Anxiety is a very natural emotion that includes feelings of tension, stress, fear, and worry. It is your body’s response to any fearful or stressful situation. It is very normal that get anxious at times in life. But if anxiety becomes frequent and every little thing starts bothering you, you need to think about it. When you experience anxiety more often, you may develop anxiety disorders.

Anxiety disorders are mental health disorders that cause excessive fear and worry. If you don’t treat them on time, they get worse over time. In anxiety disorders, there is consistent anxiety which has a very negative impact on your health and wellness. These disorders may impair your ability to work, study, participate in any activity, and even perform your daily activities.

According to some recent studies, 1 out of 10 people in the UK are having some kind of anxiety disorder. Along with that, women are more prone to anxiety disorders than men. In today’s article, you will get to know the different types of anxiety disorders, their symptoms, causes, and treatment methods.

Types of Anxiety Disorders

There is a wide range of anxiety disorders. Although they all have symptoms of anxiety, Still, have some unique symptoms. Criteria and methods of diagnosis are also different in these disorders. These disorders include many disorders and some phobias:

Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD): It is the most common anxiety disorder among people. You may feel excessive worry, stress, and anxiety about different events and activities. You become hyperalert to your surroundings because you feel anxiety most of the time. GAD affects your day-to-day life activities and even don’t let you do the things you like. The most common symptoms of GAD are muscle tension and sweating.

Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD): Sometimes you may get worried or stressed in any social situation or performance situation. In SAD, this worry and stress becomes intense which makes you even avoid that situation which include:

·         Speaking in public or giving any presentation

·         Meeting new people

·         Eating or drinking in public

In these situations, you worry about doing something wrong or embarrassing. You think that people will judge you and you try to avoid these situations.

Panic Disorder: Panic disorder is a result of regular panic attacks which may occur with or without any reason. you feel intense fear, worry, and anxiety during panic attacks. You feel like dying or things getting out of control during a panic attack. Sometimes there may be a specific reason behind the panic attack. Sometimes, it may strike out of the blue.

Phobias: A phobia is an intense fear of any object, animal, place, or situation. Phobias are not normal feelings of fear. You develop them when you have intense feelings of anger towards any situation, object, place, etc. In the case of phobias, you may avoid the thing that you are afraid of as it may cause intense anxiety.

Agoraphobia:  It is a rare type of anxiety disorder in which your fear doesn’t let you get out in the world. You avoid going to places where you feel you will get trapped and can’t escape which include:

·         Leaving home

·         Going to public places

·         Using public transport

·         Crowded places

Agoraphobia is a situation that badly affects your daily routine. And, finding it difficult to perform your daily activities makes you stressed and anxious.

Symptoms and causes of anxiety disorders

Intense anxiety and fear are the most common symptoms of these disorders. But there are many others as well. everyone’s body and mind react differently to anxiety. So, the symptoms of these disorders may vary from person to person. Here are some common physical and psychological symptoms of these disorders:

·         Intense fear, worry, tension

·         Restlessness

·         Racing or pounding heart

·         Fast and shallow breathing

·         Sweating and chills and hot flashes

·         fatigue and weakness

·         Shaking and trembling

·         Dizziness and difficulty in concentrating

·         Chest pain and muscle tension

·         Sleep disturbances

Effects of persistent anxiety on your body and mind

Persistent and intense anxiety has very harmful effects on your body and mind. It can affect your physical health, mental health, and overall well-being. It can lead to several health issues which include:

·         Cardiovascular health issues

·         Asthma and many other respiratory disorders

·         Chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder (COPD)

·         Autoimmune disorders

·         Obesity and diabetes

·         Migraines

·         Depression and suicidal thoughts

·         Bipolar disorder

·         Substance use disorder or alcohol consumption

Causes of anxiety disorders

Although experts are not clear about the exact causes of these disorders. Studies show that a combination of factors is responsible for causing these disorders including:

Genetics: Some people are born extra sensitive and every little thing affects them. Moreover, if any of your family members has anxiety issues, you may also have that.

Life experiences: Some changes in your life may leave you anxious like being jobless and the death of your close ones. Besides these, separation from your partner may also cause anxiety.

Past Trauma: Trauma from anything that happened in the past can also be a reason for anxiety. Child abuse and sexual harassment may be the reason for these disorders.

Besides these causes, some medicines, substance abuse, excess alcohol, and caffeine consumption may also cause anxiety.

Treatment methods for anxiety disorders

Persistent and intense anxiety is very overwhelming and exhausting. It is not easy to live with excess anxiety and anxiety disorders. But you can manage anxiety and treat these disorders. there are plenty of methods to treat anxiety. These methods include natural remedies, relaxation techniques, therapies, and medications.

Natural remedies: Regular exercise, yoga, eating healthy food, getting quality sleep

Relaxation techniques: Meditation, mindfulness, spending time with your close ones, doing the things you like

Therapy: Therapies like cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), exposure and response prevention (ERP) therapy

Medications: There are several antidepressants and antianxiety medications to treat anxiety. You should consult with the doctor before taking any medication. These medications include:

·         Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs)

·         Serotonin-Norepinephrine Reuptake Inhibitors (SNRIs)

·         Antipsychotics

·         Benzodiazepines

Out of these medications, benzodiazepines are the most effective medications to treat anxiety. Benzodiazepines are a group of medicines that relieve anxiety and calm the brain. These medicines act as CNS depressants and work by suppressing the CNS activity. These medicines enhance the activity of the neurotransmitter GABA, a chemical in the brain. GABA has a calming effect on the brain. It relaxes the nerves, reduces anxiety, and makes you feel better.

Here are some of the best benzodiazepines that work great for anxiety:

·         Xanax

·         Diazepam

·         Lorazepam

·         Clonazepam

You can get these medicines from any pharmacy both offline and online. But these are prescription medicines. So, you will need a prescription from a certified doctor to buy anti-anxiety medicines. In case you are suffering from any of the anxiety disorders, these medicines will help in treating that. So, buy anti-anxiety medicines to manage and treat anxiety and live a quality life.