Humans are driven by instincts, emotions, and reactions that arise throughout their day. The body reacts to natural impulses in response to events, and this is vital for human survival—reacting and expressing feelings in different situations. But what happens when these feelings become excessive and start to occur frequently and uncontrollably, like anxiety?

Anxiety is considered a common feeling and is a part of everyone’s life, especially during the daily challenges we face. Related to fear, anticipation, or insecurity about something unknown or beyond our control, anxiety is natural as long as it doesn’t affect the person’s life. But how do you know if what you’re experiencing is just natural anxiety or if it’s becoming excessive? In this article, we’ll talk about anxiety disorder, its main symptoms, and appropriate treatments.

What is Anxiety Disorder?

Anxiety disorder, or generalized anxiety disorder known as GAD, is a mental condition characterized by excessive and persistent worrying or expectation that can’t be controlled. It can last for several weeks or, in most cases, months, accompanied by very uncomfortable and typical symptoms.

The lack of control over these feelings becomes completely out of proportion to the triggering event, causing significant suffering and even affecting relationships with others, interfering with family life, social interactions, and especially professional life. Situations that were once simple to resolve become complicated, and often impossible, due to concentration difficulties caused by anxiety levels.

Anxiety disorder can affect both men and women of all ages, including during childhood. However, most cases are found among women, and it is believed that this is related to hormonal factors as well as the accumulation of responsibilities that women often have in their everyday lives.

Main Symptoms of Anxiety Disorder

The symptoms of anxiety disorder can vary from person to person, as well as depending on the level of anxiety a person is experiencing. But one symptom that is always present is the permanent presence of worries, even in situations where it isn’t necessary. Constant insecurity and tension, racing thoughts, and a mind that doesn’t shut off, jumping from one worry to the next with no end in sight. For those around someone suffering from anxiety disorder, it can seem like they’re “making a mountain out of a molehill.” During episodes of high stress and anxiety, the person may experience certain characteristic symptoms of the disorder, known as anxiety attacks, with the main ones being:

  • Palpitations;
  • Shortness of breath;
  • Increased blood pressure;
  • Nausea;
  • Diarrhea;
  • Severe chest pain
  • Excessive sweating

Due to the loss of control, the individual may become more irritable, find it harder to concentrate on previously simple tasks, experience constant muscle tension, headaches, and fatigue.

Thanks to ongoing studies and research on this topic, as more and more people are affected, it isn’t hard to identify someone with anxiety disorder. With regular contact, it’s possible to spot signs in behavior even before the disorder becomes severe—stay alert!

Feeling Afraid of Everything

People suffering from anxiety disorder tend to overestimate risks and dangers most of the time. They may end up avoiding situations because of fear, which significantly impacts their social lives. There are cases where a person refuses to undergo medical tests, believing they’ve already received a diagnosis in their mind, or even cancels a trip out of fear of an accident.

Eating More Than Normal

Eating compulsively, without hunger and often without properly chewing, as a way to “relieve” their problems, are strong indications of anxiety. People with anxiety disorder often lose control with food, or more specifically, use food as an outlet, opening the fridge or cupboards every time they feel anxious. In this case, it’s especially important to watch for signs so the issue doesn’t worsen and turn into an eating disorder.

Feeling Irrational Fears

Feeling fear of failure, feeling incapable, self-critical, or believing people don’t like them are constant feelings for someone experiencing anxiety syndrome. That well-known “paranoia” may actually be a strong sign that you or a friend is going through a tough time and suffering from an anxiety crisis.

Obsessive Thinking

Constantly thinking about a specific issue, not being able to focus on anything else, and feeling unable to control these distressing thoughts are signs that someone may have anxiety disorder. Obsessive thinking may also be linked to other neurological conditions like depression, bipolar disorder, and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).

Being a Perfectionist

Being a perfectionist can be a good quality, as long as it’s kept in check. But when it becomes an insistent, never-ending need to meet standards and achieve lofty goals, it can lead to intense dissatisfaction. The fear of being wrong leads people with anxiety disorder to be unwilling to fail, lose, or fall short of their goals, often reacting with aggression when setbacks occur.

Treatment for Anxiety Disorder

Treating anxiety disorder involves a set of steps that, if followed correctly, offer faster and more satisfying results. The first step is to seek professional help, as a specialist can carefully assess your case and, together, help you find the best options—seek a psychologist.

Psychotherapy Sessions

Therapy sessions are highly recommended for patients suffering from anxiety disorder or any other mental condition. In these sessions, a trusting relationship is developed between patient and psychologist, in which the patient is given a fully supportive environment and feels free to speak openly, guided by a neutral and nonjudgmental professional.

The treatment is based on dialogue and works like a partnership, where the patient and the psychologist work together to align thoughts and behaviors that have been impacting the patient’s life and health. The focus is on self-knowledge and control, especially when facing situations that are out of one’s control.

A method that has shown many positive results for anxiety disorder is cognitive-behavioral therapy. Through this therapeutic approach, it’s possible to analyze events from the patient’s perspective, not just based on what objectively happened. This method helps patients work on how they see, think, feel, and act in situations of discomfort or sadness or any other unpleasant sensation.

Physical Activity

Physical activity is not just for taking care of the body, but especially for caring for the mind. Physical exercise helps strengthen the immune system, fight cardiovascular diseases, control weight gain, provide a feeling of well-being, increase energy, and improve work productivity.

It is also a great way to fight insomnia and improve mental health. While exercising, the body releases endorphins, producing a feeling of well-being for the patient and naturally controlling stress and anxiety levels.

Medication Use

Treatment for anxiety disorder may include certain medications like antidepressants or anxiolytics, which should always be used strictly under supervision from a psychiatrist, and only after a referral from your psychologist.

Medication is usually recommended for a minimum of six to twelve months, always with monitoring by the doctor to evaluate symptoms. When symptoms disappear, the doctor will gradually reduce the dosage—a process known as drug “tapering.” This ensures the patient’s body adjusts smoothly when stopping the medication.

See also: Neurodevelopmental Disorders – What Are They?

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