Anxiety
“…It's like I'm constantly on-edge, fearful and worried, like something terrible is about to happen and I don’t know what. My heart races, there’s a stabbing feeling in my chest, a constant pressure — it won’t go away.”
What is Anxiety?
We are all born with an instinctive “fight or flight” response. It helped our ancestors escape threats and predators. When we are afraid, worried, or stressed, the part of our brain responsible for our fight or flight response creates nervous and fearful sensations that we call “anxiety.” We all experiences anxiety at times, but some people battle with feeling that don’t go away.
Am I experiencing normal anxiety?
It's normal to feel anxious occasionally, especially when facing stressful situations like relationship tension, exams, job interviews, or life changes. These feelings come and go and don't usually disrupt our everyday lives. The discomfort is temporary, even without knowing the cause.
Systems Family Therapy teaches anxiety-reducing and anxiety management skills that can bring power and control back in your corner.
What is an Anxiety Disorder?
Anxiety disorders are a group of mental health conditions characterized by feelings of excessive worry, fear, or apprehension. These feelings can be so intense that they interfere with daily life and activities. There are different types of anxiety disorders:
Types of Anxiety Disorders
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This involves excessive worry and anxiety about various aspects of life, such as school, family, health, or performance, even when there's no apparent reason to worry.
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This is marked by an intense fear of social situations or performance situations where a person might be judged or scrutinized by others.
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This involves sudden and repeated episodes of intense fear that may include physical symptoms like heart palpitations, sweating, trembling, and feeling like one is choking or having a heart attack.
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Phobias are intense fears of specific objects, situations, or activities. Common phobias include fear of spiders, heights, flying, or enclosed spaces.
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OCD involves recurrent, unwanted thoughts (obsessions), sometimes with repetitive behaviors or mental acts (compulsions). These behaviors are often done to reduce anxiety related to obsessions.
Causes of Anxiety Disorders
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Anxiety disorders may run in families. Just as a child can inherit a parent’s brown hair, green eyes, and nearsightedness, a child can also inherit a parent’s tendency toward excessive anxiety. Current research suggests that one-third of the risk for experiencing anxiety is genetic.
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The brain has special chemicals, called neurotransmitters, that send messages back and forth to control the way a person feels. Serotonin and dopamine are two important neurotransmitters that, when disrupted, can cause feelings of anxiety and depression. Researchers have also found that several parts of the brain are involved in fear and anxiety.
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Research suggests a child whose temperament is timid or shy or who avoids anything dangerous may be more prone to generalized anxiety disorder than others are.
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A traumatic experience (such as a divorce, illness, or death in the family, or major events outside of the family) may also trigger the onset of an anxiety disorder.
Anxiety may have a learned component, behaviors picked up from other family members and people who are noticeably stressed or anxious. For example, a child whose parent displays perfectionist tendencies may become a perfectionist, too.
What are the Symptoms of Anxiety?
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These may include rapid heartbeat, sweating, trembling, dizziness, shortness of breath, or stomach upset.
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These can include feelings of apprehension, dread, or panic, as well as difficulty concentrating or feeling restless, foreboding or worrying about something that will happen (even if you don’t know what it is).
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These may involve avoiding certain situations or places, seeking reassurance excessively, or engaging in rituals or repetitive behaviors.
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These involve excessive worrying, negative thinking, negative self-talk, difficulty concentrating, or feeling like something terrible is going to happen.
Find Relief from Anxiety
Take control of your anxiety with professional support. Book a therapy appointment today and start feeling more at ease in your daily life.