Anxiety

What is Anxiety

Anxiety is a body’s response to stress, it can be identified by fear and nervousness about the future. In anxiety, a person is nervous, afraid and feels miserable about anticipated events. When a person is feeling anxiety there’s a feeling of discomfort and stress due to the overreaction to certain situations. Anxiety creates health problems like fatigue and lack of concentration.

Everyone feels anxious at some point in their life and it is good for survival ( it lasts for a shorter period) but if this feeling stays for a longer period or if a person is anxious about little things like talking to strangers, crossing roads, leaving home for work, it can cause serious mental conditions like OCD, panic disorders, etc.

Causes and Symptoms of Anxiety

Causes:

The exact cause of anxiety is not known yet but medical professionals across the globe agree that it results from a combination of different factors such as environmental and genetic factors. Some common causes which can result in anxiety are:

1. Relationship problems, family problems, work-related( office) problems.
2. Genetics- genetics also plays a major role in developing anxiety as a person having a family history of anxiety is more likely to develop the disorder.
3. Imbalance of hormones and the functioning of the brain.
4. Certain medications can cause anxiety, and chronic illness, or the result of a different disease.
5. Withdrawal from certain addictive substances like drugs, tobacco, and alcohol.

Symptoms:

Many signs and symptoms of anxiety can be seen easily in a person suffering from an anxiety disorder. Some common signs and symptoms of anxiety disorder are :

1. Increase in heartbeat
2. Butterflies in the stomach
3. Nightmares, pain attacks, feelings of nervousness, and fear.
4. Fear of a place, event, or particular activity.
5. Restlessness, sleep problems, breathing problems.

If all these symptoms remain for a longer period of time then it is a sign of anxiety disorder and it needs to be addressed as soon as possible.

Preventions for Anxiety:

1. Eat a nutritionally well-balanced diet. Try to mix up foods which can include different vitamins and other essentials.
2. Minimize consumption of alcohol, sugar, tobacco and caffeine. They don’t resolve your anxiety but invites addiction without any benefits.
3. Do some activities that help you relax and unwind every day. You can always add hobbies like walking, listening to music, exercising, sleeping, etc. in your everyday schedule. That will heal you and keep your anxiety level low.
4. Try to avoid doing stuff that can increase your anxiety levels. Even if you have a hectic schedule, cut down on the things that aren’t priorities.
5. Keep a habit of making a journal and note down the things which make you anxious. Rate the anxiousness level on a scale of 1-10, and also note down the  thoughts that drive you nervous. Make a list of things which makes you more or less anxious.