“Anxiety does not empty tomorrow of its sorrows, but only empties today of its strength.”
—Charles Spurgeon
“I am anxious” is a phrase that commonly pops up in conversations among people. It occurs in a wide variety of scenarios from talking to a stranger to taking a test.
Everyone experiences anxiety and fear at times. It’s a natural and common reaction to many of life’s difficulties.
Anxiety is a feeling of fear or apprehension about what's to come. It is when someone feels afraid, tense or worried about things that could happen in the future or things that could happen to them or to their loved one's. Anxiety manifests in one’s thoughts, feelings and physical sensations. A healthy amount of anxiety is actually helpful, it helps us stay alert and protected.
Some people however, feel anxious or fearful in situations for no apparent reason.
It becomes maladaptive when it starts interfering with daily life functioning. Anxiety is extremely common among people in today’s world, but very few actually seek help and go to therapy. Anxiety is manageable and treatable and one need not suffer in silence.
Anxiety is the most common mental health condition in Australia, with one in three women and one in five men experiencing anxiety at some point in their lives.
There are different types of anxiety. Among children & teens, the most common types include separation anxiety, specific phobias, and social anxiety. Among adults, the most common are generalised anxiety, social anxiety and panic.
Common Types of Anxiety
Specific Phobias
Specific phobias are marked by a strong and an irrational fear towards an object or situation. When we have a specific phobia, we try to avoid the perceive threat at all costs, even when we many realise there’s no danger. Specific phobias are more than feeling uneasy about flying or being on the highest level of a building. When we have a specific phobia, we react very strongly and avoid the situation. Even thinking about the phobia can cause extreme anxious distress. Some common phobias involve extreme fear of:
Animals (dogs, birds, ...)
Flying
Blood
Germs
Needles and/or medical procedures
Insects, snakes, or spiders
Lifts or enclosed spaces
Open spaces
Darkness / Being alone
Costume characters
Separation Anxiety
Separation anxiety is common for children and teens - it is a normal part of growing up. Nearly all children between the ages of 18 months and 3 years old have separation anxiety and tend to cling to their parents to some degree. But the symptoms of Separation Anxiety Disorder (SAD) are more severe. In fact, some adults experience SAD as well. SAD occurs when a person worries excessively and very often about being apart from family members or other close people. A person with SAD has a fear of something bad happening to them (e.g., being lost) if they are away from their family or of something bad occurring to a family member if he or she is not with the person. A person with SAD has worries and fears about being apart from home or family that are more excessive than would be expected given their age. The person may worry excessively before someone leaves (e.g., going on a business trip), may not be easily reassured, may become emotionally upset and inconsolable, with persisting worries and fears after the person has left.
Social Anxiety
Social anxiety is common. Over 10% of Australians will experience it in their lifetime. Social anxiety occurs when we’re fearful and anxious about situations where we think we’re being judged by others. You may have social anxiety if over the past six months on one or more social occasions you have felt:
Intense fear of being judged by others
Fearful of rejection or offending people
Worried that you will show signs of being anxious, which will lead to embarrassment.
The symptoms and fear can be so severe that you may:
Worry so much that it causes you to feel physically sick
Worry for weeks prior to an event
Worry others will notice how anxious you appear
Avoid situations or cease going to work or school because of the anxiety
Generalised Anxiety
Generalised Anxiety Disorder (GAD) occurs when we feel intense worry most of the time for a period of more than six months. It’s an overwhelming and persistent worry about several or many things that make it hard to function in your everyday life. Such things include work, school, health issues, finances, and relationships. Often, it is a group or worries that become overwhelming. In severe instances, GAD can make everything feel so overwhelming that it’s hard to get of bed or leave the house.
Panic disorder:
A panic disorder is marked by recurring panic attacks. These are unexpected feelings of overwhelming and intense fear and distress, which can occur when we’re in either a calm or anxious state. Many people experience a panic attack at some stage of their lives. Panic disorder occurs when these attacks keep happening and start to interfere with our lives. People with a panic disorder report to be very fearful of having another attack. You may recognise the following symptoms of a panic attack in yourself, or in someone you know:
Difficulty breathing/shortness of breath
Fear of dying
Feeling like you’re choking
Heart palpitations/pounding heartbeat
Trembling or shaking
Chest pain
Sweating
Nausea
Dizziness
Feeling like you’re detached from yourself
Numbness or tingling
Health Anxiety
Health anxiety occurs when we’re feeling overly anxious about having or developing serious illnesses or diseases. You may have health anxiety if you experience the following symptoms:
Uncontrollable worry about your physical symptoms
Frequently checking your body for signs of ailments.
Excessively focusing on your body and physical symptoms
Frequently seeking reassurance about your health
Feeling anxious and afraid that you have a serious condition
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