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Anxiety Symptoms, Causes, and Therapy

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An anxiety disorder can develop when worry and fear reach an adverse level in someone’s life. These can lead to symptoms inclusive of:

  • Obsessive-compulsive disorder
  • A generalised disorder of anxiety
  • Panic 
  • Social anxieties
  • Posttraumatic stress disorder

The conclusion is that these derive from a mix of the situational atmosphere, the individual’s circumstances growing up plus genetics, and overall choices in current lifestyle. Often anxiety is a diagnosis along with other mental conditions inclusive of depression creating exceptionally advanced symptoms.

Determining the cause of anxiety

Most anxiety disorders have the potential for creating an odd sensation in the head. The varied anxiety disorders come with unique symptoms to each, but some that are common among each include:

  • A dry mouth
  • Potential loss of hair
  • Quick, heavy breathing
  • Blush of the face
  • Hot flashes
  • Excess sweating
  • Shakes
  • Heart rate at a rapid pace

The commonality with anxiety and depression is that scientists believe there is a correlation with an imbalance in the brain and body chemistry. The connection creates cognitive, physical and emotional distress, much of which affects the head. In many situations, sufferers engage in negative self-talk, have a continuous sense of worry, ruminate over the same thoughts, which tend to race through their brain and obsess over these.

In some cases, those who endure anxiety disorders also suffer from intense headaches or perhaps migraines. A primary consideration is that the thought process has control over the individual instead of the person having control over their own worries. The attempts to control these trigger pain associated with headaches and migraines.

Explore coping techniques 

Coping techniques can help when you need something extra for more intense episodes of anxiety and stress situations. If you learn how to bring your mind and body to a calm state, it can help when attempting to ease the bouts as they reach an exceptional point. 

Coping exercises might be something you need to learn from a professional counsellor or therapist. Some apps also mean to help with calming and relaxation you can rely on when instances become a bit severe, and standard measures are not quite enough.

In one method, you learn how to come into a state of mindfulness. With this, your thoughts remain ‘in the moment’ instead of the past or future. That means what is precisely happening in the very second with no type of reaction. It is an exercise in concentration and relaxation, a form of meditation of which there are many.

Engaging in gentle stretches helps to relax the mind and body in the morning and as you prepare for bed. It clears the mind and the body of stress and unnecessary thoughts. 

For those who periodically feel a sense of panic at specific points of the day, it is essential to participate in deep breathing exercises. These usually involve breathing through the nose, holding, and completely blowing out through the mouth until depleted. Breathing is one of many calming techniques but among the most effective. Learn ways to naturally reduce anxiety and be guided accordingly. 

Final thoughts

For those suffering from anxiety, it can be debilitating some days and manageable in others. It is not something you need to handle alone. There are coping mechanisms, as mentioned here, to help when it is a particularly challenging time. 

It would help if you also reached out to your medical provider, who could refer you to a trusted mental health professional. In this setting, you will receive guidance through therapy sessions and counselling on more intense coping skills, plus the providers will set you up with a care plan meant to treat the disorder. 

You will find many support groups where you can develop friendships with other individuals suffering under the same circumstances. These bonds are a tremendous help as they give those enduring anxiety people familiar to whom they can talk.

Sometimes even when engaging in adequate therapy and counselling plus following the designated plan of care, anxiety rules as the powerful disorder it is. But with a strong team, trusted resources, and methods to manage it, you can win. 


Dennis Relojo-Howell is the managing director of Psychreg.

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© Copyright 2014–2023 Psychreg Ltd