Controlling Anxiety
A Guide to Understanding and Controlling Anxiety
Controlling anxiety can seem nearly impossible to someone who suffers from this condition. Yet many people suffer from a generalized anxiety disorder and aren't even aware that they have a disorder! For these people, being in a constant state of worry just feels like an everyday part of their life--but it shouldn't be. Someone who suffers from an anxiety disorder is usually in a continuous state of tension due to exaggerated worry about finances, family, school, work, or health. It's true that we all worry about these things, but anxiety over these issues should not be experienced on a day to day basis.
For the most part, anxiety sufferers worry needlessly about issues that are minor. In their mind, the situation is blown way out of proportion to justify a heightened state of anxiety, when in reality the extent of their worry is simply unrealistic. It is very common for someone with an anxiety disorder to not worry about one thing in particular, but to simply live a life of fear simply because they just know something bad will happen. They can spend all of their energy just trying to prepare for far-fetched situations, or let their life revolve around preparing for virtually anything "bad" that could crop up--which is simply impossible and stressful.
Other than these characteristics, there are also other symptoms that are likely to show up in someone who suffers from an anxiety disorder. For instance, one may feel irritable, restless or edgy, and have difficulty concentrating on the task at hand. These are very common symptoms because their mind is telling their body to stay on its toes--to be prepared for whatever is coming because it's going to be bad. As you can probably guess, the amount of physical stress this can cause the body is quite substantial. That is why it is also common for one to experience fatigue, headaches, sweating, nausea, tension, and insomnia.
So, what leads to an anxiety disorder? This is a question that still under thorough research, and the exact cause is not actually known. Research suggests that it is possible for anxiety disorders to travel the genetic path. That is to say that if one's parents or grandparents suffered from an anxiety disorder, it is possible that their children or grandchildren may develop one as well. A more likely cause is the environment in which one is raised. A child who is raised in an abusive or high-stress household is more likely to feel the need to exaggerate about minor issues to the point that a true anxiety disorder forms. Situations such as divorce, death of a friend of family member, and even the "trauma" that a child can experience when moving to a new home or school can sow the seeds of a future anxiety disorder.
Controlling anxiety is difficult even with the aid of medication and counseling. Medication is often prescribed to individuals who have such a debilitating case of anxiety that their daily life is centered around their feelings of fear and worry. Anxiety disorders can interfere with work, school, and driving, making it difficult to really live life. A few popular prescription medications include Xanax, Valium, Prozac, and Zoloft. The effect these medications have is somewhat like a tranquilizer. It doesn't put the patient to sleep or anything so extreme, but it does encourage a calm and relaxed aura in the patient and helps to ease the physical symptoms of anxiety such as muscle tension and insomnia.
Behavioral therapy is a way of controlling anxiety through hard work and generally without the aid of medication. The patient is taught how to recognize the warning signs of building tension. When a patient is taught how to recognize the early signs of fear and worry, they can then practice overcoming these feelings by taking a different viewpoint of the situation and see it for what it really is. This keeps them from mentally exaggerating their circumstances and allows them to remain calm while devising a logical course of action.