While healthy anxiety might help you to get work on time, study hard for exam, or even discourage you to roam the dark streets alone, severe anxiety can present big problems in your everyday life and thus, require you to seek mental health services for anxiety treatment.
According to ADAA, anxiety is the most common mental disorder in the United States, affecting around 40 million adults. Based on the 2020 ADAA Report,
- 19 million adults have specific phobias
- 15 million adults have social anxiety
- 7.7 million adults have PTSD
- 6.8 million adults have generalized anxiety
- 6 million adults have panic disorders
Does severe anxiety affect my health?
Yes. Suffering from constant anxiety poses a threat to health. For instance, anxiety increases the levels of the stress hormone – cortisol, which in turn increase blood pressure that contributes to heart problems, stroke, kidney disease, and sexual dysfunction over time.
Apart from health, quality of life also suffers for people with anxiety. Intrusive thoughts, dread of panic attacks, fear of rejection, and intense self-consciousness are the hallmarks that urge people to avoid anxiety-provoking situations, turn down opportunities, isolate themselves, and forgo possible joys that they can have in life. All these things interfere with relationships, work, college, and other activities
Is there a cure for anxiety?
No, there is no cure for anxiety because it, itself, is not a disease. However, it doesn’t mean that anxiety is not a real problem. It is a real problem with real consequences. Thus, it is of paramount importance that you look for ways to reduce and manage it. Fortunately, there are effective mental health services for anxiety management.
Are you mentally ill if you have anxiety?
Most people associate anxiety with mental illness or craziness. Rather, it’s a mental health condition. While occasional anxiety is harmless, anxiety disorder can be. Once anxiety reaches to a certain level of intensity and frequency, it becomes more than an emotion and translates into suffering and distraction. Relentless anxiety stops you from enjoying your life. When it does, it may have turned into an anxiety disorder.
People suffering from anxiety disorder usually experience one or more symptoms from the following:
- Restlessness or feeling on edge
- Getting tired or exhausted easily
- Having trouble with concentration
- Feeling that your mind goes blank often
- Muscle tension
- Irritability
- Difficulty breathing
- Difficulty controlling worry
- Sleep problems, such as difficulty falling or staying asleep, or having unsatisfying sleep
Do people with anxiety often cry? Is crying a symptom of anxiety disorder?
Crying is not a symptom of anxiety disorder. People with anxiety are more likely to find crying uncontrollable. Crying can help relieve their stress, though.
Other common symptoms of anxiety disorder could be chest pain, increased heart rate, flushed skin, dizziness, nausea, and so on.
How can I reduce anxiety? Is seeking mental health service necessary to manage anxiety?
There are several natural ways to reduce anxiety, such as practicing yoga, listening to music, eating healthy diet, getting enough sleep, and so on. However, there comes a point for people with anxiety disorder when they need professional help. They don’t feel like doing anything unless they get proper counseling and psychotherpay.
If you are experiencing severe anxiety or not sure about it, we would recommend you to seek mental health services for anxiety near you.