AAP is a Safe Place to Be
All of us have felt anxiety in our lives. It has crept up on us as we prepared for speeches, job interviews, or sporting events. It has pounced upon us as we encountered a potentially dangerous situation. It has seeped through us as we edged our way through dark or unfamiliar circumstances. In these cases, anxiety has a beneficial effect. It prompts us to be prepared. Anxiety motivates us to practice for presentations. It sharpens our senses so we are able to respond quickly to what we see, hear, and feel.
For most of us, these responses develop only when they are needed. But many people live with feelings of anxiety and apprehension nearly all the time. They suffer from generalized anxiety disorder, an illness in which people face constant, unrealistic, and excess fears or worries. Generalized anxiety disorder affects as many as eight per cent of all Americans.
Anxiety is similar to fear. But fear always has a source. People who suffer from anxiety disorders feel both the physical and emotional symptoms of fear without being able to identify or name the reason they feel that way. Often, they know their anxiety is irrational but they cannot eliminate or reduce it.
In addition to struggling with the emotional distress of such fears, the person also experiences physical symptoms that fall in three major groups:
Trembling, twitching or feeling shaky, muscle tension, aches or soreness, restlessness and tiring easily.
Shortness of breath or smothering sensations, accelerated heart beat, sweating or cold, clammy hands, dry mouth, dizziness, nausea, diarrhea or other abdominal distress, hot flashes or chills, frequent urination, and trouble swallowing.
Feeling keyed up or on edge, having an exaggerated startle response, having problems concentrating, sleep difficulties, and irritability.
Treatment can diminish feelings of continual apprehension and alleviate
the physical distress associated with anxiety. Therapy may include identifying
the unconscious conflict and cognitive therapy that helps re-train thought
patterns. Severe anxiety may require medication. The most important step
in overcoming this illness is recognizing its symptoms, seeking a complete
evaluation, and working closely with a physician or therapist.