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Anxiety Disorders
Fears are a natural part of life. However, if they get out of hand, the
quality of life of those exaggerated suffers considerably. In technical jargon,
this is called an anxiety disorder. What exactly is behind this phenomenon, how
it manifests itself, and what treatment options are available are just some of
the aspects discussed in the following paragraphs.
Anxiety Versus Anxiety Disorder: A Start
Everyone is familiar with fear. It occurs in a weaker form, for example,
before upcoming challenges. Be it a class test, a driving test, or an
interview: Situations in which we have to prove our skills and knowledge can
increase the fear of failure. A constructive way of dealing with things is to
use this fear as a drive, for example, to prepare even more intensively for the
respective event.
Fear also plays an essential role as a warning signal. If a situation or
a person is alleged as threatening, this is expressed in that unpleasant
feeling. This is often accompanied by an immediate thought of fleeing, which
encourages those affected to find solutions and instrument them as soon as
possible.
However, it becomes dangerous when the fear is so great that it has the
opposite effect and controls and restricts the patient's actions. If the fear
has a paralyzing effect, if it persists, and if it shows up again and again at
regular intervals, one speaks of an anxiety disorder. It is significant here
that those affected' natural protective functions are disturbed, and a more
passive and defensive attitude occurs, which increasingly encroaches on all
areas of life.
Anxiety Disorders as a Widespread Phenomenon: Definition and Forms
Anxiety is not uncommon in today's society, characterized by pressure to
perform and stress. With the pathological variant, a distinction is finished
between different forms.
· Phobic anxiety, for
example, describes a feeling of restlessness that can be triggered by
particular objects and situations. Those affected are usually aware that their
fears are unfounded.
· The arbitrariness
with which it occurs is characteristic of generalized fear. Accordingly, those
affected cannot determine an external trigger for their discomfort.
· Panic attacks, on the
other hand, occur suddenly, unpredictably, and at intervals for no apparent
reason. Another distinctive feature is their high intensity.
Phobic Anxiety: The many faces of phobias
Health write for us
Phobias are divided into different subgroups.
A specific phobia is the anxiety of a particular situation or object.
This anxiety disorder is expressed, for example, in the form of
· Fear of flying,
· Fear of heights,
· Anxiety in enclosed
spaces and
· Afraid of spiders as
well as other insects and animals.
Agoraphobia, in turn, refers to the fear of distant places or crowds -
i.e., situations that make up the person can not withdraw quickly. This leads
to the fact that the sick avoid crowds and public areas, among other things,
and rarely stay outside their familiar surroundings. It is essential to hide
symptoms such as dizziness and involuntary urine loss from other people.
With a so-called social phobia, those affected try to avoid situations
in which they focus. Accordingly, for example, presenting one's study results
to an audience can cause symptoms such as
Shaking hands,
· Blush,
· Nausea as well
· avoiding eye contact
trigger. A social phobia is often accompanied by a fear of criticism and
primary inferiority complexes.
The course is often chronic and results in the social isolation of those
affected, who try to avoid the fear-inducing situations and therefore cut
themselves off entirely from the outside world. @ Read More