The dictionary defines anxiety as a distress or uneasiness of mind that is caused by fear of danger or misfortune, real or imagined. Feeling anxious is fairly normal, there are times that we all feel fear prior to making an important project proposal or when walking on a dark alley. Anxiety is our body's natural response once it senses a real or speculated danger that could happen, making us alert and careful. Anxiety is the body's natural "fight or flight" mechanism to prepare the body for anything that will happen.

Like what was mentioned above, feeling fear or worry is normal as we are faced daily with many problems and situations with possibilities of humiliating ourselves, however there are some people who experience irrational anxieties and fears. To some people, their anxiety becomes too overwhelming that it starts affecting their lives. In this case, it may already be a sign of having an anxiety disorder.

Anxiety disorders

Anxiety disorders are different forms of abnormal, pathological fears that stem from worries that are irrational and illogical. It has many different forms that all boil down to having a persistent or irrational fear or worry of something. Having anxiety disorders manifest as a series of physiological and psychological changes. Here are some of the well known physical symptoms of anxiety:

Physical symptoms:

Muscle tension

Headaches

Sweating

Nausea

Frequent urination

Tiredness or fatigue

Insomnia

Trembling

Psychological symptoms:

Excessive, ongoing worry and tension

An unrealistic view of problems

Irritability

Difficulty concentrating

Being easily startled

Restlessness

Causes of anxiety disorders

Mental health professionals are still studying to find out the exact cause of anxiety disorders, however they have been studying three plausible factors to add to the development of such a psychological condition. These factors are:

1.Genetics. Certain studies showed that growing up in a family with anxiety disorder increases the likelihood of developing an anxiety problem as well. The research theorized that anxiety disorders can be passed on genetically.

2.Brain chemistry. Neurotransmitters are brain chemicals that relay information from one nerve cell to another. Other studies showed that an imbalance in these neurotransmitters may disrupt the relay process and alter the way a person reacts to certain stimulus.

3.Environmental factors. Traumatic events in a person's life can trigger an anxiety disorder. Stress may also worsen an anxiety disorder, as well as substance abuse.

Treatment for anxiety disorders

Thanks to modern science, there are a lot of ways to manage and treat anxiety disorders before they worsen further. Here are some of the treatments used for anxiety disorders:

Anxiety medications. anti-anxiety drugs are used for people whose anxiety disorders are severely interfering with their daily lives. Tranquilizers are used to calm down over-agitated nerves of people with anxiety disorders.

Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT). This therapy aims to work on the deep-seated reasons for the negative reactions and create new, more positive reactions to the triggers of the anxiety disorder.

Relaxation exercises. Breathing exercises, yoga, and other relaxation exercises can be practiced to help an anxiety disorder sufferer calm down in times when their anxieties are triggered.