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Anxiety Basics


Anxiety - What is It
Anxiety Cause
Anxiety Symptoms
Anxiety Treatment

Anxiety Disorders


Agoraphobia
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
Acute Stress Disorder
Comorbidity
Seperation Anxiety
Anxiety Neurosis
Demoralisation
Tourette's Syndrome
Generalised Anxiety Disorder
Phobic Anxiety Disorder
Hypochondriasis

Anxiety Causes


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. These behaviors are frequent and often maladaptive, being most extreme in anxiety disorders . Anxiety is part of our natural "fight-or-flight" response. It's our body's way of warning us of danger ahead. And for the most part, anxiety is adaptive. 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.

Causes of Anxiety

The common Causes of Anxiety :

  • Anxiety is often an associated feature of another psychiatric disorder, such as depression .
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • Certain disorders, such as an overactive thyroid gland (hyperthyroidism), can produce anxiety, among other signs and symptoms.
  • Nutritional deficiencies of B vitamins and magnesium.
  • 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.