Anxiety

40 million American adults, or around 18% of the population, or slightly under one in five persons, are believed by the Anxiety and Depression Association of America to be suffering from an anxiety condition.

According to a 2019 American Psychiatric Association (APA) public opinion study, a remarkable 68 percent of those surveyed reported feeling "very and moderately worried" most of the time.

"A sensation of worry, uneasiness, or unease, usually regarding an impending event or something with an uncertain consequence" is the definition of anxiety.

Even if it's common and perfectly "natural" to experience occasional anxiety, it's not normal to experience constant worry or terror. This is how life is for someone with an anxiety illness; relationships, work performance, family responsibilities, and other daily activities all tend to suffer.

Anxiety Types:

The following conditions are regarded by the National Institute of Mental Health as the main categories of anxiety disorders:

About 3% of people have a generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), which is characterized by uncontrollable, persistent, excessive, and unjustified worry.

When excessive thoughts (obsessions) result in repetitive activities, the condition is known as obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) (compulsions).

Intense fear of social or performing circumstances is a symptom of a social anxiety disorder (SAD). This usually starts at the age of 13 and lasts for many years.

An individual with panic disorder (PD) frequently experiences unexpected panic attacks.

Phobias, or extreme aversion to or phobias of, certain things.

Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), which is characterized by trouble recovering from a horrific event, is one such condition.

Depression and anxiety are linked; it's thought that roughly half of those who suffer anxiety also have depressive symptoms. Some people may also develop bipolar disorder, though it's less typical.

Anxiety Attack:

About 3% of Americans experience anxiety attacks, often known as panic attacks.

The following symptoms (symptoms that are typically present in people who experience anxiety) are examples of anxiety attack symptoms. They also include heart palpitations, dizziness, shaking, and shortness of breath. Whether they have obvious causes or appear to strike out of nowhere, these assaults typically cause emotions of helplessness and "impending doom."

Symptoms: 

The "fight or flight" response, which is a physiological response to a perceived attack or threat, is associated with anxiety symptoms. The central neurological, endocrine, digestive, cardiovascular, and other systems of the body may all be affected by these symptoms.

Some signs of anxiety include:

Constant anxiousness (the most common generalized anxiety disorder symptom)

Neck pains, stiffness in the chest, and muscle tension

Palpitations, a pounding heartbeat, and hypertension (especially common with panic attacks)

Insomnia, agitation, and difficulty sleeping

Digestive issues, such as bloating, diarrhea, or a lack of appetite

Depression, irritability, and mood swings

Having trouble focusing

Sweating

Social phobia

Anxiety frequently coexists with diseases and conditions like:

Disorders of eating

Tension or migraine headaches

Gastrointestinal conditions resembling irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)

Sleep problems

Alcohol and drug misuse issues

ADHD

Chronic pain

Fibromyalgia


According to experts, the following are the most typical causes of anxiety:

Stress is brought on by difficult or undesirable life situations. Numerous people claim that issues in their daily lives, such as weariness from long workdays and commutes, unemployment, financial difficulties, losing a loved one, feeling alone or alienated, and bullying, are significant factors to their level of stress.

Numerous people claim that issues in their daily lives, such as exhaustion brought on by lengthy workdays and commutes, unemployment, financial difficulties, losing a loved one, feeling alone or alienated, and being bullied, are significant factors to their level of stress.

Traumatizing events in one's life, such as abuse, rape, violence, heredity, and family history, may cause personality traits that make one more anxious.

Dysfunctional serotonin production

Excessive alcohol consumption, drug use, high sugar or caffeine intake, or imbalances in hormone levels related to thyroid issues, pregnancy, PMS, or menopause

What is it about the past ten or so years that has contributed to the rise in anxiety rates considering that many of these issues have affected people throughout history?

People report having the most anxiety about their health, safety, finances, politics, and relationships, as was previously reported. These worries, according to experts, may have been sparked by social media's growth, 24/7 news coverage, and nearly continual digital access.

The lack of regular exercise, sleep, relaxation, and socializing time due to busy schedules also appears to be a cause. Additionally, people are generally eating less healthfully, using more medications that could make their anxiety worse, and dealing with more debilitating chronic health issues.

The compulsive pursuit of drug misuse and addictive habits is generating serious misery and sadness in the US, researchers recently explained to the Washington Post. 

For this reason,  anxiety shouldn't be seen as a problem that only affects an individual, but rather that it is inextricably linked to a wide range of societal problems, including political unrest, environmental catastrophe, trauma, and discrimination.

Do men and women experience anxiety for different reasons? According to research, there might be. Panic episodes and GAD are more common in women, especially when they coexist with sadness. Hormones and problems like sexual abuse could play a role too

Age is also a factor. Why Millennials are sometimes referred to as the "anxious generation" is explained by the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) as follows: They are the first generation to have grown up with the internet and social media, which can make life feel more confusing and competitive because millennials frequently compare their own and other people's achievements.

This may lead to insecurity and low self-esteem, says NAMI. Millennials have the entire world at their fingertips, but they also feel its enormous weight. There is pressure to be "on" all the time. to behave as though you have it all together and to seem and sound wonderful.


On the bright side, millennials tend to be more accepting of individuals who have mental illness and may be more willing to seek assistance, according to a 2015 study by American University. This is because they grew up hearing about anxiety, despair, eating disorders, and suicide.

Solution:

https://www.seedsofchangemk.com/store101/p/natural-anti-depressant

2023. Malika Katrouche. All Rights Reserved.

RESOURCES:

 https://www.nih.gov/

https://www.nature.com/nrneurol/

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