Time and time again people are heard saying “I have anxiety” instead of “I am anxious”. When you look at them, the difference between the words used in the two sentences is just as thin as a needle.
These phrases are used so interchangeably that the notion of anxiety being a disorder is either not given importance or is internalized to a large extent.
Research advocates that anxiety as an emotion can be recognized to be adaptive in nature chiefly when it comes to survival. It is a normal emotion that is defined by persistent and excessive worry that does not go away even in the dearth of a stressor. It can be classified as normal when it is a passing phase,i.e., it is for a short period of time. The symptoms are akin to those of stress like insomnia, difficulty concentrating, fatigue, muscle tension and irritability.
Prevalent times when individuals encounter anxiety are interviews, exams, dates, arguments in relationships or confronting the past. The ubiquitous element with regard to each of these instances is that there is no prominent or imminent danger but yet they induce a feeling of worry. These instances do not warrant an outcome which makes the anxiety more inevitable.
The sense of anxiety can persevere over a long period of time and intrude with day to day functioning, particularly in areas like the personal life, professional life and social interactions. In such a case, the assessment for anxiety disorderbecomes exceptionally significant.
Anxiety disorder is a mental health ailment encompassing cognitive, emotional and physiological disturbances. The primary symptoms of anxiety disorder along with those of feeling of anxiety entail restlessness, difficulty concentrating, stomach issues, headaches and motor tension.
Though it is significant to acknowledge the emotions, distinguishing them appropriately is of the foremost essence. Hence, instead of jumping on the bandwagon, it is integral to pay attention to the objective behind the phrase when it’s used in conversations.
There are a variety of anxiety disorders but the most prevailing are :
- Generalized Anxiety Disorder: This is persistent and excessive worry, which is formidable to control and is present most of the time over a period of six months. The worry is not confined to one specific concern and may extend to any and all areas of life.
- Panic Disorder: This is another common anxiety related concern which is associated with sudden but temporary feeling of dying with symptoms like sweating, feeling dizzy, nausea, increased heartrate and gasping for air. The people who suffer from panic attacks always fear the occurrence of another panic attack and hence try to avoid situations where a panic attack might have previously occurred.
Irrespective of anxiety being a feeling or a disorder, we believe that you need to get the right support. Anxiety disorders are not something to be overlooked and common occurrences of the feeling of anxiety without a way to deal with them is also a matter of concern. Click here to start the process of working towards dealing with anxiety by getting an assessment done.
