22/09/2018
ANXIETY DISORDERS
THE MOST COMMON KILLERS OF HUMAN HEALTH
Anxiety is a normal human emotion that everyone experiences at times. Many people feel anxious, or nervous, when faced with a problem at work, before taking a test, or making an important decision. Anxiety disorders, however, are different. They can cause such distress that it interferes with a person's ability to lead a normal life.
People who suffer from anxiety problems may be constantly worried or they may be so scared of certain situations that they can't face. Severe anxiety can lead to fear, depression, relationship difficulties, drug and alcohol abuse, smoking and other more serious psychological problems which may ultimately require help from a Psychiatrist to overcome.
Many people suffer from Generalized Anxiety Disorder or GAD. When people constantly suffer from tension and worry and stress that can become serious like Phobias, Social isolation, Panic anxiety attacks.
Physical Symptoms of anxiety-
People who are feeling anxiousness may suffer from physical symptoms, such as:
• Recurrent Stomach upset like diarrhoea or urge for stool, nausea, loss of appetite
• Irregular or quickened heartbeat (palpitations))
• Feelings of panic, fear, and uneasiness
• An inability to be still and calm
• Dry mouth
• Sudden sweating of the body
• Headaches, lightheadedness
• Body aches or cramps
• Fatigue
Additional symptoms of anxiety can be more emotional, such as:
• General sense of apprehension and dread
• Complicated sleep patterns- sleeplessness or restless sleep
• Irritability
• Overcomplaing about petty things
Causes of Anxiety Disorders-
The exact cause of anxiety disorders is unknown; but anxiety disorders -- like other forms of mental illness , may be caused by problems in the functioning of brain circuits that regulate fear and other emotions.
Studies reveal that anxiety disorders run in families’ i. e. genetic, which means that they can at least partly be inherited from one or both parents.
Otherwise they can be due to unpleasant early childhood environment such as – over strict parents, lack of love & affection, broken family, fear of failure in exams, pressure of competitive success etc.
In adults it can be due to work stress, excessive family responsibilities, unhappy family life, lack of confidence or continuous emotional hurts, or failures, financial losses, serious physical disease, disability etc.
Studies have shown that severe or long-lasting stress either inherited or situational can change the way nerve cells within these circuits transmit information from one region of the brain to another.
Types of Anxiety-
❖ Daily life worries- these are found in early stages which involves excessive, unrealistic worry and tension, even if there is little or nothing to provoke the anxiety. This ultimately becomes the nature of the person.
❖ Social anxiety -worry and self-consciousness about everyday social situations. The worry often centers on a fear of being judged by others, or behaving in a way that might cause embarrassment or lead to ridicule.
❖ Phobias -specific phobia is an intense fear of a specific object or situation, such as snakes, heights, flying, going in a crowd, closed spaces like lift of old narrow streets etc. The level of fear is usually inappropriate to the situation and may cause the person to avoid going there.
❖ Panic Attacks- this occurs at the late stage of anxiety .People with this condition have feelings of terror that strike them suddenly and repeatedly with no warning. The symptoms are sweating, chest pain, palpitations and a feeling of choking, which may make the person feel like he or she is having a heart attack or "going crazy."
Diagnosis of Anxiety-
If symptoms of an anxiety disorder are present, the doctor makes an evaluation by asking questions about medical history and performing a physical exam. Although there are no lab tests to specifically diagnose anxiety disorders, the doctor may use various tests to check for physical illness as the cause of the symptoms.
If no physical illness is found, patient may be referred to a psychiatrist, psychologist, or another mental health professional specially trained to diagnose and treat mental illnesses. Psychiatrists and psychologists use specially designed interview, questionnaires and assessment tools to evaluate a person for an anxiety disorder.
Treatment of Anxiety Disorders -
Fortunately, much progress has been made in the last few decades in the treatment of people with mental illnesses, including anxiety disorders. Although the exact treatment approach depends on the type of disorder, one or a combination of the following therapies may be used for most anxiety disorders:
• Medication:- Drugs used to reduce the symptoms of anxiety disorders include anti-depressants and anxiolytic drugs.
• Psychotherapy :- It is a process in which trained mental health professionals help people in dealing with their disorder. Cognitive-behavioral therapy is a particular type of psychotherapy in which the person learns to recognize and change thought patterns and behaviors that lead to troublesome feelings.
• Dietary and lifestyle changes.
• Relaxation therapy.
Prevention of Anxiety Disorders -
Anxiety disorders cannot be prevented; however, there are some things which can control or lessen symptoms:
• If the Anxiety is a result of some medical condition then proper advice of doctor will help
• If not a medical condition then one should share the constantly worrying thought with a near dear to solve the condition, it can be related to financial, job related, mutual relationship, social, behavioral etc.
• If the person himself cannot recognize the problem or is at a critical stage of mental illness then the family members, spouse, adult children should take care of him in getting him treated properly.
• We should remember that early observation and care of any disorder specially mental one is the first treatment as well as best prevention
• A healthy diet, less use of Coffee, tea, cola and other energy drinks .
• Careful use of medicines for prevailing medical conditions as the medicine can also trigger anxiety
One should seek counseling and support if he regularly starts feeling anxious with no apparent cause.
The role of Great Homoeopathic remedies for Anxiety Disorders-
Homoeopathic remedies not only control the anxiety condition but they work on the type of personality like oversensitive, dependent highly emotional, introvert, fearful, irritable restless, anxious type A personalities, also they work on cause of anxiety like social situations, emotional patterns, fears, phobias, psychological trauma like death of near and dear, deep hurts, insulting behavior, emotional exploitation some panic attacks.
Homeopathy not only helps to treat the mental disorder but also helps to reduce the side effects & dependence of anxiolytics, antidepressants, tranquilizers etc. given for the mental condition.
Prof. Dr. Preeti Balwani
MD(Psychiatry)
Homeopathic consultant & Psychiatrist
(Contact- 982706740)
