Anxiety disorder refers to a state in which a person’s anxiety level exceeds normal limits and begins to interfere with daily life activities. This disorder can arise from many different factors and is often a combination of several elements. Examples include stress, trauma, family history, biological factors, or genetic predisposition. Symptoms of anxiety disorder may include persistent worry, sleep disturbances, concentration problems, restlessness, physical symptoms (such as sweating or increased heart rate), difficulty leaving the house, or social phobias. These conditions often cannot improve without professional help and must be treated properly.
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What Is Anxiety Disorder?
It is a condition that causes a person to feel constant fear, stress, and uneasiness. In fact, almost everyone experiences anxiety at some point. Certain life situations may cause temporary anxious feelings. However, when the situation passes, the anxiety also disappears. But for a person experiencing an anxiety disorder, the feeling of fear and worry persists continuously—whether a triggering event occurs or not.
The person begins to feel anxious even when there is no real problem, and physical symptoms also begin to appear. Constantly feeling fear and being unable to engage in daily activities can wear a person down significantly. This condition can reach very serious levels and therefore requires treatment.
What Are the Causes of Anxiety Disorder?
There can be many different factors among the causes of anxiety disorder. Traumatic experiences during childhood are particularly common contributors to the development of this condition. In such cases, the individual often continues to experience serious psychological problems in adulthood as well. Anxiety disorder, also known as an anxiety condition, essentially causes a continuous state of restlessness and fear.
This ongoing sense of fear may periodically prevent the individual from living their life normally. It may make it difficult to carry out daily tasks. Among the causes of anxiety are the following:
- Negative emotional experiences during childhood
- Having a first-degree relative with anxiety
- Experiencing a traumatic event that causes intense fear
- Falling into financial hardship
- Divorce
- Separation
- Stress
Symptoms of Anxiety Disorder
Anxiety disorder symptoms — also known simply as anxiety — include the following:
- Feeling tense, restless, or in a state of panic
- Shortness of breath and dry mouth
- Sleep disturbances
- Avoidance of situations that may trigger anxiety
- Feeling anxious as if something bad is about to happen
- Trembling in the hands
- Digestive issues
- Difficulty focusing and maintaining concentration
- Excessive sweating
- Constant feeling of impending danger
- Rapid heartbeat
Types of Anxiety Disorders
There are several types of anxiety disorders. These can manifest in different ways and lead to various symptoms and emotional challenges. Such conditions often lower a person's quality of life and fill their mind with persistent worries. The subtypes of anxiety include:
- Generalized anxiety disorder
- Obsessive-compulsive disorder
- Panic disorder
- Phobias
- Post-traumatic stress disorder
- Social anxiety disorder
Treatment of Anxiety Disorder
For anxiety disorder treatment, it is essential first to assess the individual's condition in detail. Once the severity of the problem is determined, appropriate treatment methods can be selected. Some individuals may require medication, while others may benefit from therapy. In some cases, both medication and therapy may be necessary.
The duration of treatment varies depending on the severity of the disorder. Sometimes a long treatment period is required, while in other cases improvement happens more quickly. How the anxiety disorder treatment process progresses depends entirely on the details of the individual’s condition.
