Anxiety has existed since the dawn of time. It warns humans in dangerous times with the goal of helping us to survive. Thanks to this instinct, our predecessors often knew how to get out of dangerous situations, and they could more quickly and more efficiently adopt certain behavior compared to what they normally could. Anxiety either helps you to prepare to fight, to stay completely still, or to run like the wind. This can be good in case you suddenly find yourself face to face with a bear or when you are confronted by an attacker with a knife. Although these situations can still occur in our currrent society, anxiety has lost its rough basic principle. Our society nowadays is much safer, so we don't need to be afraid of the danger that lies around the corner. But despite this improvement, we still notice a lot of anxiety and stress in our society.
Anxiety? What is an anxiety disorder?
We speak of an anxiety disorder when the person in question has an unrealistic fear for an object or situation which in general does not cause anxiety. For example: someone is scared of going outside out of fear of being attacked. There is indeed a small possibility that you are attacked at some point when walking around at night, but this should not trigger such a terrible anxiety that you do not even dare to go outside to buy groceries anymore. These people thus have, figuratively speaking, a fear that there is an attacker around every corner, which is an unrealistic thought. People who suffer from an anxiety disorder, often know that their anxiety is unrealistic. However, it is difficult to get out of this vicious cycle of anxiety. When they are confronted with the object or the situation which causes the anxiety, diferent symptoms can occur:
- Faster heartbeat
- Shallow breathing
- Narrowing of the pupils
- Panic attack
- Derealisation: the feeling that it is all not really happening
- Depersonalisation: the feeling that you leave your body
- ....
After some time, these symptoms of anxiety can intensify, but also new symptoms might occur. Furthermore, people after some time start to experience fear of fear. This means that experiencing anxiety symptoms is anticipated, and that you get anxious for experiencing these symptoms, which in turn can cause the symptoms.
Anxiety treating? How do you treat anxiety symptoms?
One of the most efficient ways to treat anxiety is through the use of therapy. 15 Minutes 4 me is an online therapeutic self-help program, which daily guides you in dealing with your anxiety. Day by day it works on reducing your anxiety symptoms and at the same time it gives you tips in how you can stay in control of your anxiety symptoms during stressful moments.
Anxiety? Take the free anxiety test here!
Would you like to know to what extent anxiety has an influence on your daily life? Then take the free anxiety test here!