious, and in fact to some extent this can have good effects, such as toning us up for a big game or sharpening our awareness for an interview or exam.
But some forms of anxiety are not as healthy as others. If you strain a little before the exam, this can be helpful. However, if you can’t sleep well the night before or start sweating profusely and feeling nauseous when you walk into the examination room, this is a more serious anxiety attack, and if you find that it’s part of an ongoing pattern, you need to seek help.
WHAT IS ANXIETY?
Our response to stress is a built-in survival mechanism that initially allowed us to act immediately when our lives were in danger. To prepare for action, the heart rate increases to pump blood to all muscles and blood pressure rises.
When action is taken and the danger is gone or the problem is resolved, the body relaxes and returns to normal. But when the threat is low and constant, as is usual in the emotionally stressful situations of modern life, often no direct action can be taken to deal with it and the body will suffer from the effects of long-term stress. Secondary symptoms may develop; these may include skin rashes, blemishes, weight problems (underweight or overweight). Oddly enough, anxiety sufferers can also experience either increased aggression or the opposite effect, becoming completely inhibited, withdrawn, and even extremely depressed.
TYPES OF ANXIETY
Anxiety takes many forms. Some have obvious causes, such as fear of dogs in someone who has been bitten or frightened by one as a child. Other forms are less clear and may include anxiety about a relationship that may make you sexually impotent or frigid. Sometimes anxiety takes a non-specific form, such as a sudden, inexplicable panic on the way to the office or a feeling of general hopelessness about the state of the world (called “anxiety”).
CAUSES OF ANXIETY
There are two main theories about the causes of anxiety. The first argues that it is due to a personality disorder that makes our psychological defenses unable to work the way they should. In other words, instead of recognizing the symptoms of anxiety and dealing with them, the sufferer turns the symptoms into a model – one that is often self-destructive.
The second theory states that there is a malfunction in some physical functions, especially in the nervous system. This may be due to an imbalance of chemicals in the body. Proponents of this theory believe that these “defects” can be cured by effective and painless drug therapy.
Third, some theorists suggest that the causes of the problem are much simpler than any of these facts, it is simply the result of modern life: the widespread loss of social and ethical values and the response to conditions we no longer feel. that we have no control.
TREATMENT OF ANXIETY
It is possible to try to deal with anxiety yourself. The first thing you need to do is recognize and accept the symptoms and try to find and confront the causes.
But if this process of self-help is not enough – and not even with the help of family and friends – it is best to consult a doctor. Your doctor may refer you to a psychotherapist who will help you find and address the causes. This treatment can be performed either in individual sessions or in the company of other anxiety sufferers in group psychotherapy.
Many doctors offer alternative therapies, and most of them aim to help you relax and gain more self-awareness. These can include yoga, breathing exercises, biofeedback or even meditation.