Anxiety: You Don't Have to Be a Nervous Nelly

By: David P. Robbins, LPC

In America today, most adults have experienced or suffered anxiety or anxiety-related symptoms -- or even panic attacks -- or personally know someone who has. Anxiety can be debilitating for those who suffer from it, but the good news is that in most cases, there are effective treatments for anxiety! 

So, what is anxiety?

I would define anxiety as this: a fear and expectation of a thing. Anxiety is a normal emotional/physical state within the human body. One might wonder, "How does it get so bothersome that folks have to go see a therapist, or even a psychiatrist for medication to treat the issue?" Here is a short explanation:

Anxiety, again, is a normal emotional state. If you have fear of something happening, such as, you fear that your spouse is going to find out you spent too much money on some frivolous item, the thing you are feeling is anxiety. Soldiers that are going into a quiet place, looking for the enemy, or are waiting for the enemy, typically feel some level of anxiety.  If you have to give a speech and have a fear of public speaking, you are experiencing anxiety. Anxiety is a safety mechanism: part of that whole "fight-flight response" you've heard about. Fear makes us want to stay and fight, or run and hide to protect ourselves.

Unfortunately, we sometimes let our anxieties go unchecked.

On occasion, we develop incorrect beliefs about things, and if you believe one thing or another about something that doesn't quite match with reality, or you blow things out of proportion, then your anxiety level may get to really bothersome levels. Then there are panic attacks.
  

What is a panic attack? 

A panic attack is an anxiety response that for many folks, seems to come from nowhere. Symptoms can include:

• shortness of breath
• racing heart
• raised or lowered blood pressure
• cold, sweaty hands
• fainting
• blurred or narrowed vision
• nausea 

 ...just to name a few. These symptoms can also look/feel like a heart attack, which isn't uncommon. What happens is that the unchecked, unresolved anxiety gets out of hand, and our anxiety becomes generalized. Patients frequently report instances such as exercise causing an increased heart rate, and because their anxiety previously caused their heart rate to repeatedly go up, their minds/bodies generalize the stimulus (racing heart) and produce a panic attack (an extreme form of fear/anxiety response). It isn't limited to heart rate though. A stimulus for this condition can literally be anything; from a color to a smell, or even a sound or texture. It makes treating the anxiety tricky, but not impossible. 

Myths about anxiety/panic attacks

1. I was born this way. The good news is that thus far, researchers have yet to find a direct genetic link between anxiety and one's genetic makeup. Patterns in families occur, and there is some predisposition that might make a person lean a little towards being an anxious person, but nothing that makes you anxious. 
2. There is no cure or help for me. Actually, between medication and psychotherapy, which is in fact the best-case scenario treatment for all mental health issues, anxiety disorders have a fairly good prognosis in treatment. Typically, there is a lot of work to be done on oneself to alleviate the issue, but I have seen it done time and time again.
3. I'm a weak person because I have this problem. Nothing could be further from the truth. You would be shocked if you knew how many people who suffer(ed) from anxiety-related disorders. It doesn't make you a weak or inferior person. 

Certain medications can also cause anxiety type symptoms, and if you drink too much caffeine, this can exacerbate things as well.

Lastly, we always encourage people to get a routine physical if you haven't had one in 6-12 months, and especially if your anxiety issues have begun during this time. There are a number of very treatable medical conditions that can look like anxiety. The most common medical conditions are hypothyroidism or hyperthyroidism (underactive or overactive thyroid), low vitamin D levels, and anemia (low iron levels). In the end, don't let your anxiety about your anxiety keep you from getting the help you need! There is hope and help.