Anxiety is one of the individual psychological characteristics personality, manifested by a person’s increased tendency to worry, worry, and fear, which often does not have sufficient grounds. This state can also be characterized as an experience of discomfort, a premonition of some kind of threat. Anxiety disorder is usually classified as neurotic disorders, that is, to psychogenically caused pathological conditions, characterized by a varied clinical picture and the absence of personality disorders.
Anxiety can manifest itself in people of any age, including young children, however, according to statistics, most often anxiety disorder Young women aged twenty to thirty years old are affected. And although from time to time, in certain situations, everyone can experience anxiety, we will talk about an anxiety disorder when this feeling becomes too strong and uncontrollable, which deprives a person of the ability to lead a normal life and engage in usual activities.
There are a number of disorders that include anxiety as symptoms. This is phobic, post-traumatic stress or panic disorder. Normal anxiety is usually referred to as generalized anxiety disorder. Excessively acute feelings of anxiety cause a person to worry almost constantly, as well as experience various psychological and physical symptoms.
Reasons for development
The exact reasons contributing to the development increased anxiety unknown to science. Some people experience anxiety without visible reasons s, for others it becomes a consequence of experienced psychological trauma. It is believed that a genetic factor may also play a role here. Thus, in the presence of certain genes in the brain, a certain chemical imbalance occurs, which causes a state of mental tension and anxiety.
If we take into account the psychological theory about the causes of anxiety disorder, then feelings of anxiety, as well as phobias, may initially arise as a conditioned reflex reaction to any irritating stimuli. Subsequently, a similar reaction begins to occur in the absence of such a stimulus. Biological theory suggests that anxiety is a consequence of certain biological abnormalities, for example, when elevated level production of neurotransmitters - conductors of nerve impulses in the brain.
Increased anxiety can also be a consequence of insufficient physical activity and poor nutrition. It is known that maintaining physical and mental health requires the correct regimen, vitamins and microelements, as well as regular physical activity. Their absence negatively affects the entire human body and can cause anxiety disorders.
For some people, anxiety may be associated with new, unfamiliar environment, seemingly dangerous, one’s own life experience, in which unpleasant events and psychological trauma took place, as well as character traits.
In addition, a mental state such as anxiety can accompany many somatic diseases. First of all, this includes any endocrine disorders, including hormonal imbalance in women during menopause. A sudden feeling of anxiety is sometimes a warning sign of a heart attack and may also indicate a drop in blood sugar levels. Mental illness is also very often accompanied by anxiety. In particular, anxiety is one of the symptoms of schizophrenia, various neuroses, alcoholism, etc.
Kinds
Among the existing types of anxiety disorders, adaptive and generalized anxiety disorders are most often encountered in medical practice. In the first case, a person experiences uncontrollable anxiety in combination with other negative emotions when adapting to any stressful situation. In generalized anxiety disorder, the feeling of anxiety persists permanently and can be directed to a variety of objects.
There are several types of anxiety, the most studied and most common of them are:
For some people, anxiety is a character trait when a state of mental tension is always present, regardless of specific circumstances. In other cases, anxiety becomes a kind of means of avoiding conflict situations. At the same time, emotional stress gradually accumulates and can lead to the emergence of phobias.
For other people, anxiety becomes the other side of control. As a rule, a state of anxiety is typical for people who strive for perfection, have increased emotional excitability, intolerance to mistakes, and worry about their own health.
In addition to the various types of anxiety, we can distinguish its main forms: open and closed. A person experiences open anxiety consciously, and this state can be acute and unregulated or compensated and controlled. Anxiety that is conscious and significant for a specific individual is called “instilled” or “cultivated.” In this case, anxiety acts as a kind of regulator of human activity.
Hidden anxiety disorder is much less common than open anxiety disorder. Such anxiety is unconscious to varying degrees and can manifest itself in a person’s behavior, excessive external calm, etc. In psychology, this state is sometimes called “inadequate calm.”
Clinical picture
Anxiety, like any other mental state, can be expressed at various levels of human organization. So, at the physiological level, anxiety can cause the following symptoms:
At the emotional-cognitive level, anxiety manifests itself in constant mental tension, a feeling of helplessness and insecurity, fear and anxiety, decreased concentration, irritability and intolerance, and the inability to concentrate on a specific task. These manifestations often cause people to avoid social interactions, look for reasons not to attend school or work, etc. As a result, the state of anxiety only intensifies, and the patient’s self-esteem also suffers. By concentrating too much on one's own shortcomings, a person may begin to feel self-loathing and avoid any interpersonal relationships and physical contacts. Loneliness and a feeling of “second-classness” inevitably lead to problems in professional activity.
If we consider the manifestations of anxiety at the behavioral level, they may consist of nervous, mindless walking around the room, rocking in a chair, banging with fingers on the table, fiddling with one’s own lock of hair or foreign objects. The habit of biting your nails can also be a sign of increased anxiety.
With anxiety disorders of adaptation, a person may experience signs of panic disorder: sudden attacks of fear with the manifestation of somatic symptoms (shortness of breath, rapid heartbeat, etc.). With obsessive-compulsive disorder, obsessive anxious thoughts and ideas come to the fore in the clinical picture, forcing a person to constantly repeat the same actions.
Diagnostics
Diagnosis of anxiety should be made by a qualified psychiatrist based on the patient's symptoms, which should be observed over several weeks. As a rule, it is not difficult to identify an anxiety disorder, but difficulties may arise when determining its specific type, since many forms have the same Clinical signs, but differ in time and place of occurrence.
First of all, when suspecting an anxiety disorder, a specialist pays attention to several important aspects. Firstly, the presence of signs of increased anxiety, which may include sleep disorders, anxiety, phobias, etc. Secondly, the duration of the existing clinical picture. Thirdly, it is necessary to ensure that any symptoms present do not represent a reaction to stress, and are not related to pathological conditions and damage to internal organs and body systems.
The diagnostic examination itself takes place in several stages and, in addition to a detailed interview with the patient, includes an assessment of his mental state, as well as somatic examination. Anxiety disorder should be distinguished from anxiety, which often accompanies alcohol dependence, since in this case it requires a completely different medical intervention. Based on the results of the somatic examination, diseases of a somatic nature are also excluded.
The feeling of anxiety is one of the emotions that is characteristic of every person. The appearance of this feeling increases the degree of nervousness, which is reflected in the perception of the world around us. Most people encounter such emotions when under the influence of stress, which is provoked by troubles in family life or conflicts in the work team. Anxious personality disorder has several specific differences from normal expression of emotions. In this state, a person is strongly influenced by his own feelings, which are reflected in his lifestyle. Let's take a closer look at this disease.
Anxiety is a normal human emotion that each of us may experience from time to time.
From a psychological point of view, anxious personality disorder is a mental pathology, the cause of which is closely related to psychosocial and organic factors.
People with this disease are characterized by such specific features as a feeling of unreasonable fear and anxiety. The power of expression of these emotions is so great that it leads to a change in the perception of the surrounding world and disrupts the usual way of life. According to experts, this disease has a high prevalence. The first clinical manifestations of the disease are most often observed in childhood. It is important to note that this disease affects both sexes.. As you get older, the symptoms of a mental disorder increase in severity.
. According to experts, a peculiar peak of exacerbation of symptoms of the disease is observed in people whose age has reached forty years.
The World Psychiatric Association published the results of studies according to which two and a half percent of the inhabitants of our planet have this disease. The pathology under consideration is divided into several types, each of which has specific manifestations. Talking about different types diseases, it should be mentioned that different forms of pathology have different causes. The generalized form of the disease can be provoked by factors of an organic nature. In some cases, the cause of the disease may be associated with the negative influence of social stimuli. Based on this, each patient is treated individual approach
, which implies the creation of a treatment strategy taking into account the causes of the formation and severity of the pathology.
Anxious personality disorder is divided into four conditional groups, each of which has its own unique features and manifestations. In addition, experts consider this condition as one of the manifestations personal qualities person. Let's take a closer look at each group of disorders:
- Generalized disorder- the state of anxiety is accompanied by a gradually increasing nervous tension. It should be noted that, as a rule, there are no reasons for concern. This form of the disease is organic in nature. This suggests that to eliminate anxiety, treatment should be directed at eliminating the cause of the disease.
- Panic form– with this form of the disease, the patient often experiences panic attacks caused by a groundless feeling of fear. Panic attacks develop at a rapid pace. It is important to pay attention to the fact that it is almost impossible to identify the cause of this condition. The development of an attack is accompanied by tachycardia, increased sweating and a feeling of suffocation. Many patients are firmly convinced that panic attacks are associated with cardiac attacks or mental disorders.
- Social view– This type of anxious personality disorder is called social phobia. It manifests itself in the form of an increase in the severity of anxiety and restlessness in certain life situations. Such situations include public speaking or the need to create communication links with strangers. The cause of anxiety is the fear of criticism, which results in fear of ridicule and embarrassment in front of other people.
- Phobias– this term should be understood as a specific unreasonable fear associated with various objects or situations. The person may be afraid of death, spiders, airplanes, or confined spaces. It is important to pay attention to the fact that the severity of fear can reach a critical level. This leads to people trying in every possible way to avoid objects or circumstances associated with a phobia, even to the detriment of their own interests.
Anxiety disorder is serious illness psyche, and it can have both organic and psychosocial origin Anxious personality disorder is one of the subtypes of a behavioral pattern that is characterized as evasive or avoidant behavior. In this case, the feeling of anxiety is not specific symptom pathology, but an integral part of character. Anxiety-depressive disorder is often observed in people with this type of personality. Most of these people have low self-esteem and a rather vulnerable psyche. Increased sensitivity to the opinions of others leads to the fact that a person commits various actions just to get approval.
Patients whose behavioral pattern is dominated by an avoidant form of anxiety tend to social isolation. They avoid various activities that involve close contact with other people. According to experts, there are a number of signs that can be used to recognize an anxious personality type. People with an avoidant form of disorder are characterized by constant analysis of the actions and words of others. Any criticism of them can only increase the feeling of insecurity. In this case, tears and hysteria may act as a defensive reaction. People with this type of character can be described using words such as “loneliness,” “timidity,” and “shyness.”
The main problem for people with anxiety disorders is managing professional and social activities. Due to low self-esteem, such people rarely make contact with others. Their social circle is very isolated, since the desire for isolation does not imply making new acquaintances. Despite this lifestyle, such individuals dream of family, tender feelings and care. It is important to pay attention to the fact that people with this character trait rarely achieve career success, because they try with all their might to avoid engaging in social activities.
Causes of the disease
Unfortunately, today there are no reliable facts that could tell us about the reasons for the development personality disorders. According to scientists, a constant feeling of anxiety and fear has nothing to do with character traits or the influence of an unfavorable social environment. In most cases, the cause of the development of the disease is a combination of negative factors, among which we should highlight an unfavorable environmental situation, prolonged nervous strain, stress and disturbances in the functioning of the brain.
It is the problems associated with impaired functionality of the parts of the brain that are responsible for the manifestation of various emotions that are the primary cause of pathology. The cause of such disorders is closely related to the long-term influence of stress. Constant stimulation of the nervous system leads to the destruction of neural connections that transmit information between different parts of the brain. Research into this personal disorder has revealed that people with this disorder have subtle changes in certain areas of the brain. These departments are responsible for memory, which is associated with strong emotional shocks.
For people with any type of anxiety disorder, the persistent and core emotions are worry, significant worry, and fear. Also, according to the researchers, there is a high probability negative influence hereditary factors. In addition, an important role is assigned various factors of a social nature (psychotraumatic circumstances), which can cause the development of pathology, in individuals with a hereditary predisposition.
Clinical picture
Symptoms of anxiety personality disorder vary from person to person and their manifestation depends on the form of the disease. However, experts were able to identify symptoms that are characteristic of all types of the pathology in question. These symptoms include:
- feelings of anxiety, panic and restlessness;
- insomnia and problems related to sleep quality;
- increased sweating in the extremities;
- tachycardia and shortness of breath;
- difficulty relaxing;
- feeling of nausea, dizziness and dry mouth;
- increased muscle tone.
Diagnostic measures
At the initial stage diagnostic examination, the doctor’s task is to carry out differential diagnosis and collection of medical history data. This approach is explained by the need to exclude somatic diseases. Despite the fact that today there are no generally accepted diagnostic rules, a doctor can use various methods laboratory research tests patient a. By using laboratory tests, the doctor gets the opportunity to determine physiological reasons formation of personality disorder.
In the case where there are no somatic diseases, a specialist from the field of psychology is involved in the examination. Doctors from this field have special resources that allow them to identify the cause of development. mental disorders. For this purpose, various tests and questionnaires are used to help determine the patient’s internal state.
The severity of symptoms and the duration of panic episodes allow an accurate diagnosis to be made. During its production, problems in maintaining normal life activities are also taken into account. An important role in this issue is given to the patient’s behavior and the degree of his interaction with the outside world. The data obtained is analyzed in detail, after which the specific form of anxiety disorder is determined.
Differential diagnosis - the only affordable way determine the nature of the pathology, since an increase in anxiety and the appearance of groundless fear are inherent in many mental diseases. The doctor’s task is to exclude diseases such as senile dementia, schizophrenia and depressive disorder. Anxiety is characteristic symptom narcotic and alcohol addiction
. In addition, a similar condition manifests itself in diseases such as pheochromocytoma and thyrotoxicosis. An anxiety disorder generally manifests itself in childhood, adolescence or early adulthood.
Treatment methods Over the past few decades, medicine has made significant progress in the treatment of severe mental illnesses, including anxious personality disorders. Despite this, there is no single strategy for treating the disease. The treatment strategy is determined based on the form of the disease, severity of symptoms and individual characteristics
the patient's psyche. Treatment for anxiety disorder involves A complex approach , which includes the use of medications and psychotherapeutic correction. Drug treatment includes drugs from the group of antidepressants and potent sedatives. One of the main stages of therapy is the study of the patient’s emotional reaction to
mental pathology
. The task of a psychologist is to work through internal conflicts, as well as create a behavioral strategy that is based on the nature of the disease. Cognitive-behavioral psychotherapy involves teaching the patient ways to change their own thinking and behavior. This means that the patient must learn to react differently to certain life circumstances. For prevention purposes, doctors recommend eating a healthy diet and following a clear daily routine. Physical activity and long walks The main task of the patient is to learn relaxation techniques and eliminate nervous excitement. For this purpose, various relaxation auto-trainings are used.
Anxiety forms an integral part of our life. Almost all of us experience it from time to time. Anxiety usually occurs as a temporary situational reaction to stress. Everyday life. We can assume the presence of an anxiety disorder in cases where anxiety becomes so strong that it deprives a person of the ability to lead normal life and activities.
Anxiety disorder is separate disease with peculiar symptoms. The two most common anxiety disorders are adaptive mood disorder and generalized anxiety disorder. In adaptive disorder, excessive anxiety or other emotional reactions develop in conjunction with difficulty adjusting to a specific stressful situation. In generalized anxiety disorder, excessive anxiety persists constantly and is directed at a variety of life circumstances. The excessive worry, tension and fear experienced by people with anxiety disorders may also be accompanied by physical ailments such as " nervous stomach", shortness of breath and rapid heartbeat. Many people, along with anxiety disorders, have depressive disorders.
What triggers/Causes of Anxiety Disorder:
There are many psychological and biological theories that explain the causes of anxiety disorders.
Psychological theories. Psychoanalytic theory considers anxiety as a signal of the emergence of an unacceptable, forbidden need, or impulse (aggressive or sexual), which prompts the individual to unconsciously prevent their expression. Anxiety symptoms are viewed as incomplete containment (“repression”) of an unacceptable need.
From the standpoint of behaviorism, anxiety and, in particular, phobias initially arise as a conditioned reflex reaction to painful or frightening stimuli. In the future, an alarming reaction may occur without a stimulus.
More recently, cognitive psychology has emphasized erroneous and distorted mental patterns that precede the onset of anxiety symptoms. For example, a patient with panic disorder may overreact to normal bodily sensations (such as lightheadedness or palpitations), leading to increased fear and anxiety leading to a panic attack.
Biological theories consider anxiety disorders as a consequence of biological abnormalities, linking them, in particular, with a noticeable increase in the production of neurotransmitters.
The so-called. may be responsible for many symptoms of anxiety. locus coeruleus located in the brainstem. Electrical stimulation of this area causes noticeable fear and anxiety. Drugs such as yohimbine, which increase the activity of the locus coeruleus, increase anxiety, and drugs that reduce its activity (benzodiazepines, clonidine and propranolol) have an anti-anxiety effect.
Many patients with panic disorder are extremely sensitive to subtle increases in carbon dioxide in the air.
According to traditional domestic taxonomy, anxiety disorders belong to the group of neurotic (functional) disorders (neuroses), i.e. to psychogenically caused painful conditions, characterized by partiality and egodystony of diverse clinical manifestations, awareness of the disease and the absence of changes in the individual’s self-awareness.
Symptoms of Anxiety Disorder:
According to ICD-10, anxiety disorders are divided into:
Anxiety and phobia disorders(so-called other anxiety disorders, which includes):
- panic disorder;
- generalized anxiety disorder;
- mixed anxiety-depressive disorder;
- obsessive-compulsive disorders;
- reactions to severe stress.
Anxious and phobic adaptation disorders:
- post-traumatic stress disorder;
- panic disorder;
- .
Panic disorder. The main symptom of panic disorder is recurrent panic attacks, i.e. sudden onset of fear and discomfort associated with symptoms such as shortness of breath, palpitations, dizziness, suffocation, chest pain, trembling, increased sweating and fear of dying or going crazy. Typically these attacks last from 5 to 20 minutes. Patients often mistakenly believe they are having a heart attack.
After experiencing several such attacks, many begin to experience intense fear of the next one, which could happen in a place from which they cannot escape or where they cannot get help - in a tunnel, in the middle of a row in a movie theater, on a bridge or in a crowded elevator. They begin to avoid all these situations and go around such places at great distances, sometimes limiting their stay to home or refusing to go out without a trusted escort. This phenomenon is known as “agoraphobia,” which literally means “fear of marketplaces” in Greek.
Some patients free themselves from panic disorder spontaneously, others experience relapses for many years after the first attack, and finally, there are those who become couch potatoes for many years.
The main feature generalized anxiety disorder(F41.1 according to ICD-10) is anxiety that is generalized and persistent, is not limited to any specific environmental circumstances, and does not even arise with a clear preference in these circumstances (i.e., it is “unfixed”).
To make a diagnosis, primary symptoms of anxiety must be present in the patient for at least several weeks. Most often they serve in this capacity:
1. Fears (worries about future failures, feelings of excitement, difficulty concentrating, etc.);
2. Motor tension (fussiness, tension headaches, trembling, inability to relax);
3. Autonomic hyperactivity (sweating, tachycardia or tachypnea, epigastric discomfort, dizziness, dry mouth, etc.).
Category F41.2 ( Mixed anxiety and depressive disorder) is used in cases where the patient has symptoms of both anxiety and depression, but neither one nor the other individually is clearly dominant or severe enough to determine a diagnosis.
As is easy to see, the diagnostic criteria for these conditions are less clear than, for example, panic disorder and are rather based on the principle of exclusion. The symptoms of generalized anxiety disorder bear the features of diffuse, generalized and diffuse anxiety of moderate or low intensity, which is characterized by vague anxiety that is constant over time. This is its main difference from panic disorder, in which paroxysms of anxious affect of excessive intensity occur.
This version of the anxiety state is called “free-floating anxiety”; vague anxiety is expressed in a state of internal tension, apprehension of misfortune and threat, which are often provoked by real minor conflicts and frustrating situations. At the same time, in the patient’s system of personal coordinates, such situations grow into huge problems and seem insoluble. Anxiety is often accompanied by increased aggressiveness. Constant internal tension leads to disruptions in the activity of the autonomic-endocrine system, which is in constant arousal and readiness to fight and flee, which, in turn (according to the principle of a vicious circle), increases the state of internal tension. The same applies to the musculoskeletal system - muscle tension gradually increases and tendon reflexes increase, which underlies the feeling of fatigue and myalgia.
According to most researchers, generalized anxiety disorder does not represent a single diagnostic category, but rather reflects a specific anxiety phenomenon that occurs with different diagnoses. Thus, in some of its phenomenological manifestations it is close to the anxiety of anticipation characteristic of panic disorder. At the same time, unlike the latter, generalized anxiety reactions are characterized by less participation of vegetative manifestations, an earlier and more gradual onset of the disease and a more favorable prognosis. In this case, the anxiety symptoms are tonic, and not clonic, as in panic, in nature. It should also be borne in mind that some patients with panic disorder may subsequently develop generalized anxiety disorder and vice versa.
Social phobia- This is an excessive fear of experiencing humiliation or embarrassment in front of other people, causing the patient to avoid situations such as public speaking, having to write something in front of people, eating in restaurants, or using public toilets. If the fear of one type of situation is usually associated with moderate life restrictions, then multiple fears often lead to agoraphobia and severe restrictions.
Simple phobia- This is a constant, strong fear of a specific object or situation, for example, fear of snakes, blood, elevators, flying on an airplane, heights, dogs. Fear is not caused by the object itself, but by the consequences of encountering it or getting into a certain situation. When encountering such an object or situation, symptoms of intense anxiety arise - terror, trembling, sweating, palpitations.
Obsessive-compulsive disorder includes obsessions, often combined with compulsivity. Obsessions are ideas, thoughts, or impulses that persistently and persistently pursue a person and that are perceived as meaningless and unpleasant, such as blasphemous thoughts, thoughts about murder, or thoughts about sex. The person recognizes that these obsessions come from within (in contrast to hallucinations that seem to come from outside) and tries unsuccessfully to ignore or suppress them. Compulsivity is a repetitive, goal-directed, and intentional behavior that occurs as a reaction to compulsions in order to neutralize or prevent psychological discomfort. It should be emphasized that such behavior is always unreasonable and immoderate.
One of the most common types of obsessive-compulsive disorder involves thoughts about dirt and pollution, leading to compulsive washing and avoidance of “contaminating” objects. Sufferers of this condition may spend many hours a day washing and showering. Another variety is pathological counting and compulsive checking, such as repeatedly checking that the gas is off or returning to the same street to make sure that no one has been run over. Compulsive behavior differs from excesses in drinking or eating, gambling or increased sexuality in that true compulsions are always unpleasant for the patient himself.
Post-traumatic stress– a mental illness that occurs as a result of severe shock or physically traumatic events, such as war, a concentration camp, severe beatings, rape, or a car accident. Characteristic features serve as re-experiencing trauma, mental numbness and increased excitability. Re-experiencing trauma involves recurring memories and nightmares. Mental numbness is expressed in withdrawal from social activities, loss of interest in daily activities and a decrease in the ability to experience emotions. Excessive arousal leads to difficulty falling asleep, nightmares and increased fearfulness.
During the course of disorders caused post-traumatic stress, three stages can be distinguished. The first is a reaction to trauma, expressed in extreme anxiety and complete concentration on what happened. After about a month, feelings of helplessness, decreased emotionality, and nightmares may occur. At the third stage, demoralization and loss of spirit occur.
People with anxious personality disorder are overly preoccupied with their shortcomings and form relationships with others only if they are confident that they will not be rejected.
Loss and rejection are so painful that these people choose to be alone rather than take risks and connect with people.
- Hypersensitivity to criticism or rejection.
- Self-isolation from society.
- Extreme degree of shyness in social situations, although there is a strong desire for close relationships.
- Avoidance of interpersonal relationships.
- Dislike of physical contact.
- Feelings of inferiority.
- Extremely low self-esteem.
Self-loathing.
- Distrust of other people.
- Extreme degree of modesty/timidity.
- Avoidance of intimate relationships.
- Easy to feel embarrassed/shy.
- Self-critical of their problems in relationships with other people.
- Problems in professional activities.
- Feeling of loneliness.
- Feeling of “second-classness” in relation to other people.
- Mental or chemical dependence.
Diagnosis of Anxiety Disorder:
Diagnosis of anxiety diagnosed exclusively by a psychiatrist. To make a diagnosis, primary symptoms of anxiety must be present in the patient for at least several weeks.
Diagnosing an anxiety disorder is straightforward in most cases. The main diagnostic difficulties arise when determining a specific type of anxiety disorder, since they have general symptoms and differ mainly in the time and place of their occurrence. They are widely used to diagnose anxiety disorders. psychological tests: Spielberger-Hanin, hospital anxiety and depression scale, personal anxiety scale and others.
If you suspect you have an anxiety disorder, there are several things to evaluate:
The presence of symptoms of increased anxiety (feelings of anxiety, fears, sleep disturbances and autonomic regulation, etc.);
Duration of symptoms (with anxiety disorders, symptoms persist for several weeks or longer);
The existing symptoms are not a normal reaction to stress (the person is not in a war zone, nothing threatens him and his loved ones);
The existing symptoms are not associated with diseases of the internal organs (for example, a panic attack has much in common with an attack of angina, therefore, if there are pronounced vegetative symptoms, it is necessary to be examined by a doctor general practice) and are not secondary to mental disorders;
Conditions in which symptoms appear (persistent anxiety in generalized anxiety disorder; attacks that are not clearly related to conditions in panic disorder; attacks associated with a specific object in simple phobias, or occurring in specific situations in agoraphobia and social phobia).
Treatment for Anxiety Disorder:
Anxiety disorders can be effectively treated rational persuasion, drugs, or both. Supportive psychotherapy can help a person understand the psychological factors that provoke anxiety disorders, and also teach them to gradually cope with them. Anxiety symptoms are sometimes reduced through relaxation, biofeedback and meditation. There are several types of medications that can help some patients relieve distressing symptoms such as excessive fussiness, muscle tension, or inability to sleep. Taking these medications is safe and effective as long as you follow your doctor's directions. At the same time, drinking alcohol, caffeine, as well as smoking cigarettes, which can increase anxiety, should be avoided. If you are taking medication for an anxiety disorder, consult your doctor first before drinking alcohol or taking any other medications. Not all methods and treatment regimens are equally suitable for all patients. You and your doctor should decide together which combination of treatments is best for you.
When deciding on the need for treatment, it should be borne in mind that in most cases, anxiety disorder does not go away on its own, but transforms into chronic diseases internal organs, depression or takes a severe generalized form. Peptic ulcer stomach, hypertonic disease, irritable bowel syndrome and many other diseases are often the result of advanced anxiety disorder.
The basis of treatment for anxiety disorders is psychotherapy. It allows you to identify the true cause of the development of an anxiety disorder, teach a person ways to relax and control his own condition. Special techniques can reduce sensitivity to provoking factors. The effectiveness of treatment largely depends on the patient’s desire to correct the situation and the time elapsed from the onset of symptoms to the start of therapy.
Drug treatment of anxiety disorders includes the use of antidepressants, tranquilizers, and adrenergic blockers.
Beta blockers used to relieve vegetative symptoms (palpitations, increased blood pressure).
Tranquilizers reduce the severity of anxiety, fear, help normalize sleep, relieve muscle tension. The disadvantage of tranquilizers is their ability to cause addiction, dependence and withdrawal syndrome, so they are prescribed only for strict indications and for a short course. It is unacceptable to drink alcohol during treatment with tranquilizers - respiratory arrest may occur. Tranquilizers should be taken with caution when working in jobs that require increased attention and concentration: drivers, dispatchers, etc.
In most cases, when treating anxiety disorders, preference is given to antidepressants, which can be prescribed over a long course, as they do not cause addiction or dependence.
A feature of the drugs is the gradual development of the effect (over several days and even weeks), associated with their mechanism of action. An important outcome in treatment is the reduction of anxiety. In addition, antidepressants increase the pain sensitivity threshold (used for chronic pain syndromes), help relieve autonomic disorders.
Which doctors should you contact if you have an anxiety disorder:
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Other diseases from the group Mental disorders and behavioral disorders:
| Agoraphobia |
| Agoraphobia (fear of empty spaces) |
| Anancastic (obsessive-compulsive) personality disorder |
| Anorexia nervosa |
| Asthenic disorder (asthenia) |
| Affective disorder |
| Affective mood disorders |
| Insomnia of inorganic nature |
| Bipolar affective disorder |
| Bipolar affective disorder |
| Alzheimer's disease |
| Delusional disorder |
| Delusional disorder |
| Bulimia nervosa |
| Vaginismus of inorganic nature |
| Voyeurism |
| Generalized anxiety disorder |
| Hyperkinetic disorders |
| Hypersomnia of inorganic nature |
| Hypomania |
| Motor and volitional disorders |
| Delirium |
| Delirium not caused by alcohol or other psychoactive substances |
| Dementia due to Alzheimer's disease |
| Dementia in Huntington's disease |
| Dementia in Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease |
| Dementia in Parkinson's disease |
| Dementia in Pick's disease |
| Dementia due to diseases caused by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) |
| Recurrent depressive disorder |
| Depressive episode |
| Depressive episode |
| Childhood autism |
| Disocial personality disorder |
| Dysparenia of inorganic nature |
| Dissociative amnesia |
| Dissociative amnesia |
| Dissociative anesthesia |
| Dissociative fugue |
| Dissociative fugue |
| Dissociative disorder |
| Dissociative (conversion) disorders |
| Dissociative (conversion) disorders |
| Dissociative movement disorders |
| Dissociative motor disorders |
| Dissociative seizures |
| Dissociative seizures |
| Dissociative stupor |
| Dissociative stupor |
| Dysthymia (depressed mood) |
| Dysthymia (low mood) |
| Other organic personality disorders |
| Dependent personality disorder |
| Stuttering |
| Induced delusional disorder |
| Hypochondriacal disorder |
| Histrionic personality disorder |
| Catatonic syndrome |
| Catatonic disorder of organic nature |
| Nightmares |
| Mild depressive episode |
| Mild cognitive impairment |
| Manic episode |
| Mania without psychotic symptoms |
| Mania with psychotic symptoms |
| Impaired activity and attention |
| Psychological development disorder |
| Neurasthenia |
| Undifferentiated somatoform disorder |
| Inorganic encopresis |
| Inorganic enuresis |
| Obsessive-compulsive disorder |
| Obsessive-compulsive disorder |
| Orgasmic dysfunction |
| Organic (affective) mood disorders |
| Organic amnesic syndrome |
| Organic hallucinosis |
| Organic delusional (schizophrenia-like) disorder |
| Organic dissociative disorder |
| Organic personality disorder |
| Organic emotionally labile (asthenic) disorder |
| Acute reaction to stress |
| Acute reaction to stress |
| Acute polymorphic psychotic disorder |
| Acute polymorphic psychotic disorder with symptoms of schizophrenia |
| Acute schizophrenia-like psychotic disorder |
| Acute and transient psychotic disorders |
| No genital reaction |
| Lack or loss of sex drive |
| Panic disorder |
| Panic disorder |
| Paranoid personality disorder |
| Pathological addiction to gambling (people addiction) |
| Pathological burning (pyromania) |
| Pathological theft (kleptomania) |
| Pedophilia |
| Increased libido |
| Eating inedible things (pika) in infancy and childhood |
| Postconcussion syndrome |
| Post-traumatic disorder |
| Post-traumatic stress disorder |
| Postencephalitic syndrome |
| Premature ejaculation |
| Acquired aphasia with epilepsy (Landau-Kleffner syndrome) |
| Mental and behavioral disorders due to alcohol use |
| Mental and behavioral disorders due to the use of hallucinogens |
| Mental and behavioral disorders due to cannabinoid use |
| Mental and behavioral disorders due to cocaine use |
| Mental and behavioral disorders due to caffeine use |
| Mental and behavioral disorders due to the use of volatile solvents |
| Mental and behavioral disorders due to opioid use |
| Mental and behavioral disorders due to substance use |
| Mental and behavioral disorders due to the use of sedatives and hypnotics |
| Mental and behavioral disorders due to tobacco use |
| Mental and behavioral disorders associated with the postpartum period |
| Intellectual disorders |
| Behavioral disorders |
| Gender identity disorders in children |
| Disorders of habits and desires |
| Sexual preference disorders |
What is an anxiety disorder? This is a question often asked by many. Let's take a closer look. The feeling of anxiety and fear not only causes human suffering, but also has strong adaptive significance. Fear helps us protect ourselves from emergency situations, and anxiety allows us to be fully prepared in the event of a perceived threat. Feeling anxious is considered a normal emotion. Everyone has experienced this at some point. However, if anxiety becomes constant and causes stress, affecting all aspects of a person’s life, most likely we are talking about mental disorder.
Anxiety disorder according to the ICD has code F41. Represents restlessness and anxiety for no apparent reason. These emotions are not a consequence of events occurring around them and are caused by strong psycho-emotional stress.
Causes of Anxiety Disorders
What do doctors say about the factors contributing to the development of pathology? Why do such violations appear? Unfortunately, it has not yet been possible to establish the exact cause of the development of anxious personality disorder. However, this condition is not, like other types mental problems, a consequence of weakness of willpower, poor upbringing, character defect, etc. Research on anxiety disorders continues today. Scientists have found that the following factors contribute to the development of the disease:
- Changes occurring in the brain.
- Influence environmental factor on the human body.
- Failure in the functioning of interneuron connections involved in the occurrence of emotions.
- Prolonged stress. Can disrupt the transmission of information between parts of the brain.
- Diseases in the brain structures that are responsible for emotions and memory.
- Genetic predisposition to this type of disorder.
- Psychological trauma, stressful situations and other emotional shocks in the past.
Provoking diseases
Scientists also identify a number of diseases that can influence the development of anxiety disorder:
- Prolapse mitral valve. Occurs when one of the heart valves fails to close properly.
- Hyperthyroidism. Characterized by increased activity glands.
- Hypoglycemia, which is characterized by a decrease in blood sugar levels.
- Abuse or dependence on mental stimulants such as narcotics, amphetamines, caffeine, etc.
- Another manifestation of an anxiety disorder is panic attacks, which can also occur against the background of certain diseases and for physical reasons.
Symptoms
Signs of an anxiety disorder vary depending on the type of illness. Immediate contact with a specialist requires the presence of at least one of the following symptoms:
- Feelings of anxiety, panic and fear that occur regularly and for no reason.
- Sleep disorder.
- Sweaty and cold hands and feet.
- Difficulty breathing, shortness of breath.
- Feeling of dry mouth.
- Tingling and numbness in the limbs.
- Constant nausea.
- Dizziness.
- Increased muscle tone.
- Increased heart rate and feeling of pressure in the chest.
- Rapid breathing.
- Decreased visual acuity.
- Bilateral headache.
- Diarrhea and bloating.
- Difficulty swallowing.
Any manifestations mental disorder are invariably accompanied by a feeling of anxiety and obsessive negative thoughts that distort a person’s acceptance of reality.
Structure
The structure of an anxiety disorder is heterogeneous and is formed by several components, including consciousness, behavior and physiology. The disorder affects behavior, performance, and can cause insomnia and stuttering, as well as stereotypical behavior and hyperactivity.
Concerning physiological symptoms anxiety disorder, then quite often they are perceived as dangerous to human life and health, since patients see life as black and white, without halftones. They tend to invent non-existent facts, mistaking a headache for a brain tumor, chest pain for a heart attack, and rapid breathing for a sign of approaching death.
Types of Anxiety Disorders
In order to prescribe adequate therapy, it is necessary to determine the type of illness. Medical science identifies several variants of anxious personality disorder:
1. Phobias. They represent fears that are incommensurate with the real scale of the threat. Characterized by a state of panic when caught in certain situations. It is quite difficult to control phobias, even if the patient wants to get rid of them. The most common phobias associated with anxiety-phobic disorder are social and specific phobias. The latter are characterized by a feeling of fear of a specific object or phenomenon. There are some common types of phobias, for example, of animals, natural phenomena, specific situations, etc. Somewhat less common are fears of injuries, injections, the sight of blood, etc. So-called social phobias experience fear of negative evaluation from other people. Such a person constantly thinks that he looks stupid and is afraid to say something in public. As a rule, they lose social connections. This may also be considered a symptom of generalized anxiety disorder.
2. Post-traumatic stress disorder. This is a person’s reaction to certain situations that happened in the past, which were difficult to resist. A similar situation could be the death of a loved one or serious injury or other tragic circumstances. A patient with such a disorder is constantly under the yoke of intrusive memories. Sometimes this results in nightmares, hallucinations, delusions, and reliving what happened. Such people are characterized by emotional overexcitability, sleep disturbances, impaired concentration, sensitivity and a tendency to attacks of causeless anger.
3. Acute stress anxiety disorder. Its symptoms are similar to other types. The reason for its development is most often a situation that traumatizes the patient’s psyche. However, there are a number of significant differences of this disorder with post-traumatic. An acute disorder caused by stress is characterized by an absence of attention to current events, the person perceives the situation as something unreal, thinks that he is dreaming, even own body becomes a stranger to him. Such a state can subsequently transform into the so-called
4. As the name implies, the basis of this type are: The latter occur unexpectedly and quickly lead the patient into a state of fear. Anxiety-panic disorder can last from several minutes to an hour. Panic attacks are characterized by symptoms such as dizziness, shortness of breath, fainting, tremors, increased heart rate, nausea and indigestion, numbness in the limbs, chills and fever, tightness and pain in the chest, loss of control over the situation and fear of death.
5. Generalized anxiety disorder. Different from panic attacks chronic form leakage. The duration of this condition can be up to several months. Characteristic symptoms of this type of anxiety disorder are: inability to relax, concentrate, fatigue, constant feeling of fear, irritation and tension, fear of doing something wrong, difficult process of making any decision. The patient's self-confidence and self-esteem are significantly reduced. Such patients are dependent on the opinions of other people, experience a feeling of inferiority, and are also convinced of the impossibility of achieving changes for the better.
6. Obsessive compulsive disorder. The main characteristic feature of this form of anxiety disorders are ideas and thoughts that are repetitive, unwanted and inconsistent, as well as uncontrollable. They arise in the patient's mind, and it is quite difficult to get rid of them. The most common symptoms are compulsive disorders related to germs and dirt, fear of illness, or infectious infection. Due to such obsessions, many rituals and habits appear in the patient’s life, for example, constant hand washing with soap, constant cleaning of the apartment, or round-the-clock prayers. Such rituals are a reaction to the emergence of obsessive ideas; their main purpose is to protect against anxiety. Most patients diagnosed with obsessive-compulsive disorder also suffer from depressive states.
Diagnostics
How to identify anxiety-phobic disorder and other types of this pathology? Anxiety is diagnosed quite simply. Each of us encounters a similar phenomenon at least once in our lives. The condition is accompanied by a feeling of impending troubles or threats. In the vast majority of cases, it does not last long and goes away on its own after all the circumstances are clarified. It is very important to be able to distinguish between normal reactions to events and pathological signs.
Feature groups
All symptoms characteristic of an anxiety disorder can be roughly divided into several groups:
1. Feeling of tension and anxiety. This means constant worry about any one situation or the absence of a reason for such a state. As a rule, the intensity of the experience is completely out of proportion to the scale of the problem. It is impossible to obtain satisfaction from the situation under any circumstances. A person is constantly in a state of thoughtfulness, worrying about problems and some little things. In fact, a person is in constant anticipation of negative news, so he cannot relax even for a minute. The patients themselves describe this type of anxiety as deliberately illogical, but they are not able to cope with this condition on their own.
2. Sleep disturbance. Relaxation does not occur even at night, since the above symptoms do not go away. It is difficult for a person to fall asleep; this often requires not only great effort, but also medication support. Sleep is shallow and intermittent. In the morning there is a feeling of weakness and fatigue. During the day, exhaustion, loss of strength and fatigue appear. Sleep disturbance wears out the body as a whole, reducing the quality of overall well-being and health from a somatic point of view.
3. Autonomic symptoms anxiety-depressive disorder. A change in the balance of certain hormones can cause a reaction not only from the human psyche. Quite often there are disturbances in the activity of the autonomic system. A state of anxiety quite often leads to symptoms such as shortness of breath, increased sweating, difficulty breathing, etc. In addition, dyspeptic symptoms quite often appear, for example nausea and vomiting, pain in the area gastrointestinal tract, constipation and diarrhea. It is also possible to experience headaches that are almost impossible to eliminate with standard painkillers. Another characteristic symptom is pain in the heart area, a feeling that the organ is not working properly.
Diagnostic criteria
To make an accurate diagnosis, it is necessary to observe the patient, keeping track of all the criteria listed below, for several months. It is not possible to eliminate them using standard methods; these signs are permanent and occur in any everyday everyday situations. ICD-10 identifies the following diagnostic criteria:
1. Persistent fear. Due to the anticipation of future failures, a person is unable to work and concentrate, as well as rest and relax. The feeling of excitement becomes so all-consuming that the patient can no longer perceive other important experiences, emotions and feelings. Anxiety begins to dominate the human mind.
2. Voltage. Constant fussiness arises as a desire to do something with persistent anxiety. At the same time, the person tries to find out the true cause of his condition and cannot sit still.
3. Autonomic signs are also very important in diagnosing anxiety. The most common symptoms in this case are dizziness, increased sweating and a feeling of dry mouth.
Treatment
Modern psychology is in constant search of new, most effective methods treatment of anxiety disorders. Various breathing techniques, yoga, and relaxation therapy also help in this process. Some patients manage to overcome the disease on their own, without the use of conservative methods treatment. The most effective and recognized by psychologists methods of treating anxiety disorders are the following:
Self-help. This is the first thing a person can do if they are diagnosed with an anxiety disorder. To do this, you need to work on yourself and learn to keep the physiological manifestations of anxiety under control. This can be done by performing special breathing exercises or muscle relaxation complexes. Such techniques help normalize sleep, relieve anxiety and reduce pain in tense muscles. Exercises must be performed regularly, for quite a long time. long period. Deep, even breathing can also help relieve a panic attack. However, you should not allow hyperventilation. What else is used in the treatment of anxiety disorder?
Working with a psychiatrist. Also is effective way getting rid of anxiety disorder. Most often, this condition is transformed into the form of negative images, thoughts and fantasies, which can be difficult to exclude. The therapist helps the patient shift these thoughts into a more positive direction. The whole essence of psychotherapy for anxiety disorders comes down to teaching the patient a more positive way of thinking and feeling, a realistic perception of the surrounding reality. There is a so-called habituation method. It is based on the patient's repeated encounters with the objects of his fears and anxieties. This is how specific phobias are most often treated. Symptoms and treatment for anxiety disorders are often interrelated.
Drug treatment. This technique is used only in the most severe cases. Therapy should not be limited to just taking medications. In addition, you should not take medications while permanent basis, as it may be addictive. They are intended only to relieve symptoms. Most often, drugs from the category of antidepressants are prescribed for the treatment of anxiety disorders: Maprotiline, Sertraline, Trazodone, etc. They are taken in a course and begin to act a few weeks after the start of treatment. In addition, drugs related to benzodiazepines are also used: “Diazepam”, “Noosepam”, “Lorazepam”, etc. These drugs have a calming effect that occurs approximately 15 minutes after administration. They provide good and quick relief from a panic attack. However, the negative side of these drugs is that they quickly become addictive and become dependent. Treatment for generalized anxiety disorder can be lengthy.
Phytotherapy. There are a number of herbs that can relieve anxiety and have a relaxing and calming effect on the body. Such herbs include, for example, the well-known peppermint. Oat straw has antidepressant properties, protecting the nervous system from excessive overload. Chamomile, linden, lavender, lemon balm and passionflower also help cope with anxiety and accompanying symptoms such as headaches, upset stomach, etc. Hop cones will help relieve irritability and excessive nervous excitability.
