Free Essay

Causes of Anxiety

In:

Submitted By twatts5
Words 328
Pages 2
Causes of Anxiety

I want you to close your eyes and listen while I tell you a story about just how a panic (anxiety) attack feels.
“Imagine that you’re taking a stroll in the countryside. Everything is going well. The trees are in bloom; the sky is blue; the cool breeze is refreshing. You’re humming your favorite tune when suddenly you hear a blood curdling scream — EEEEOOOOWWWW!!!! Though you desperately wish to flee, you find yourself helplessly frozen. Your heart is racing. Your chest is pounding. You can’t catch your breath. You feel lightheaded. You feel faint. You think you might die right there on the spot. Now imagine feeling this very same terror when there’s no creature in your path. What would your experience be? Would you feel mystified? Bewildered? Embarrassed? Wonder if you’re going crazy?” (“What A Panic Attack Feels like: By Linda Sapadin, PH.D”)
That is what you would experience with having a panic attack and over 40 million Americans suffer from this disorder every day. For a entire year I never told my significant other about my anxiety attacks because I thought he would belittle it or just straight wouldn’t understand. I did not feel embarrassed I just didn’t know how to explain my situation. Furthermore one day he came to me panicking because he was having an anxiety attack and I calmed him down and told him I have experienced those attacks before and was fully aware of what he was going thru. One thing I can agree with is telling someone to calm down is easier said than done. You cannot just calm yourself it takes time, energy and dedication.
So I started looking into the different types of anxiety disorders and was given 5 different types starting with Generalized Anxiety Disorder, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, Panic Disorder, Post- traumatic stress Disorder, and Social Anxiety Disorder. Generalized Anxiety is the most common yet any anxiety disorder can be cured within you.

Similar Documents

Free Essay

Causes of Anxiety

...The Causes of Anxiety Anxiety is an extremely stressful part of life that many people deal with on a daily basis. While there are some cases of anxiety that naturally happen chemically, there are also factors that cause anxiety to increase. One major cause of anxiety is having too many tasks scheduled in a short period of time. If there is not a realistic amount of time set aside for things to get done, one could become nervous about the possibility of being late for the task that follows. These events could then lead to leaving tasks undone, which would cause more anxiety in the process of catching up. Another cause of anxiety is the lack of proper preparation for tasks. For example, people who only study the day before a test will, more than likely, experience anxiety. The fear of not being prepared for the test will cause the person to feel anxiety. With this being stated, anxiety can decrease when there is more time to gain the confidence of being prepared for upcoming tasks. The last cause of anxiety that will be mentioned is the tendency to look too deeply into a problem that has a simple solution. It is easy for some to fall into the trap of thinking that a problem absolutely has to be complicated in order to have a valid solution. This will cause anxiety because the simple solution may be unconsciously overlooked due to searching for a complex one. Overcoming this cause would consist of the person making a conscious effort to think of solutions as a step ladder, going...

Words: 304 - Pages: 2

Premium Essay

Biological Causes Of Anxiety

...Anxiety is a reaction or an emotion identify by feelings of fear, nervousness, or distress that can arise from one's unconscious since a psychoanalyst believes that our unconscious govern our behaviors and feelings, and how emotional response from our past childhood experience affect our behavior. A cause of anxiety would be the response to an environment or situation that resembles one of our past childhood experience, and the childhood experiences could have resulted in being punished for that particular action. Therefore, the person would become anxious by having the expectation that a similar event will have consequences. A psychoanalyst also believes in the three personality types id, ego, superego and by conflicting with one another,...

Words: 681 - Pages: 3

Premium Essay

Causes Of Stress, Depression And Anxiety During Pregnancy

...How can a small mental illness such as stress, depression, and anxiety affect your unborn child? Stress depression and anxiety during pregnancy can greatly affect how the child develops cognitively and can increase their chances of mental illnesses later on in life. The average women in 2015 reported a stress level of 5.3 out of 10.(apa 2015)18.1% of adults 18 and older in the United States are suffering from anxiety. 8.2% of adults in the US are suffering from either major depressive disorder or persistent depressive disorder.(adaa facts and stats) If a mother is in the top 15% in the population for depression and anxiety symptoms, the risk of the child having behavioral and emotional problems doubles.(Glover 2015). It is becoming apparent that research is showing patterns between the infant in the womb/after birth and stress, anxiety, and depression....

Words: 1482 - Pages: 6

Premium Essay

How Does Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Cause One's Anxiety?

...Many people do not understand the dangers of stress. Stress can cause psychosomatic disorders, and psychosomatic disorders develop anxiety, depression, and alopecia areata. Research has shown that therapy is the best way to treat psychosomatic disorders. Anxiety is a severe condition caused by stress, it is also a constant fear of one’s worries, and responsibilities. Work, school, and social interactions overwhelm a person who suffers from anxiety. In addition to feeling overwhelmed, one also experiences panic attacks, constant tension, and insomnia. Research has proven that cognitive behavioral therapy helps identify what causes one’s anxiety and how to overcome it.  The National Institute of Mental Health (2016) stated, “Cognitive behavioral...

Words: 458 - Pages: 2

Free Essay

A Brief Study of Anxiety Disorders

...experienced some sort of anxiety feeling before an important event, such as an important exam, going on the 1st date, going on the roller coaster for the 1st time, and etc. during their lifetime. When this anxiety start to be an overwhelming thought in a person’s mind and causes nightmares, fears, and panic attacks, it becomes an illness, called anxiety disorder. It is the fear, apprehension, and often the expectation of unspecified danger. It is considered a normal natural response used everyday to figure out whether a situation is dangerous or not. How to differentiate a normal anxiety form an abnormal disorder:  The intensity of the anxiety; whether or not the anxiety matches the circumstance. The length of the anxiety is inappropriate to what is causing the anxiety.  Adequately respond to make a decision in what to do in that our body has alarm us to some danger. Anxiety is a total normal thing and is experienced daily. But when you have consistent anxiety you should start to worry. Anxiety is a reaction to stressful situations that helps rather than hinders daily functions. If we didn’t have anxiety we wouldn’t be motivated to do certain things in life that could be a good accomplishment or help us out. Anxiety Disorder is defined as the occurrence of anxiety without obvious external cause, intruding on daily functioning. Now I will discuss Generalized Anxiety Disorder. Generalized Anxiety Disorder is the experience of long-term anxiety with no explanation. Symptoms...

Words: 4200 - Pages: 17

Premium Essay

Anxiety

...Definition/Description: Anxiety is a response to a real or imagined danger. Mild anxiety is a common experience and usually requires no treatment. People actually experience anxiety everyday, and in case of mild anxiety, it can be the motivation for achievement, and results in a better outcome. However, moderate to severe anxiety is a symptom of psychiatric disorders such as a phobia, panic disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), and post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Chronic and severe anxiety are treated with antianxiety drugs, also called anxiolytics or minor tranquilizers. Anxiety is a feeling of apprehension, fear, or worry. It can occur without a cause and may not be based on a real-life situation. Symptoms of anxiety vary with the form of anxiety disorder. Common anxiety disorders include panic disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, phobic disorder, OCD, and PTSD. Treatment of anxiety depends on the cause. Short-term anxiety attacks can be treated at home with interventions such as talking with a supportive person, meditating, taking a warm bath, resting in a quiet place, or performing deep-breathing exercises. Life style modification, such as balanced diet, regular exercise, and adequate sleep can be helpful to overcome anxiety. If the cause is physical, such as a tumor called a phechormocytoma, surgical removal of the tumor can resolve the symptom of anxiety. Hyperthyroidism can be the cause of anxiety, and the treatment of hyperthyroidism...

Words: 1040 - Pages: 5

Free Essay

Generalized Anxiety Disorder

...Generalized Anxiety Disorder What is the difference between fear and anxiety? Fear is when someone seems to face a serious threat to his or her well-being, the person may react in immediate state of alarm. With fear, the cause of the state of alarm is usually known or thought to be known. However, anxiety is “vague sense of being in danger” that cannot always be pin pointed to a definite cause (Comer, 2014). Anxiety disorders are the most common psychiatric disorder in the United States. Between 15 - 19% of the population suffers from this disorder, which impairs the quality of life and functioning (NIMH, 2016). Sigma Counseling Services describes on their website that anxiety as “an adaptive emotion that helps us plan and prepare for a possible theat,” and also that, “worrying about many different aspects of life becomes chronic, excessive, and unreasonable.” This is also known as generalized anxiety disorder or GAD (Sigma Counseling, 2015). DSM 5 specifies that GAD is a worry that occurs more days then not for at least 6 months, and that it must be experienced as difficult to control (APA, 2013). 25% of those that suffer from this disease are treated, leaving a large group in the population with anxiety without treatment. Although there is a high correlation of those with anxiety that use health facilities to treat the additional symptoms that anxiety causes (NIMH, 2016). The subjective worrying, that is the foundation for anxiety, must also be accompanied by three...

Words: 1165 - Pages: 5

Free Essay

Sociology

...ANXIETY AND SPEAKING ENGLISH AS A SECOND LANGUAGE AMONG MALE AND FEMALE BUSINESS STUDENTS IN UNIVERSITI INDUSTRI SELANGOR Ayu Rita Bt Mohamad and Nadhia Dalila Bt Ab Wahid Industrial University of Selangor Jln Timur Tambahan, 456000 Bestari Jaya E-mail: ayurita@yahoo.com ABSTRACT This study explores the nature and anxiety of speaking English as a second language among male and female Business Degree students in Industrial University of Selangor (Unisel), Berjuntai Bestari, Selangor. This study attempts to identify potential sources of anxiety relevant to the students’ affective needs or concerns in an institution of higher learning through the use of an in-depth qualitative questionnaire. As the pre-administered questionnaire findings indicate, the differences in the level of language anxiety exhibited by the participants seem to vary by gender. Using various studies by previous researchers of language anxiety as a theoretical guideline for data collection and analysis, this study also discusses some of the influences or impact of anxiety-provoking factors on second language learning, along with some implications for further research on language anxiety. 1.0 INTRODUCTION 1.1 Introduction Anxiety is a negative way to present human feelings. When we are anxious, we feel nervous, worried, and fearful. We struggle, tremble, perspire, and our hearts beat quickly. In general, anxiety can be defined as a complex concept dependent upon not only on one’s feelings of selfefficacy...

Words: 7711 - Pages: 31

Premium Essay

Research Paper

...Anxiety Torrie Jauregui Com/172 August 20th, 2014 Brendan Praniewicz Anxiety Anxiety is a disorder where people live in fear. The people who suffer with this disorder worry all the time about if something will go wrong. This disorder destroys how people suffering with it live on a daily basis. People suffering with this disorder fear from being judged by others. They fear going out and being a part of society, they fear that they will have a massive panic attack out of know where. This disorder creates social anxiety, affects personal life, and creates panic attacks in the person suffering. Social anxiety is the extreme fear of being scrutinized and judged by others in social or performance situations “Anxiety and depression association of America, 2014.” People dealing with social anxiety have a hard time being in situations that make them have to deal with or be around other people. Here is an example about social anxiety effecting a man named Greg. One day Greg got talked into going to a party with his roommate. However, Greg’s roommate suddenly had to work that day and could no longer attend. Greg now was going alone and had not been able to come up with a good reason to no longer go. When he arrived his anxiety was starting to hit him; he was sweating vigorously. Once he entered the party, he no longer wanted to be there. His new objective for the night was to hide in plain sight and get out as soon as he could (Jantz, 2014). The fear of letting down his roommate...

Words: 1584 - Pages: 7

Premium Essay

Anxiety

...about Anxiety Do you know anybody who suffers from anxiety? 40 million people in the United States who are over the age of 17 suffer from some kind of anxiety disorder. That is one in five people in this country with this illness, which means that it is highly likely that somebody around you has anxiety. It is the most common mental illness in the United States. (adaa.org) Anxiety is defined as “a feeling of worry, nervousness, or unease, typically about an imminent event or something with an uncertain outcome.” Although worrying and a certain amount of anxiety is a normal and expected thing, people with this illness have excessive worry and unease. The anxiety is so severe that it makes it difficult to lead a normal life and can be very crippling. Sometimes it is difficult to distinguish between a normal amount of worry and worrying too much. The biggest difference is that an anxious person's worry interferes with their everyday life, this worry occurs most days of the week for more than six months. Sufferers share many symptoms that are common in other illnesses. People with anxiety experience headaches, stomach issues, increased heart rate, high blood pressure, shortness of breath, dizziness, trouble falling asleep or staying asleep, and other problems that lead them to believe that there is something else wrong with them. (health.com) These symptoms often are the reason individuals go to the doctor and eventually are diagnosed with anxiety disorder. Although anxiety is...

Words: 1204 - Pages: 5

Free Essay

Weee

...Anxiety Disorders There are many types of anxiety disorders that include panic disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder, post traumatic stress disorder, social anxiety disorder, specific phobias, and generalized anxiety disorder. Anxiety is a normal human emotion that everyone experiences at times. Many people feel anxious, or nervous, when faced with a problem at work, before taking a test, or making an important decision. Anxiety disorders, however, are different. They can cause such distress that it interferes with a person's ability to lead a normal life. An anxiety disorder is a serious mental illness. For people with anxiety disorders, worry and fear are constant and overwhelming, and can be crippling. Phobias -- See What Makes Some People Afraid What Are the Types of Anxiety Disorders? There are several recognized types of anxiety disorders, including: • Panic disorder : People with this condition have feelings of terror that strike suddenly and repeatedly with no warning. Other symptoms of a panic attack include sweating, chest pain, palpitations (irregular heartbeats), and a feeling of choking, which may make the person feel like he or she is having a heart attack or "going crazy." • Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) : People with OCD are plagued by constant thoughts or fears that cause them to perform certain rituals or routines. The disturbing thoughts are called obsessions, and the rituals are called compulsions. An example is a person with an...

Words: 1094 - Pages: 5

Free Essay

Anxiety

...Anxiety Disorder Dawn Murray Bryant & Stratton College PSYC101 Ms. Sara Bevilacqua 10/1/2014 Abstract Anxiety is a state of intense worrying. This disorder affects 6.8 million people in the United States each year. People who suffer from this disorder may face psychological and physical symptoms. Fortunately, there are many different treatment options available. Anxiety can happen for a specific reason or for no reason at all. There are many psychological and social situations that many cause a person to have anxiety. This paper will discuss the causes, symptoms, treatments and implications of anxiety disorders. Anxiety Disorder Anxiety is a state of intense worrying usually accompanied with physical and psychological symptoms. Anxiety can happen after a distressing situation or for no reason at all. 6.8 million people in the U.S. population are affected by anxiety in any given year. Women are twice as likely to be effected (General Anxiety Disorder, 2010). This paper reviews what anxiety is, it’s causes, the associated symptoms, current treatments, and workplace implications. We all experience anxiety but what causes it? The two main causes are psychological and social situations. Strong evidence supports the theory that genetic components are involved (Ghinassi, 2010). Anxiety is known to run in families. Studies show that certain anxiety disorders are inherited; a growing body of evidence suggests that there is genetic vulnerability to developing...

Words: 952 - Pages: 4

Premium Essay

Anxiety Disorders

...What are Anxiety Disorders? A cover term for a variety of mental disorders in which severe anxiety is a salient symptom. Anxiety disorders are the most common of emotional disorders and affect more than 25 million Americans. Many forms and symptoms may include: • Overwhelming feelings of panic and fear • Uncontrollable obsessive thoughts • Painful, intrusive memories • Recurring nightmares • Physical symptoms such as feeling sick to your stomach, “butterflies” in your stomach, heart pounding, startling easily, and muscle tension Anxiety disorders differ from normal feelings of nervousness. Untreated anxiety disorders can push people into avoiding situations that trigger or worsen their symptoms. People with anxiety disorders are likely to suffer from depression, and they also may abuse alcohol and other drugs in an effort to gain relief from their symptoms. Job performance, school work, and personal relationships can also suffer. Types of Anxiety Disorders Panic disorder People with this condition have feelings of terror that strike suddenly and repeatedly with no warning. Other symptoms of a panic attack include sweating, chest pain, palpitations (irregular heartbeats), and a feeling of choking, which may make the person feel like he or she is having a heart attack or "going crazy." Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) People with OCD are plagued by constant thoughts or fears that cause them to perform certain rituals or...

Words: 4285 - Pages: 18

Premium Essay

Discuss the Relationship Between Stress, Anxiety, Habits Qand Phobias and Describe How You Would Treqt These Issues with Hypnotherapy

...Discuss the relationship between stress, anxiety, habits and phobias and describe how you would treat these issues with hypnotherapy. All of the above disorders in varying degrees form part of the human experience of life. They are all related to one another and they are all caused by fear of change or fear and change. A habit can cause stress and lead to a panic attack and a phobia may cause both stress and anxiety. These disorders are all linked by how our minds are capable of coping with situations. Often these disorders may be inherent or they may be influenced by the environment. In order to understand the relationship between stress, anxiety, habits and phobias, it is necessary to first define what each one is and how it affects us. I will also explain methods of treatment and the ethical issues that I believe would need to be considered. Stress Any situation which causes a person to feel frustrated, angry or anxious will cause feelings of stress. Stress is our body's natural reaction to fear or change. Stress can manifest in several ways, a trigger can cause a reaction, eg a dental appointment etc or there may not be a trigger as the symptoms are always evident, a lack of self esteem, feelings of inadequacy or failure. Stress can also be a learned behaviour from our parents or environment. Stress can be negative causing illness and inhibiting people from moving forward and enjoying their lives. Stress can also be a positive thing, when a person pushes...

Words: 1930 - Pages: 8

Premium Essay

Anxiety Disorder

...paper on Anxiety Disorder Jeffrey S. Fletcher, M.A. Kathleen B. Stinger Psychopathology and Counseling, Coun 656 4, May 2014 Author Note Jeffrey S. Fletcher, Student, Liberty University. Correspondence concerning this paper should be addressed to Jeffrey S. Fletcher, Jfletcher1@liberty.edu Abstract This research paper is designed to review articles and books of professional journals in anxiety disorders, definition of anxiety disorder, review of current and past treatments of anxiety disorders, the new section and changes to anxiety disorder in the DSM-5, new treatments for anxiety disorders and medications for anxiety disorders. This paper will show spiritual considerations for treating anxiety disorders and how religion can improve one’s condition. It will show how CBT treatment of anxiety disorders have not been very successful and how medication has its limitations in treatment of anxiety disorders. This paper will also show what this clinician has learned and will take forward into the daily practice of treating adolescents with anxiety disorders. Keywords: anxiety, anxiety disorders, DSM-5, treatment Introduction When we talk about anxiety we have to distinguish between healthy anxiety or normal anxiety and anxiety disorders. It is normal to have a certain amount of anxiety for instance when one is in danger it is normal to become anxious. To have an anxiety disorder your anxiety would have to interfere with your life in a negative way. Anxiety and fear...

Words: 3890 - Pages: 16