When Anxiety Becomes a Disorder: Knowing When to Seek Help

Being anxious is normal; it is a way through which the body responds to stress or to something new that one has not encountered before. Anxiety is the feeling of unease that occurs when you are apprehensive about something, such as a job interview, presenting a project before colleagues, or even a test at school, Anxiety is normal and can even be beneficial in small doses. It can make us alert and active to be able to tackle any difficulty. But when anxiety gets excessive, chronic, and begins to hamper one’s normal functioning, then it becomes an anxiety disorder.

This is why knowing when anxiety becomes a disorder is important. Anxiety disorders are the most common mental health disorders in the United States and have been known to affect millions of people every year. Although anxiety is such a common problem, many people do not know when they need to seek the help of a professional.

Understanding Anxiety

Anxiety is a feeling that is more than just stress and concern. While stress is a reaction to a specific threat or challenge, anxiety is often more general, a state of unease or worry that has no particular cause. Anxiety disorder is an exaggeration of these feelings, where they become persistent and can be very disruptive.

• Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD): This is defined by persistent and pervasive anxiety concerning various aspects of life, such as health, work, and interpersonal relationships, among others. GAD is characterized by the fact that individuals with the condition worry unnecessarily, even in the absence of any apparent trigger.
• Panic Disorder: This means developing sudden and severe attacks of fear, which are commonly known as panic attacks. Some of the attacks may have some physical symptoms, such as chest pain, difficulty breathing, and giddiness. It may result in anticipatory anxiety and patients may become anxious about having panic attacks in the future and may avoid places where they fear they might have an attack.
• Social Anxiety Disorder: This is the fear that one has when they are exposed to other people or when they are in a position to perform in front of other people. This, in turn, may result in the loss of friends and may also hinder one’s performance in the workplace.
• Phobias: Phobias are extreme forms of anxiety where one has an irrational fear of something or another, like heights, flying, or spiders. It is usually based on an exaggerated sense of risk, but it can cause a great deal of anxiety and result in avoidance behaviors.

Anxiety disorders manifest in various ways, but common symptoms include agitation, fatigue, difficulty concentrating, irritability, muscle tension, and sleep disturbances. Although these symptoms can affect anyone, they become a problem when they are persistent and severe and affect the normal functioning of an individual.

Signs That Anxiety is Becoming a Disorder

It is often difficult to determine when anxiety is within the normal range and when it has tipped over into a disorder. Persistence and intensity of symptoms can be one of the major factors in the assessment of the condition. Normal anxiety is usually temporary and tied to a specific event or situation. Anxiety disorders, on the other hand, are characterized by worry or fear that is escalated and persistent over weeks, months, or years.

Here are some signs that anxiety may have become a disorder:

• Persistent and Excessive Worry: If suddenly you start to worry about everything in life or almost everything, when there is no reason to do so, you may be suffering from an anxiety disorder. The worry often feels uncontrollable and can dominate your thoughts, making it hard to focus on other things.
• Avoidance Behavior: Anxiety will make you avoid situations that may cause you to have these symptoms. This might mean not going out, not going to certain places, or not doing certain things that seem to be too much. Eventually, it will cause more avoidance in your life and you will not be able to do things that you would normally enjoy.
• Physical Symptoms:  Anxiety disorders often come with physical symptoms, such as headaches, muscle aches, fatigue, stomach discomforts, and a rapid heartbeat. These symptoms can be concerning and may cause further concerns regarding one’s health.
• Impact on Daily Life: When anxiety affects your performance at work, your interpersonal relationships, or your self-care, then it has probably become a disorder. It may be hard for you to focus, you could have little motivation or even become overwhelmed with tasks that need to be completed.
• Frequency and Duration of Symptoms: Usually, normal anxiety is associated with particular occasions and has to stop after the occasion is over. However, anxiety disorders involve symptoms that are persistent, recurrent, and not necessarily provoked by a particular event or situation.

These are the signs that you need to look for so that you can get the help that you require. Because most people with anxiety disorders are unaware that their symptoms are indicative of a disease, they might consider that anxiety is a normal state of being, or they may be ashamed to seek professional assistance. However, untreated anxiety disorders may result in severe mental and physical illnesses such as depression, substance use disorders, and chronic diseases, among others.

When to Seek Help

Deciding to seek help for anxiety can be difficult; this is even more so if one is still unsure whether their symptoms are severe enough to require professional attention. But what most people do not know is that anxiety disorders can be treated and it is better to seek help as soon as possible.

You should consider seeking help if:

• Anxiety is interfering with your daily life. If the symptoms are affecting your daily life, for instance, making it difficult to work, attend school, engage in social interactions, or even take care of yourself, then it is high time to seek professional help.
• You’re avoiding situations because of anxiety. If you find that you are avoiding other people, your job, or other activities that you once enjoyed because of anxiety, then you have a problem with anxiety.
• Your symptoms are persistent. If one has had anxiety for several weeks or months and the symptoms do not get better, then it is advisable to seek medical assistance.
• You’re experiencing physical symptoms. If the anxiety is manifesting in physical symptoms, for instance, headaches, muscle tension, or fatigue, a doctor will be in a position to assist with the symptoms as well as the anxiety.
• You’re feeling overwhelmed or hopeless. If you find that your anxiety is making you feel that you cannot manage it or that it has a tendency to escalate, then you ought to seek help. You can consult a therapist or a counselor to help you with counseling and ways on how you can get back control.

Treatment Options for Anxiety Disorders

The good news is that anxiety disorders are very curable. Some of the available treatment methods include:

• Therapy: CBT is considered one of the most useful and successful treatments for anxiety disorders. CBT is used to help you modify your thinking patterns and behaviors that lead to anxiety. Other forms of treatment can also be used to treat anxiety disorders, including exposure therapy.
• Medication: At times, the doctor might prescribe some drugs to reduce the level of anxiety. Antidepressants are commonly prescribed for anxiety disorders, but they are not recommended for long-term use due to the risk of dependency.
• Lifestyle Changes: Incorporating healthy habits into your daily routine can also help manage anxiety. It can be managed through exercise, a balanced diet, enough sleep, and practicing mindfulness. One may also avoid or limit the intake of caffeine and alcohol, as they worsen anxiety.
• Holistic Approaches: Some people find relief from anxiety through alternative treatments such as acupuncture, yoga, or even taking herbs. Although these approaches may not fit for everyone, they can form part of a good treatment program.

The Importance of Early Intervention

It is, therefore, important that one seeks help as soon as they notice they have anxiety disorder symptoms. Early intervention can prevent anxiety from becoming more severe and can improve your quality of life. The longer one stays without treatment, the worse the effect of anxiety on one’s mental and physical well-being.

 

 

It is also necessary to clear up any myths you might have about treatment. Seeking help for anxiety is not a sign of weakness. Instead, it’s a proactive step toward taking care of your mental health.

Recognizing the signs that your anxiety may be more than just a passing feeling is the first step toward getting the help you need. If you feel your anxiety is affecting your day-to-day activities, making you avoid certain situations, or leading to physical symptoms, then you should seek help from a professional.

If you or a loved one is suffering from any of the above anxiety disorder symptoms, contact us at (321) 415-3213 today for help and to check out our anxiety treatment program. It is also important. to note that timely intervention can greatly help in the prevention and control of anxiety as well as in enhancing one’s quality of life.