Anxiety is a common feeling to some extent. Being apprehensive in the face of a new situation, such as a test or a job interview, is considered normal and expected.
However, living with insecurity and irrational fears can characterize an anxiety disorder.
“When the brain detects danger, it sends alarm signals to the body, which reacts accordingly. When these feelings of concern persist when everything is under control, what is natural becomes pathological”, explains doctor Tamires Cruz, specialist in the treatment of anxiety and depression.
The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that 18.6 million Brazilians have an anxiety disorder. Obtaining the diagnosis, if this is the case, is important in order to seek the correct treatment.
“The diagnosis allows the person to have a better understanding of what they are facing and, with the treatment, they develop strategies to deal with the problem and increase their quality of life”, says doctor Tamires.
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The expert adds that people with anxiety disorders have very low self-esteem and self-confidence because of negative thoughts about their worth. In addition, according to the doctor, constant tension leads to headaches, neck and shoulders.
Anxiety disorder can manifest itself in different ways. Among the main ones are generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder, social anxiety disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder, post-traumatic disorder, separation anxiety disorder and phobias.
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1. General Anxiety Disorder (GAD)
It is characterized by enduring worry and fear over many situations or events. “The feelings caused by these concerns become unrealistic, which can affect the performance of those suffering from GAD in their daily efforts, due to the inability to control it”, explains Tamires.
The symptoms are the same as common anxiety, but more chronic and severe: headaches and stomachaches, irritability, restlessness, fatigue, lack of concentration, sweating, difficulty sleeping, a feeling of constant and imminent destruction.
2. Panic disorder
It is marked by attacks of intense fear, which may include tremors, heart palpitations, shortness of breath, fear of losing control, tingling sensations, and a sense of impending doom.
Tamires explains that the attacks come on suddenly and reach the level of panic in minutes, and can last for hours. People who suffer from panic attacks tend to avoid certain places, situations and people that trigger the problem.
3. Social anxiety disorder
Increased heart rate, nausea, dizziness and sweating are some of the physical symptoms that individuals with social anxiety disorder experience when they are forced to interact with other people.
To be framed in this type of anxiety, the symptoms must be presented routinely, for at least six months.
4. Phobias
Phobia is an irrational feeling of fear of something or a specific situation. There are different types of phobias, heights, spiders, flying, tight spaces, crowds, etc.
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Recognizing difficulties and seeking expert help are the best ways to deal with times when stress is high.
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But how do you know when to seek help? The quality of mental health is determined by how we deal with feelings
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Mentally healthy people are able to deal in a balanced way with conflicts, disturbances, traumas or important transitions in the different life cycles. However, some signs may indicate when mental health is not good
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Insomnia: if you don’t have quality sleep, it’s impossible to recover the energy needed to carry on with a new day. Sleep disorders are one of the main factors that affect people’s mental health
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Stress: if irritation is recurrent and leads us to have heightened reactions to small events, the red light must be triggered. If stress is accompanied by trouble sleeping, it’s time to seek help.
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Sudden mood swings: mood depends on different situations, however, if inconstancy is persistent it may be a signal from the body that something is not right and a change of habits may be necessary
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Memory lapses: if the person begins to notice that the memory is failing in everyday life with very simple things, it is likely that he is going through an episode of mental exhaustion
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Change in appetite: in food, the person who eats much more than they should use food as an exhaust valve to relieve anxiety. Others lose their appetite completely.
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Low self-esteem: another warning sign is the feeling of incapacity, impotence and fragility. In this case, it is common for people to feel less important and think that no one cares about them.
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Poor hygiene: One of the hallmarks of depression is the loss of desire to take care of oneself. The person is usually with compromised body hygiene and loses vanity
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Continuous feeling of sadness: unlike sadness, depression is an internal phenomenon, which does not need an event. The person becomes apathetic and does not feel like doing anything
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In order to receive a diagnosis and start the appropriate treatment, it is very important to consult a psychiatrist or psychologist. As soon as you notice that you don’t feel as well as you used to, look for a professional to help you find the causes for your discomfort.
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5. Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
OCD sufferers have distressing and repetitive thoughts or actions that cannot be avoided, even though it is known that this is an irrational reaction.
These individuals seek to justify their actions with superstitious feelings, such as, for example, obsessively cleaning personal items, walking in the same pattern, constantly washing hands, and repeatedly checking the same object, such as gas stoves and light switches.
6. Post-traumatic stress disorder
It is an anxiety disorder that usually stems from a previous experience in which there was a risk of losing one’s life.
According to Tamires, panic attacks in people with post-traumatic stress usually happen when they are confronted with a triggering factor that refers to the traumatic event.
7. Separation anxiety disorder
This type of disorder presents as an intense display of panic when the person experiences withdrawal from someone, place, or object. For Tamires, the symptoms of this disorder are typically seen in young children when separated from their mothers or primary caregivers.
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