changing their behavioral and thinking patterns. Counseling
sessions with family members can provide additional support and
encouragement.
Relaxation techniques: Simple relaxation techniques, like deep
breathing, yoga, meditation and regular physical exercises help
children acclimatize their bodies to a regular routine and pattern.
This reduces muscular tension and stress, helping them to relax and
take things in a lighter vein.
Parent Training: Parents that notice changes in behavioral
patterns of their children and adolescents can seek the help of
counselors and health care providers. Books and the Internet may
provide ample information.
Laughter, Diet, Sleep, Constructive Activity, Vigorous
Exercise, Loving parents and a non-threatening environment all
contribute to reducing the level of a person's anxiety.
Medication: A very small minority of children may actually need
medication for treatment of persistent symptoms of their anxiety
disorders. This is a matter of extensive debate. Do not make this
decision lightly.
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Recent Research on Anxiety Disorders
Scientists regularly research the causes, effects, medications,
treatment and prevention of anxiety disorders.
They try to identify the role of genes in the development of such
disorders and probe into the effects of varied factors like diet,
pollution, sleep deprivation, psychological trauma and physical
stress on children in the formation and elimination of anxiety
disorders.
Genes and Anxiety Disorders
Not all people that become exposed to traumas develop Post-
traumatic stress disorder. This might be because of their genetic
makeup, the child’s basic personality or the way the child was
raised, or some other factors.
The brain is the center and source of much that is not yet explained
or understood, and studies are ongoing.
What is now known is that the Amygdala and Hippocampus of the
brain play a significant role in such disorders.
The amygdala, located centrally in the brain, is the communicator
between the brain parts that receive sensory signals and those that
process the signals.
It immediately alerts the brain if there are any signals of fear or
anxiety. The amygdala also stores memories of such fears, and the
hippocampus links fear into the type of stressful or frightening
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events that caused it.
These memories remain embedded in the hippocampus.
Recent research has shown that trauma victims and patients with
similar anxiety disorders have a smaller hippocampus. This smaller
size may be the cause for broken memories of the traumatic event
and, therefore, inadequate comprehension of the event. These
disjointed memories appear as flashbacks and cause anxiety.
Other research suggests that trauma is perhaps the cause of a
smaller hippocampus, as well as the reason for disjointed memories
and flashbacks.
Progress through Research
Armed with such knowledge, scientists and researchers are trying to
devise suitable treatments for anxiety disorders. Drugs and
medications to block the fear responses in neurotransmitters may
prove to be a boon.
Similarly, research to find the means of increasing the generation of
brain cells and neurons in the hippocampus. This can increase its
size and thereby, reduce the incidence of disjointed memories
caused by traumas. It can help you understand and deal effectively
with such traumas, so that they do not adversely affect you.
Researchers are also trying to identify the cause of obsessive-
compulsive disorder and the effect of medications and therapies as
effective treatments. These patients normally display poor physical
and mental health.
Additionally, scientists are trying to identify the effects of such
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medications on adolescents and children who have hyperactivity
disorders.
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Part-III: Diagnosis of Anxiety Disorders
How to Know If You Have an Anxiety Disorder
Anxiety is a common emotion and may increase your motivation.
Your anxious feelings about your success or survival motivate you to
perform better and bring in better results. However, this anxiety
sometimes develops into a disorder if you worry excessively and
attach unrealistic feelings to it.
Anxiety disorder is an ailment affecting more than 13% of the total
population of the United States. You may have an anxiety disorder if
you exhibit excessive intense fear, panic, stress or worry.
You remain paranoid about everything. It becomes difficult for you
to concentrate on anything, and even getting sound sleep is
difficult.
You lose your appetite and are unable to relax.
Some people don’t lose their appetite but eat excessively to calm
their nerves.
Additionally, you could experience many physical symptoms;
sweating, stomach disorders, fast heart rate, body aches and
immense stress.
You may constantly feel that disaster could befall you at anytime.
Diagnosis of the Disorder
If you feel that you are unnecessarily anxious about everything, it is
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best to consult a physician. A thorough physical check-up with an
additional check-up by a mental health professional can diagnose
any actual ailment in you.
Anxiety disorders often occur in concurrence with drug addiction,
alcoholism and depression. Therefore, professionals try to assess
the actual cause of your anxiety and then provide the necessary
treatment.
Medical help is better than self-analysis of your condition.
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How to Diagnosis Anxiety Disorders
Diagnosing anxiety disorders is a very daunting task. Most of the
symptoms and conditions overlap other medical conditions.
Sometimes, your anxiety attack could be the result of some other
psychological factor and you might feel that you have anxiety
disorder.
If you often experience anxious feelings, consult a general
physician. The physician, after making sure that you are
pathologically healthy, may refer you to a mental health specialist.
Anxiety disorders are very similar to many neurological conditions
like depression, epilepsy and other psychological problems.
Symptoms of anxiety disorders are almost the same as ailments of
the heart and lungs, hyperthyroidism, hypoglycemia and diabetes.
Women often experience anxiousness during menopause. Certain
drugs that are used for treatment of diabetes, high blood pressure
and thyroid disorders cause restlessness and anxiety as side-effects.
Therefore, it is important to rule out the presence of all such
diseases or side effects of medications.
Doctors need to conduct a full physical examination. They also need
to know the full history of your ailments or any other medical
conditions. You have to give all the details. You have to tell your
habits like the use of drugs, excessive drinking or intake of caffeine.
You have to tell all your personal woes such as family disturbances,
divorce or any other stressful changes and events in your life.
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Tests and Diagnosis
Doctors use specific tests to determine the intensity levels and
frequency of occurrence of your anxiousness, like the Hamilton
Anxiety Rating Scale or the Beck Anxiety Inventory and others.
These tests rate the intensity of your symptoms. Some of these
tests consist of multiple-choice questions and answers. You can
choose to write your responses or answer them verbally. These
tests provide doctors with clues about your disorder that help them
decide the course of treatment that will be best for your condition.
The effect of most anxiety disorders depend on the duration of the
symptoms, its severity, and any other accompanying behavioral
symptoms. Scrutiny of all factors may help doctors to identify your
particular type of anxiety disorder. Laboratory tests are not
necessary for diagnosis of anxiety problems.
Normally, the symptoms of anxiety disorder need to be present for
the major part of a given six-month observation period. These
symptoms should be so intense that they affect your normal living
extensively and you are unable to lead a normal life.
You may even have to take leave from school or work.
Symptoms that may Indicate Your Particular Disorder
A few or the symptoms necessary for diagnosis of anxiety disorder
are feelings of restlessness and irritability, extreme fatigue and
tiredness, sleep disturbances with flashbacks and nightmares,
difficulty in concentration and muscular tension and aches.
Different types of anxiety disorders exhibit varied symptoms. Panic
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disorders could exhibit symptoms of intense sweating, rapid pulse
rate, choking, nausea, breathlessness, chest pain and numbness.
Specific symptoms are indicative of classifiable disorders, and have
specific treatments or remedies.
If you have agoraphobia, you would not like to venture out alone. If
you develop claustrophobia, you feel that you are suffocating in any
enclosed area. If you suffer from obsessive-compulsive disorder,
you are never sure of anything and compulsively check for your
safety in your surroundings.
The correct diagnosis f your particular disorder can help you receive
the best available treatment for the correct problem so that there is
more chance that you can be free of your disorder.
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Part-IV: Prevention of Anxiety Disorders
18. Tips to Avoid Anxiety Disorders
Relax: Relaxation is a powerful tonic for your frayed nerves.
Relaxation can be in the form of –
9 Deep breathing
9 Yoga
9 Meditation
9 Muscle relaxation
Deep breathing involves taking in lots of air, holding your breath for
few seconds and then exhaling. Regular practice of deep breathing
may lower your anxiety levels extensively.
Selective yoga postures, techniques and routines exercise your
muscles while meditation helps you to control the flow of emotions
within you. You may develop higher concentration levels and can
remain calmer even in the tensest situations.
Muscular relaxation requires you to hold a single muscle, or group
of muscles, tightly and then relax slowly. Stretching muscles can
reduce muscular tension and provide relief from body aches.
Worry: Assign a particular time and place to worry about your
problems. Think of all your disturbing thoughts and try to find apt
solutions to your problems. Think and plan for the present, letting
the future take care of itself.
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Sleep: Develop a regular sleeping pattern. Go to bed and get up at
particular times. Make this your routine. That helps you to fall
asleep without anxiety. Eight hours sleep is sufficient. Do not
oversleep.
Exercise: Develop and practice a regular exercise pattern. This
keeps you fit and energetic, doing away with unnecessary thoughts
and anxieties. Swimming, jogging and other aerobic exercises
provide a good workout.
Avoid alcohol, caffeine and drugs. Although these relax you for
the moment, they increase the anxiety symptoms.
Confront Anxiousness: Build up your courage to confront the
feelings that lead to anxieties in the past. Deal with these thoughts
and analyze how to overcome them. This boosts your confidence
and you become more optimistic about confronting other anxious
feeling that may arise within you.
Counting: Simple backward counting from 100 to zero can calm
your tense nerves and muscles. When anxiety starts to build,
practice this technique to develop and improve your focus.
Fear Study: Study and understand the intensity of your fear and its
escalation. Accept the fear and do not run away. Instead, face it
stoically and bravely. You will soon overcome your fear.
Professional Help: Always consult your doctor or counselor for
help with dealing with your fear and anxiety problems. Anxiety may
depress or scare you, but cannot cause you any harm. This
reassuring thought helps you to overcome fear. Counselors provide
guidance to cope with your feelings and express them properly at
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the proper places. These techniques drive away your anxiety.
Identify Disturbing Thoughts and Places: While in a calm mood
and safe surroundings, analyze what causes anxiety in you.
Thereafter, try to find solutions to your anxious feelings.
If adherence to these solutions helps you overcome your anxiety,
you are on your way to overcoming your anxiety disorder.
Support Groups: Form support groups with friends and others who
have similar anxiety problems. Discussing each other’s problems
and supporting each other can build up a strong sense of support. It
also boosts your feeling of security. No matter what the disorder,
you are not alone.
Family: Your family members could provide extensive support in
your anxious moments. Talk over your problems and discuss them
with your family members. Discussing them can lift a heavy burden
from your shoulders. You feel light and happy. You do not feel as
anxious any more.
Assertiveness: Become assertive without becoming aggressive.
Say what you mean and allow others to do the same.
Aggressiveness causes tension and anxiety. Deal calmly with
problems and face facts with a cool mind. Passive and defensive
techniques aggravate anxiety disorders. Therefore, avoid these.
Self-confidence and Self-belief: Develop these virtues and you
are ready to confront any situation of fear or anxiety. Assure
yourself that you have the ability to tackle everything and come out
successful. This self-assertion and mental boost can help you
overcome all your anxieties and fears.
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Part-V: Treatment of Anxiety Disorders
Treatment Options for Anxiety Disorders
It is possible to cure your anxiety disorders that occur due to
certain physical and psychological disturbances.
A proper diagnosis can help to identify the exact type of anxiety
disorder in you. This helps in administering the correct treatment.
Anxiety disorders also occur in concurrence with addictions like
drugs and alcohol.
Sometimes, different medical conditions like depression, high blood
pressure, thyroid ailments and hypertension exhibit similar
symptoms to some anxiety disorders.
Therefore, you have to disclose all your habits and symptoms to
your doctor. This helps the doctor to arrive at the correct conclusion
of your disorder. You then have to undergo treatments to cure your
other coexisting conditions before taking treatments for your
anxiety disorders.
If you have already had treatment for anxiety disorders in the past,
tell the details to your doctor before taking new treatments. Details
about medications, their dosages and side effects, therapies and the
number of sittings, or any other form of treatment is essential to
analyze their effects.
Often, any single treatment may not deliver the required result. You
may need a combination of treatments for anxiety disorders.
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Treatment Options
Broadly speaking, treatment options for anxiety disorders are
therapies and medications. You could benefit from a combination of
therapies or therapies and medications. Normally, doctors start with
a low dosage and a few therapy sessions while they observe the
effects. Then, they they increase the dosages or duration and
number of therapy sessions in accord with the results that you
showed.
Side effects of medications are a common occurrence. So, doctors
carefully watch and study the extent of side effects in anxiety
disorder treatments.
Sometimes, your body accepts the side effects over a few dosages
and they gradually reduce. If the side effects are severe or prove
problematic, your doctor will advise you to stop the medication.
Therapies
Behavioral therapy: This therapy checks and controls your
behavioral actions. Different techniques help you to combat and let
go of your unwanted behavior. These behaviors are the symptoms
of your anxiety disorders. By controlling the symptoms, the disorder
is directly addressed and anxiety diminished.
Doctors prescribe diaphragmatic breathing to reduce your
anxiety levels. This type of breathing exercise involves practicing
the taking of slow, deep breaths. During your anxiety attacks, you
normally take very fast, short breaths. This leads to increase in the
rate of your heartbeats and a feeling of dizziness. The regular
practice of diaphragmatic breathing may reduces incidence of rapid
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breathing during your anxiety attacks.
Another technique that is used in behavioral therapy is exposure
therapy. Doctors expose you to the very facts that frighten and
cause you anxiety. You may feel scared of certain places and
people. Doctors ask you to confront these very places with a
support group or your therapist. This helps to alleviate your fears
and you recover from your anxiety attacks. You may face these
fears initially through tapes and pictures. Thereafter, you face the
feared situation in reality. However, you do not fear it anymore.
Cognitive-behavioral therapy: This behavioral therapy treatment
teaches you different reactions to your anxiety. You learn to think
differently and thereby benefit from reduction in anxiety attacks.
Normally, you experience a little dizziness during a panic attack.
This dizziness increases your anxiety levels as you feel that you are
going to die soon. You feel that you might have a heart attack.
However, doctors teach you to change the pattern of your thinking.
Doctors advise you to think that this dizziness is a temporary
phenomenon and you will soon overcome it. This change in thinking
has a huge effect on your anxiety. Your self-reassurance reduces
your anxieties and you soon feel better and relaxed. You do not feel
that people are constantly watching or judging you.
Psychotherapy: This therapy involves talking with a professional
psychologist, psychiatrist or counselor. During such sessions, these
professionals try to identify the root cause of your anxiety. It could
be due to a certain specific incident in your childhood or
adolescence. These sessions reveal the true cause of your anxiety.
Thereafter, psychotherapists suggest suitable behavioral therapy or
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medications.
Psychodynamic psychotherapy: This is a different type of
therapy treatment for treating your anxiety disorders. These
disorders occur due to certain mental conflicts. Your mind
experiences many different negative feelings like fear, panic,
insecurity and the like. All these factors unconsciously lower your
confidence levels. This therapy aims at increasing your self-
confidence and removing all negativity from your mind.
Medications
Medications do not provide a complete cure for your anxiety
disorders. However, they deliver good results in combination with
relevant therapies to improve your anxiety problems and help you
to lead a normal life. Common medications for anxiety disorders are
beta-blockers, anti-anxiety drugs and antidepressants.
Beta-Blockers: These treat the physical symptoms accompanying
an anxiety attack. If you fear public places and talking with people,
a beta-blocker like propranolol can help you to keep this fear at bay.
You do not encounter any shivering or trembling.
Antidepressants: These medications are primarily in use for
treating depression symptoms. These antidepressants are also
useful for treating anxiety disorders. They begin taki