Anxiety: A Common Symptom that Can Get Out of Control
Anxiety is defined in the dictionary as mental distress caused due to fear of danger. It is also mentioned to be a state of psychic tension in some types of mental disorders. It is normally thought of to be a fear of impending doom, planned or otherwise.

Anxiety affects everybody at some point in life. Common situations like upcoming exams or thesis presentation, the sickness of a dear one or unfamiliar territory-all commonly provoke feelings of anxiety in people. Exaggerated distress over unnecessary situations, however, is considered to be a disorder and needs medical attention. The various other symptoms include shortness of breath, palpitations, trembling; a sense of choking, sweating, chest pain, stomach upset, nausea, numbness, dizziness, and hot flashes or chills.

Genetics, Personality and Your Susceptibility to Anxiety Disorders


Scientists attribute anxiety disorders to be caused by several factors like personality, genetics, environmental factors and brain chemistry. Family history is considered by researchers to be a chief contributing factor in the development of anxiety disorder. A person who grew up amidst worrying family members, for instance, had a high chance of becoming a huge worrier, too.
Personality is another key factor, with people having low self-esteem more prone to developing anxiety disorders.

Brain chemicals like neurotransmitters, too are highly related to anxiety disorders. Neurotransmitters are chemicals that transmit brain signals. Imbalance of such chemicals may change the way the mind reacts normally to situations, causing anxiety to develop.

Any stressful incident like an accident, abuse, death, etc. may cause anxiety disorders. Stressful situations heighten anxiety levels. Addiction to or sudden abstinence from caffeine, alcohol or nicotine intake may worsen anxiety, too.

An Uphill Battle Dealing With Anxiety Attacks


Excessive worrying may lead to anxiety attacks too. Such attacks are characterized by overwhelming fear for no obvious reason. These attacks not only affects brain functioning, but also causes changes in the major glands of our body, leading them to secrete hormones double-time, thus flooding the body cells and provoking the person to run or hide.

The situation is much worse than that experienced by regular anxiety sufferers, since it involves irrational fear.

Stress management helps a great deal in curbing anxiety disorders. Stress can be efficiently reduced by improving your lifestyle. Sleep adequately, ensuring that the body gets the complete rest it deserves for all the hard work in a day. Caffeine or nicotine intake should be lowered, as it only aggravates stress.

Lastly, it’s extremely important to relax. Relaxation exercises help relieving tense muscles in a great way. It is in our hands to not allow anxiety to ruin our lives. A deep breath and a relaxed attitude can work wonders to relieve you of anxiety.
 
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