Anxiety Disorder as a Popular Emotional Condition - Essay Example

An anxiety disorder may cause reduced self-esteem, abuse of substances, and loneliness or isolation from peers and family members, and in 1980, Americans initially recognized the disorder among their individuals. Before its recognition, several individuals were suffering from these disorders and were mainly given a stress and nervous generic diagnosis. Similarly, because of limited health professionals’ understanding of the disorder, limited numbers of patients receive adequate care and treatment for the disorder. Starting in 1980, the global investigation revealed acute disabilities related to anxiety disorders. Some challenges can be prevented if the diagnosis is done on time and adequate treatment is given. The paper will discuss three common anxiety disorders, their signs and symptoms, available treatments, and various factors related to the disorders.

Discussion

Even though researchers do not understand why most individuals experience the disorder, they assert that multiple factors are involved. Similarly to various other mental disabilities, anxiety disorders emanate from various factors combinations such as psychological, personal, and physical factors, (Hina & Hina, 2010). How people think and respond to situations may influence anxiety, for example, some individuals may perceive some conditions as increasingly dangerous, others may have suffered a traumatic experience and they fear their reoccurrence (like a terrorist attack). Psychologists suggest that early-age experiences may greatly lead to anxiety, while researchers suggest that brain chemistry challenges may lead to anxiety disorder development. Studies suggest that changes in certain brain activity may cause anxiety and most anxiety disorders that exist in families mainly have genetic aspects. Some medical conditions like thyroid complications and anemia and other factors like alcohol and caffeine and traumatic life experiences like death, war, and calamities like storms or earthquakes may also cause anxiety symptoms.

The three common anxiety disorders include panic disorder which causes sudden terror feeling that occurs frequently and without warning. Pain disorder symptoms are pain in the chest, palpitations of the heart, breathing problems, dizziness, stomach upset, isolation, and fear of death. Most patients with panic disorder suffer from unrealistic anxiety about experiencing pain attacks and are extensively frightened and self-conscious. Such people avoid certain places as airplanes that may interfere with their routine lives, (Sutton, 2009). Obsessive-compulsive shows perfections fear problems, and their patients manifest repeated abnormal beliefs and uncontainable and distracting rituals. Phobia anxiety disorder is an irrational and disabling fear of things that may cause limited or no real threat for most individuals. The distress may be increasingly frightening when it makes people avoid events that can lead to excessive anxiety, tension, or fear. A certain phobia is based on some objects (planes) or situations (using a lift or escalator). Most individuals are increasingly sensitive to criticisms and uncomfortable with their phobias which can result in self-esteem challenges.

Signs and symptoms

Since the disorder is because of various factors combination, the symptoms may differ among people. Some may experience extensive terror that occurs without alerts, whereas others panic in the middle of their thoughts at a party. Others may struggle with a disabling flying fear, obsession, compulsions, or intrusive thoughts that they may not be able to control. More individuals indicate prolonged terror signs and anxiety about every event in their lives. Irrespective of diverse forms, the common anxiety disorder signs include acute and constant fear in conditions where most individuals feel comfortable or enjoy (Hina & Hina, 2010). Physical symptoms include headache, upset stomach, fast heart rate, and tension of muscles. Emotional symptoms include dread or apprehension feeling, concentration problems, tension feelings, irritation, the anticipation of danger and worst things, restlessness, and fatigue.

Treatment

Some of the disorder symptoms like pain attacks and obsession may make disorder treatment complicated; thus, complete depression treatment mainly needs anxiety symptoms treatment. Effective treatments entail psychotherapy (behavioral therapy, which is the most effective treatment), physical exercises such as aerobics, and medication. Behavioral therapy helps people to learn ways of dealing with their fears through modification of their thoughts, feelings, and mechanisms of reacting to stressors (Sutton, 2009). It also teaches relaxation techniques such as meditation and mindfulness to manage stress and handle acute worrying events and situations. Getting an adequate diet and enough sleep, and talking things over with peers and family members reduces anxiety disorder symptoms.

Conclusion

Researches indicate that anxiety disorder is a popular emotional condition and affects over 75% of the global population. There are various effective psychotherapies and medical treatments available for treatments, but unfortunately, most victims do not seek medication because they are not aware of the causes and effective treatment of the disorders. Similarly, some patients fear of criticism from their workmates, peers, and family members. The disorders have various negative effects on people; therefore, people should seek medication to avoid destruction and negative effects such as drug abuse, stress, and depression because of the condition.