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2020-01-20 10:11:22
Anxiety is a normal and
often healthy emotion. However, when a person regularly feels disproportionate
levels of anxiety, it might become a medical disorder.
Anxiety disorders form a category of mental health diagnoses that
lead to excessive nervousness, fear, apprehension, and worry.
These disorders alter how a person processes emotions and behave,
also causing physical symptoms. Mild anxiety might be vague and unsettling,
while severe anxiety may seriously affect day-to-day living.
Anxiety disorders affect 40 million people in the United States. It
is the most common group of mental illnesses in the country. However, only 36.9
percent of people with an anxiety disorder receive treatment.
What is anxiety?
The American Psychological Association (APA) defines anxiety as
"an emotion characterized by feelings of tension, worried thoughts and
physical changes like increased blood pressure."
Knowing the difference between normal feelings of anxiety and an
anxiety disorder requiring medical attention can help a person identify and
treat the condition.
In this article, we look at the differences between anxiety and
anxiety disorder, the different types of anxiety, and the available treatment
options.
When does anxiety need treatment?
While anxiety can cause distress, it is not
always a medical condition.
Anxiety
When an individual faces potentially harmful or worrying triggers,
feelings of anxiety are not only normal but necessary for survival.
Since the earliest days of humanity, the approach of predators and
incoming danger sets off alarms in the body and allows evasive action. These
alarms become noticeable in the form of a raised heartbeat, sweating, and
increased sensitivity to surroundings.
The danger causes a rush of adrenaline, a hormone and chemical
messenger in the brain, which in turn triggers these anxious reactions in a
process called the "fight-or-flight' response. This prepares humans to
physically confront or flee any potential threats to safety.
For many people, running from larger animals and imminent danger is
a less pressing concern than it would have been for early humans. Anxieties now
revolve around work, money, family life, health, and other crucial issues that
demand a person's attention without necessarily requiring the 'fight-or-flight'
reaction.
The nervous feeling before an important life event or during a
difficult situation is a natural echo of the original 'fight-or-flight'
reaction. It can still be essential to survival – anxiety about being hit by a
car when crossing the street, for example, means that a person will
instinctively look both ways to avoid danger.
Anxiety disorders
The duration or severity of an anxious feeling can sometimes be out
of proportion to the original trigger, or stressor. Physical symptoms, such as
increased blood pressure and nausea, may also develop. These responses move
beyond anxiety into an anxiety disorder.
The APA describes a person with anxiety disorder as "having
recurring intrusive thoughts or concerns." Once anxiety reaches the stage
of a disorder, it can interfere with daily function.