A Focus on Anxiety

While anxiety is considered a natural reaction to a stressful situation, for some people, anxious thoughts, feelings, or physical symptoms can become severe and upsetting, often interfering with their ability to go about their daily lives. Where symptoms of anxiety occur frequently, occur over a period of time, and chronically interfere with daily life, it is typically considered an anxiety disorder. Generalized anxiety disorder is excessive worry around a number of everyday problems, where the anxiety is often far greater than expected ��� such as feeling intense anxiety over a minor concern. The term Anxiety Disorder can refer to conditions that include phobias, panic disorders, agoraphobia and social anxiety disorder. Anxiety or fear can also be a characteristic of other mental health conditions such as obsessive or compulsive disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder. Anxiety disorders can affect anyone at any age, and they are the most common mental health problems. It is estimated that one in four Canadians will have at least one anxiety disorder in their lifetime. Sometimes, anxiety disorders are triggered by a specific event or stressful life experience. Anxiety disorders may be more likely to occur when we have certain ways of looking at things, like believing that everything must be perfect. Anxiety can also occur as a result of learning unhelpful coping strategies. At other times, however, there just doesn’t seem to be a reason. The 2014 Survey on Living with Chronic Diseases in Canada identified that an estimated 3 million Canadians (11.6%) aged 18 years or older reported that they had a mood and/or anxiety disorder. More than a quarter (27%) reported that their disorder(s) affected their life "quite a bit" or "extremely" in the previous 12 months. Serious and chronic levels of anxiety can interfere with one’s ability to function in academic, occupational and social contexts. Adding to the problem, anxiety disorders are often concurrent or comorbid with other mental health illnesses such as depression. David Clarke of Durham Mental Health Services presents a general overview of anxiety and explains the difference between anxiety and normal fear. He describes how our brain responds to various experiences or stimuli and how our emotions are affected. David provides strategies which the distress centre call responder can employ when providing support to callers who are dealing with anxiety related issues. Questions for Further Consideration: 1. What causes an anxiety disorder? While there is no single known cause of anxiety disorders, there are a number of risk factors or triggers that may contribute. These differ between the different anxiety disorders too. In general, the following factors may play a role: Genes: certain anxiety disorders appear to have a genetic component, with some anxiety disorders running in families. Physical health: Poor physical health can increase a person’s vulnerability to developing symptoms of anxiety. Thinking style: patterns of thinking characterized by anticipating the worst, persistent negative self-talk, low self-esteem, and unhelpful coping strategies (e.g., avoidance) are linked to problem anxiety. Stress: stressful events such as a marriage breakdown, work or school deadlines or financial hardship can act as a trigger for anxiety 2. Is there any way of managing day to day anxiety so that a person doesn’t end up feeling like they are losing total control? A certain amount of anxiety in our lives is normal. Meeting the demands of everyday life activities can be stressful. It is important to remember that maintaining a healthy lifestyle is key to managing stress. If your eating and sleeping habits are poor, you’re more likely to feel anxious—whether or not you actually have an anxiety disorder. So if you feel like you worry too much, take some time to evaluate how well you are caring for yourself. Do you make time each day for relaxation and fun? Are you getting the emotional support you need? Are you taking care of your body? Are you overloaded with responsibilities? Do you ask for help when you need it? Some suggestions for managing stress: If your stress levels are high, think about how you can bring your life back into balance. There may be responsibilities you can give up, turn down, or delegate to others. If you’re feeling isolated or unsupported, find someone you trust to confide in. Sometimes, just talking about one’s worries can make them seem less frightening. As a helpline call responder, these suggestions can be helpful to share with callers who may be feeling overwhelmed by certain situations. What is the difference between a panic attack and anxiety? Panic attacks are bursts of very strong fear or anxiety. They start very suddenly, but they usually start to go away on their own in a few minutes. The signs of a panic attack can include: Feeling like your heart is beating very quickly or loudly Feeling shaky or dizzy Feeling like you cannot breathe Sweating or feeling cold Feeling separated from things going on around you Feeling like you need to escape or run away Feeling like you may be dying Panic attacks can be upsetting, but they cannot hurt you. Panic is normal when you are very scared. Many people have had a panic attack. Panic attacks are a problem when they happen often. Some people are scared of having another panic attack. They may stop going places or doing things to avoid another panic attack. So, a panic attack may be a part of the anxiety a person is feeling. It is important to talk to a doctor if panic is a problem. Glossary: Anxiety: a feeling of worry, nervousness, or unease, typically about an imminent event or something with an uncertain outcome; a state of apprehension and fear resulting from the anticipation of a threatening event or situation Anxiety disorder: a nervous disorder characterized by a state of excessive uneasiness and apprehension, typically with compulsive behavior or panic attacks; occurs when normal psychological functioning is disrupted or if anxiety persists without an identifiable cause Co-morbidity: one or more coexisting medical conditions or disease processes that are additional to an initial diagnosis