There’s nothing necessarily wrong with being anxious or suffering an anxiety attack.
It is a normal part of human psychology that may have originally served an evolutionary role in helping protect our distant ancestors – by allowing them to recognise potential danger and take appropriate action such as ‘fight-or-flight’.
The symptoms of anxiety vary tremendously between individuals and depending upon the severity and nature of the circumstances.
So, for example, you may have a dry mouth when you’re about to go into that job interview. Perhaps you’re about to make a wedding speech in front of a large number of people and you find that you’re suffering from some mild ‘shakes’.
Another example may be if you have to give someone some bad news and are feeling a little nauseous as you wait for him or her to come into the room.
All these forms of anxiety are generally nothing to worry about. They are short-lived, occasional and attributable to clear and ‘logical’ causes.
Clinical Anxiety
Things become a little more serious when anxiety departs from these terms of reference. If you find that you are suffering physical symptoms of anxiety for no obvious reason, then it may be an indication that you are suffering from some form of psychological disorder and are in need of treatment.
When saying ‘no obvious reason’, this of course covers a multitude of circumstances as clinical anxiety can manifest itself in many different guises.
Perhaps you find that every time you go into a supermarket you are stricken by feelings of fear and dread. Some people may become physically sick or suffer severe stomach cramps at the thought of a meeting with their boss. Others, perhaps, are unable to leave their home easily without constantly going back in to check locks and bolts, as they are sure they’ve forgotten to secure something.
All these, as well as many other symptoms, may indicate that someone is suffering from abnormal anxiety.
Do remember to avoid the dangers of diagnosis though! This article is no substitute for professional medical or counselling advice.
Types Of Clinical Anxiety
Medical definitions may vary but in general clinical anxiety may manifest itself as:
- Irrational phobias of inanimate objects such as fear of curtains and fire hydrants or perhaps meeting other people or women with red hair etc (this is not the same as having a strong fear of say, spiders);
- Panic attacks – often forming overwhelming feelings of paralyzing panic that (e.g.) you have forgotten to do something;
- Obsessive compulsive disorder – this can be a form of anxiety where someone is unable to see something without thinking it is ‘not right’ and then suffering overpowering urges to ‘make it right’ however long it takes and however unnecessary it is;
- Post Traumatic Stress Disorder – often originating in trauma this can result in many of the above symptoms as well as depression, sleeplessness, a lack of self-confidence etc.
Treating Stress
The dangers of attempting self-diagnosis have already been stated but it can be equally dangerous to think you can cure yourself of clinical anxiety alone and unaided.
In fact, many treatment regimes DO stress a major personal role for the patient in the cure but this usually forms part of a major structure of cause identification.
Unless the cause of the problem is known, it can be difficult to treat – and that attribution is often a job for a specialist.
Once the cause is clearly understood, many therapies may be beneficial.
- Counselling sessions. Some treatments may involve counselling that help you to identify the nature of the problem and then to ‘rationalise it’ in your mind. In some cases this may involve ‘de-sensitization’ therapy so that you incrementally face and conquer the root cause of your problems – this latter is sometimes referred to as cognitive behavioural therapy.
- Sometimes the disorders touched on above may have a physical cause such as thyroid problems or central nervous system problems. This is relatively rare and requires diagnosis and treatment by a physician or other medical professional.
- If the condition is sufficiently serious, medications of various forms may be prescribed.
- Relaxation. Stress is a common cause of anxiety disorders. Once the cause is identified, relaxation techniques such as meditation and hypnosis may help. Be warned – meditation and hypnosis may be harmful in cases involving psychological disorders unless they are practised by a fully qualified medical professional (or under such supervision).
- Complementary medicine – some benefits are claimed for treatments such as acupuncture though many in conventional medicine remain very sceptical. Before launching into complementary treatments for anxiety, it may be highly advisable to have a full discussion with your physician or counsellor.
Non-Natural Common Anxiety Treatments
The most common drug treatments for anxiety include:
- Xanax
- Clonazepam
- Buspar
- Paxil
- Zoloft
- Lexapro
- Beta blockers
- Benzodiazepines
- Ativan
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