Welcome to Anxiety Doctor.com

Anxiety may occur without a cause, or it may occur based on a real situation, but may be out of proportion to what would normally be expected. This fact sheet is not exhaustive, nor does it include the full range of symptoms and treatments. Anxiety is an unpleasant complex combination of emotions that includes fear, apprehension and worry, and is often accompanied by physical sensations such as palpitations, nausea, chest pain and/or shortness of breath. Keep in mind that new research can yield rapid and dramatic changes in our understanding of and approaches to mental disorders. They are normal emotions that can be appropriate and even beneficial under certain circumstances. However, more than 20 million Americans suffer from anxiety disorders - a collection of psychological problems characterized by unnatural and unhealthy anxiety or irrational fears. Behaviorally, both voluntary and involuntary behaviors may arise directed at escaping or avoiding the source of anxiety. It gears us up for life's challenges and spurs us to action when we're faced with a threat. However, if anxiety is preventing you from living your life the way you'd like to, you may be suffering from an anxiety disorder. Living with generalized anxiety disorder can be difficult, but treatment is available. Medications and professional counseling or therapy can help you cope with the effects of generalized anxiety disorder.

Anxiety is a normal reaction to stress. Most commonly, symptoms are related to the heart, lungs, and nervous system. You may feel as if you are having a heart attack. Most people experience anxiety at some point in their lives and some nervousness in anticipation of a real situation. Anxiety can be accompanied by a variety of physical symptoms. Along with phobias, panic attacks and obsessive-compulsive disorder, generalized anxiety disorder is among the most common anxiety disorders. Women are more likely than men are to experience generalized anxiety disorder. Fortunately, anxiety disorders are highly treatable. Experts estimate that up to 90 percent of people who suffer from anxiety disorders can be helped through medication, behavior modification, or psychotherapy.

Causes of Anxiety

The common Causes of Anxiety :

• Certain disorders, such as an overactive thyroid gland (hyperthyroidism), can produce anxiety, among other signs and symptoms.
• Medical problems such as cardiovascular disease or oversecretion of thyroid, adrenal, or parathyroid hormone must also be considered as a possible cause of anxiety. Generalized anxiety disorder appears to run in some families.
• A buildup of stressful life situations may trigger excessive anxiety. For example, having a physical illness, along with the stress of missing work or losing pay, may combine to cause generalized anxiety disorder.
• Prescription medications can cause anxiety, especially those that are used to treat asthma, high blood pressure, and Parkinson's disease. The antidepressant and antipsychotic medications sometimes have anxiety as a potential side effect.
• Nutritional deficiencies of B vitamins and magnesium.
• Anxiety is often an associated feature of another psychiatric disorder, such as depression .

Symptoms of Anxiety

Some common Symptoms of Anxiety :

• Fatigue.
• Dizziness.
• Muscle tension.
• Shortness of breath or tightness in the throat.
• Irritability, including loss of your temper .
• Gastrointestinal complications .
• Sleeping difficulties and nightmares .
• Rapid breathing.
• Nausea .
• Sweating .
• Headaches.

Treatment of Anxiety

Some effective treatment methods for Anxiety are:

• Several types of medications are useful in treating anxiety disorders and are usually used in conjunction with other forms of therapy.
• The important thing to remember is that effective treatments are available for anxiety disorders, and no one should feel the need to retreat from life because of overwhelming anxiety.
• Doctors use antidepressants and anti-anxiety medications to treat generalized anxiety disorder and other various types of anxiety disorders.
• Anxiety disorders are readily treated by a number of modern techniques, usually including a combination of time-limited psychotherapy and anti-anxiety medications.
• Currently, evidence does not support an increased risk of suicide in obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) or other anxiety disorders treated with SSRIs.