What is Anxiety



What is anxiety?

This article will give you the answers to certain questions about anxiety such as: “what is anxiety”, “what causes anxiety”, “what are the symptoms of anxiety”, “how to treat anxiety”, etc.



What is not anxiety?

It is important to know what anxiety is as well as what is not. This is why we will first define anxiety and then distinguish anxiety from fear.

Anxiety is a pervasive and unpleasant feeling of tension, dread, apprehension, and impending disaster.

What is the difference between anxiety and fear?

Fear is a response to a clear and obvious danger. For example you see a mad dog running toward you and you feel scared and start running away from the dog. This is a normal response to the given situation, and your fear is a part of that normal and productive response; which resulted in you being safe and not being infected and bitten.

On the other side anxiety is a response to an undefined or unknown treat which may derive from internal conflicts, feelings of insecurity, or forbidden impulses.

A side from knowing what is anxiety, you should also know how to recognize it. This is very important because if you are not capable to recognize the signs of anxiety or the anxiety symptoms, you may live your whole life in necessary pain.

Signs of Anxiety

  • Alcohol abuse
  • Ticks
  • Blushing
  • Becoming pale
  • Nail biting
  • Skin picking
  • Excessive shaking
  • Excessive scratching
  • Vomiting in certain situations
  • Always in need to do something
  • Excessive arguing
  • Loss of interest in sex and other previously enjoyed activities
  • Eating too little or overeating
  • Waking up in a panic attack
  • Sweating a lot
  • Coughing for no reason
  • Excessive crying
  • Hyperactivity

    Symptoms of Anxiety

  • Abdominal pain
  • Headaches
  • Muscle tension
  • Chest pain
  • Dry, watery or itchy eyes
  • Waking up in a panic attack
  • Thinking about death or suicide
  • Recurrent or obsessive thoughts
  • Tendency to predict the worst
  • Having problem concentrating
  • Constant negative thinking
  • Fear of going crazy
  • Fear of passing out
  • Fear from specific situation (such as being in public)
  • Feeling constant tension
  • Feeling agitated

    An important thing to note is that only a healthcare professional can properly diagnose an individual with anxiety disorder or other mental condition. Signs and symptoms of anxiety in this article are numbered only for educational purposes and not to be used for self-diagnosis or diagnosing someone else.

    A side from knowing what is anxiety and what anxiety signs and symptoms are, you need to know how to treat anxiety disorder properly.

    Treatment for Anxiety

    Anxiety is best treated with psychotherapy alone or combined with anxiety medication. Medication is not needed in many cases however that fact doesn’t stop it from being overused by millions of people around the world.

    Anxiety medication should be used in case of severe anxiety, and in some cases of moderate anxiety disorder. In all other cases (which is majority of them) anxiety medication is not necessary.

    Right from the start you should know that anxiety cannot be cured only with medication. Anxiety medication can help you with your symptoms but it cannot treat you for your anxiety disorder.

    Medication cannot explore and work on causes of your anxiety nor can it provide you with understanding, support and guidance. All of which are essential for successful treatment. This is why psychotherapy is the foundation of anxiety treatment and place where the real healing process takes place.

    The outcome of your treatment will depend a lot on your answer to question: “What is anxiety”. If anxiety is something horrible and unbearable to you, it is time for you to change your perspective. If anxiety, to you, is a challenge and something you will use to become better and stronger person you are already half cured.




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    Information on Anxiety Disorder / Severe Anxiety Disorder