Fight high anxiety. Learn about advanced treatments for anxiety disorder. Basic Treatments

Anxiety is a condition that manifests itself in the form of anxiety and other similar feelings (fear, apprehension, anxiety), while there may be no visible and objective reasons for these manifestations. Anxiety as a condition is important to distinguish from anxiety. The latter is short-term or has serious grounds. The state of anxiety, as a rule, is long-term, it is often difficult for a person to name what is causing it. Sometimes they talk about anxiety as a character trait, when a person, for example, is constantly and strongly disturbed by things that the vast majority of people are calm about. This condition can manifest itself at any age and is diagnosed in both adults and children. Extreme manifestations of anxiety significantly spoil life and require psychological correction.

Anxiety is a negative feeling. It can appear in various situations, including those that are not considered a cause for concern. Different categories of adult patients may have negative expectations about various upcoming events, as well as close people or some other factors.

Anxiety in men

Although men are considered less prone to anxiety than women, some males tend to experience increased anxiety. This condition may begin with anxiety, which has some basis in itself (problems at work, in personal life, general dissatisfaction with one's position). However, if a person chooses to ignore the problem, turns a blind eye to their own emotions (or, even worse, relaxes with the help of alcohol), anxiety can develop into a state of constant anxiety. At that time, the man begins to worry for any reason. In this case, finding the cause and working through it can be much more difficult. In some cases, you can not do without the help of a psychotherapist.

A certain level of anxiety is normal. However, a long stay in this state leads to the fact that men become too vulnerable and vulnerable - primarily in the field of interpersonal relationships.

A separate type of anxiety that is typical for men is sexual anxiety, which manifests itself in the form of anxiety associated with sex and interfering with the realization of sexual possibilities. At the same time, the failures that appear in the intimate life of a man on the basis of sexual anxiety, in turn, aggravate the person’s condition and lead him to a kind of vicious circle, since the repetition of failures increases anxiety, which leads to further problems.

Statistics show that women are more prone to anxiety than men. Some psychologists suggest that such a predisposition is not a property of the female psyche from the very beginning; anxiety is part of the idea of ​​a “typical woman” that is formed in society. At the same time, most adult women are characterized by the acceptance of their anxiety as emotionality and sensitivity, which they do not consider a negative factor.

Anxiety during pregnancy

The period is characterized by certain changes in the thinking of a woman, including an increase in the level of anxiety. Anxiety during pregnancy, as a rule, is caused by a lack of trust - and first of all, a woman lacks confidence in herself. If this is the first pregnancy, then even reading specialized literature and numerous forums cannot rid a woman of the fear of the unknown and the accompanying disturbing thoughts.

The reasons for a serious change in the psychological state of a woman are hormonal changes that begin to occur from the first trimester of pregnancy. The causes of concern are the condition of the baby, their own health, and towards the end of the third trimester, the birth process itself. In order to avoid the formation of excessive anxiety, it is recommended, first of all, to approach pregnancy planning consciously; it has been proven that women who plan pregnancy in advance find it much easier to tune in to a positive mood. But to succumb to the influence of those for whom pregnancy has become a negative experience is not worth it: situations that have not yet occurred and may not occur at all, a woman begins to project onto herself in advance and show concern also about this.

The psychological atmosphere in the family where the pregnant woman lives contributes not least to the formation of a sense of anxiety. Therefore, the environment of a pregnant woman should take care to keep her calm and not provoke conflicts that are unconstructive in nature.

Anxiety in breastfeeding mothers

When the pregnancy is left behind, the woman's body is going through another hormonal change, which affects the mood of the young mother not for the better. In combination with the need to adapt to a new social role and the increased burden of caring for a child, this becomes a factor in the formation of a high level of anxiety. During the feeding period, nervous tension can provoke the so-called oxytocin blockade - the mother's condition blocks the production of oxytocin, which is responsible for the contraction of the mammary glands, which in turn facilitates the flow of milk from the breast. As a result, increased anxiety can lead to the fact that a lot of milk is produced, but feeding the baby is difficult, which is why both he and the woman experience inconvenience and additional stress.

Anxiety and stress can reverse the process, where a new mother's milk supply begins to decline, which in turn triggers a new cycle of experiences.

Increased anxiety in the postpartum period is noted almost as often as postpartum depression. About 10% of young mothers suffer from clinical anxiety, while symptoms such as restlessness, various fears can appear in the first few weeks after childbirth and last for several weeks, or even more. Since the state of anxiety is negative both for the mother herself and for the child, it is necessary to create conditions for overcoming it: a calm environment, support from loved ones, sufficient rest. If such measures do not help, it makes sense to contact a psychologist who will prescribe a suitable treatment.

Anxiety in the elderly is a common disorder, and about 20% of older people experience this condition on a regular basis. In old age, there are several types of anxiety disorder:

• Phobias.

In old age, the most common are the phobia of death, illness (both one's own and those of relatives).

• General anxiety disorder.

For such people, anxiety can be triggered by any factor, from family problems to a visit to the doctor.

• Social anxiety.

A person in old age may, for some reason, begin to avoid contacts, worry too much about the most ordinary meetings.

In older people, a constant state of anxiety can cause physiological disorders, including those that significantly reduce the quality of life. People at increased risk include people who have experienced severe stress, experienced severe grief, and who consume caffeine and alcohol in large quantities. Fears about approaching old age and a state of helplessness, loneliness, can also lead to the formation of an anxiety disorder.

Since such experiences are not a reason for contacting a specialist for many older people, their loved ones need to be more attentive. The joint work of a psychologist and a patient will help, if not to overcome a person’s anxiety completely, then at least improve the quality of a person’s life.

Anxiety in children is a condition that manifests itself in a tendency to excitement and excessive worries in different situations. With regard to children, it is very important to distinguish the state of anxiety from the usual manifestations of anxiety: if the first is a stable emotional manifestation and has no real grounds, then anxiety manifests itself episodically in accordance with some situation (for example, excitement before performing on stage or anxiety for an assessment received for the control work).

Anxiety in newborns

A newborn child can "get" anxiety inherited from their parents. This condition in newborns can be triggered by other causes, including birth injuries, past infections and diseases that affect the nervous system. Anxiety in newborns can be manifested by restless behavior, excessive crying, sleep disturbances and appetite. At the same time, already at this stage, it is necessary to correctly determine the cause of such behavior, since with the development of the nervous system, the state of anxiety can also evolve into more complex disorders.

Anxiety in a child

At preschool age, children with anxiety usually have other psychological problems, such as low self-esteem and difficulty in forming social contacts with other peers. However, adults who do not go into the reasons for the child's behavior even like such children - after all, they are modest, shy, strive to meet the expectations of an adult as much as possible, and are distinguished by good behavior. In fact, this condition brings discomfort to the child and can cause neurotic manifestations. To relieve psychological discomfort, children can bite their nails, pull out their hair, and perform other obsessive movements and rituals.

There are external and internal causes of a high level of anxiety in a child. Internal - this is everything that relates to the state of the child himself: features of his nervous system, including those inherited from parents, previously suffered injuries, infections and diseases that have affected the nervous system. External factors include family atmosphere, ways of raising a child; here, "extreme" measures often lead to the formation of anxiety - either the rejection of the child, or, on the contrary, overprotection and deprivation of his freedom and independence.

A separate type of childhood anxiety is school anxiety, which can arise due to the admission to school of a child who is not ready for this, as well as due to too high workloads at school, negative attitudes from teachers, peers or parents, as well as the need to receive positive ratings. The situation in which the child's actions are evaluated is stressful for most children, so they can cause increased anxiety.

Anxiety in a teenager

Adolescence is a period of crisis, during which there is a significant psychological restructuring, and the formation of adolescent anxiety can be one of the consequences of such a crisis. At this time, peers become the most significant characters for teenagers, and it is precisely about what assessment they will give that the child most often worries about. There is anxiety about the conformity of one's appearance and behavior to certain criteria, and this condition can cause further psychological difficulties.

A feature of anxious teenagers also lies in the fact that it is difficult for them to give a specific assessment of their own family. It is noted that with an increased level of anxiety, it is often difficult to assess the attitude of parents towards them and determine this very attitude depending on the situation. At the same time, anxiety makes them fixate more on negative manifestations, while such adolescents practically do not experience a sense of security.

Psychological anxiety and its certain level is a natural characteristic of the individual, while the optimal level of anxiety for each person is different. However, deviations from this level can cause significant psychological discomfort and further problems for a person.

high anxiety

Psychologists note that human anxiety develops sequentially, from one state to another. F.B. Berezin identified 6 successive stages in the development of an anxiety state:

1. Anxiety of lesser intensity. It is characterized by tension without signs of threat and is rather a preparatory stage.
2. Hyperesthesia reactions, for example, irritability, are added to internal tension. What used to be of little importance becomes important, and at the same time has a negative connotation.
3. Vague anxiety; a person feels that he is in danger, but cannot say where exactly it will come from.
4. Fear. It is nothing more than specific anxiety; at the same time, a person may be afraid of something that in reality does not bring him problems.
5. Anxiety gradually turns into a feeling that the danger is so global that it cannot be avoided. This feeling may not have a specific object of fear.
6. Excitation that occurs against the background of anxiety and requires discharge, or outside help. These experiences lead to the fact that the activity of a person experiencing such states begins to become disorganized - as well as his behavior.

The presence of a high level of psychological anxiety makes it difficult to respond normally to many situations and limits a person's behavior. Therefore, it is necessary to work with increased anxiety.

Why anxiety occurs

There can be many reasons for increased anxiety. Sometimes anxiety is a symptom of a mental illness. However, this condition can also be present in a mentally healthy person.

Everyone is born with a certain level of anxiety, which is sufficient for adaptation in this world - if we consider this state as one of the normal manifestations of the instinct of self-preservation. However, immediately after birth, a person enters a certain social environment, under the influence of which the innate level of anxiety can change. At the same time, in some cases, the level of anxiety increases due to a certain microclimate in the family and the peculiarities of raising a child.

Not only upbringing, but also strong stressful situations can cause a sharp increase in the level of anxiety. For example, people who have experienced a major catastrophe and survived after it often become terrified of the occurrence of such circumstances; if it was a traffic accident, they categorically refuse to get behind the wheel; if the problem arose with water transport, a person will by all means avoid circumstances in which it will be necessary to repeat the same path. The same applies to various diseases. Successful physical healing from a serious illness may well make a person who is too critical of his own health.

The main fears begin to form even in childhood, while the number of these formed fears will depend on how anxious the parents are about the child. However, external factors are not the only source of fear, because each child gradually learns to experience a feeling of fear, anxiety (remember at least the children's "horror stories" that children begin to tell each other quite early).

With age, a person's attitude towards fear and anxiety begins to change; If for men to admit that they are afraid means (according to gender stereotypes) to admit their own weakness, then women more often recognize the feeling of anxiety and, moreover, use it. However, the presence of too many irrational fears, which is often the result of an increased level of anxiety, significantly complicates the life of both sexes, limiting their activity and activity to a rather strict framework.

Personal anxiety as a basic character trait

Personal anxiety is a character trait that is a component of a person's personality, while another type of anxiety - situational anxiety - is an episodic reaction to specific situations. At the same time, other general features of behavior are also characteristic of people with increased personal anxiety: they are uncommunicative, withdrawn, and not prone to active actions.

Due to the excessive amount of fears and fears that are not always justified, personal anxiety affects many aspects of a person's life: his self-esteem, social and professional contacts, family relationships, and the ability to self-motivate. The principles of the formation of personal anxiety are similar to other psychological neoplasms. At the very beginning, a state of anxiety appears, then, subject to its constant appearance, it is fixed in the structure of a person’s personality. If at the first stages a person’s anxiety arises due to some external factors, then after it goes into the category of personality traits, its very presence produces a state of anxiety even without the presence of objective reasons.

The state of anxiety can be manifested not only by a special state of mind, which is, as it were, under the pressure of an unknown threatening cause, but is also reflected in physical symptoms. Very often, patients complain of difficulty in breathing, abdominal pain, dizziness - and sometimes these symptoms can be confused with some other diseases. But if these symptoms are misunderstood and a person is treated for asthma, for example, the symptoms associated with anxiety will be just as intense as they were before treatment.

The most common symptoms of anxiety include:

• Inability to relax
• Sleep disorders (most often insomnia)
• Feeling of loss of control over oneself, one's own emotions and over the situation as a whole
• Constant feeling of excitement even in a calm environment
• Panic attacks
• Increased arousal of the autonomic nervous system (manifested less often than other symptoms)

Constant stay in this state negatively affects the nervous system, exhausting it and gradually aggravating the condition. Often, progressive anxiety can lead to the formation of persistent phobias, as well as conditions that require the intervention of specialists and the use of certain means to correct the psycho-emotional sphere.

Low Anxiety

Although in most cases of deviation from the optimal level of anxiety, we are talking about its excess, there are situations when the level of anxiety, on the contrary, is too low. This is manifested in the fact that a person feels comfortable and relaxed even in a situation that can harm him.

People with a low level of anxiety are often perceived by others as excessively calm, in some ways even lazy. Indeed, in some cases, low anxiety can lead to laziness, just as high anxiety can make a person too active. However, the advantages of low anxiety are that a person is able to relax as much as possible and reach the point of mobilization at the right time.

A person with low anxiety can find himself in professions associated with an increased level of risk: stuntmen, pilots, astronauts. However, do not forget that the innate inability to underestimate the danger and neglect of difficult situations can be a minus in some cases.

Since a high level of anxiety is often recognized as a pathological condition, psychologists recommend correcting this condition. It is often more difficult for anxious people to build a career, family life; such people are at risk of dropping out of social life altogether.

What can cause anxiety

The most commonly ignored feeling of anxiety leads to the formation of persistent phobias, but there are other negative consequences. For example, when trying to suppress one's own anxiety by taking alcohol or other mind-altering substances (hence the expression "drink for courage"), a person has every chance of becoming addicted to these substances - that is, becoming an alcoholic or becoming addicted to drugs.

Anxiety can lead to problems in the work team, as such people often do not accept help and do not tolerate criticism. If a person with an increased level of anxiety enters into a relationship with the opposite sex, he often becomes dependent on a partner and is ready to do anything to maintain even such relationships that bring him only negative. Both in the case of a career and in relation to family life, a person with a high level of anxiety sets false goals for himself and spends all his energy solely on achieving them.

When Anxiety Becomes Pathological

If the level of anxiety, which does not exceed the norm, is positive for a person, preparing him in advance for potentially dangerous situations, then pathological anxiety is definitely negative. The fact that the level of anxiety exceeds the norm can be judged not only by the relevant questionnaires, but also by certain criteria:

• The perception of the surrounding world solely as a source of danger and threat, which leads to constant emotional discomfort and nervous tension.
• Constant fear can lead to the development of pre-neurotic states, and subsequently - neuroses of various types.
• Too high anxiety negatively affects any activity: educational, professional.
• Increased anxiety negatively affects certain behavioral and self-control skills; anxious people are irritable, prone to arguing with those who evaluate their activities, and also to explaining their own failures by some external factors.

Among other things, pathological anxiety often becomes a factor in aggressive behavior.

There are certain techniques for identifying the level of anxiety and compliance with its norm. Experts can assume the presence of a certain level of anxiety based on human behavior in a normal diagnostic conversation, however, quantitative diagnostics of anxiety is possible only if appropriate questionnaires are used.

Anxiety test

The most famous test for anxiety is the Spielberger-Khanin test, which consists of 40 statements. The subject is asked to choose the most appropriate answer from the 4 options for each statement. After the test is passed, the subject receives a score ranging from 20 to 80 points. The results are interpreted as follows:

• low level of personal anxiety in people who scored up to 30 points.
• 31-44 points are scored by people whose anxiety is within the normal range.
• a score of more than 45 points indicates that the level of anxiety is too high.

If the test shows too high a level of anxiety, such people are advised to switch from being too demanding of themselves in any kind of activity to understanding their tasks and learning detailed planning. However, since too low anxiety is also a deviation from the norm, people who scored less than 30 points should also do some work on themselves: become more interested and responsible, wake up their own activity, somehow motivate themselves to perform certain tasks.

There are also more narrowly focused anxiety tests, such as the anxiety test for primary school age by R. Tamml, M. Dorki and V. Amen. This projective test offers the child 14 pictures, which depict situations familiar to every younger student. In each drawing there is a child whose face is not drawn; the subject is asked to choose a facial expression from several proposed for each picture. When passing the test, not only the choice of the child is recorded, but also his comments on a particular picture.

To quantify the level of anxiety, the percentage of the choices of sad faces to the total number of drawings is calculated. Qualitative assessment requires a separate analysis of each response; special attention is paid to situations depicting the relationship between the child and parents.

A common anxiety scale is the Beck Inventory, which consists of 21 statements and includes the most typical and common symptoms of anxiety. This questionnaire is used to identify categories of people prone to increased anxiety in the current period and send them for further examination.

The subject is asked to compare each statement with his own state, the most typical for this person during the last week. The evaluation of a symptom can range from no symptom at all to such a strong manifestation that it interferes with a normal existence. Answering the questions takes about 10 minutes, after which the specialist interprets the results and draws a conclusion about the level of anxiety.

Another scale used to measure the degree of anxiety disorders is the Hamilton Anxiety Scale. To assess the condition, the subject is asked to answer 14 questions, 13 of which describe the patient's condition in everyday life, and 14 are aimed at determining the level of anxiety directly upon examination. This scale is a kind of "gold standard" for assessing anxiety disorders; it can be used both to obtain a general indicator of anxiety disorder, and to assess the level of manifestation of anxiety in the physical and mental spheres separately.

Conversation method

The method of conversation, or interview, is often used to diagnose anxiety. By asking standard questions, the psychologist analyzes not only the content component of the answers, but also the patient's behavior in the interaction situation. The patient describes his feelings about the experience of sadness, anxiety, and also gives a report on the state of his health and well-being.

During the conversation, information can be obtained about which areas are the most disturbing for the patient, as well as a preliminary conclusion about the severity of the disorder. However, for a more accurate assessment, the conversation method should be used in combination with other methods.

Other research methods

In addition to the use of questionnaires and the method of conversation, the following methods can be used:

• observation.

Attention is paid to such signs as actions showing nervousness (tendency to bite nails, perform other obsessive movements), tension, confusion, sadness, fear and other manifestations.

• Experimental component of emotions.

The study of this parameter can be carried out not only by direct observation, but also by video filming or photographing for subsequent analysis of the patient's facial expressions and conclusions about his emotional state.

• Studying the results of activities.

Since the fact that a high level of anxiety affects the quality of activity, this group of methods occupies an important place in the diagnosis of anxiety.

• The study of physiological factors.

According to a number of experts, the state of anxiety has not only psychological, but also physical manifestations, therefore, a change in the activity of the autonomic nervous system, which can be recorded by appropriate devices, also applies to methods for determining anxiety. In this group of methods, the most relevant is the measurement of galvanic skin response and the measurement of heart rate.

Since a high level of anxiety reduces the quality of life of a person and, with a further increase, can lead to negative consequences, pathological deviations of this indicator from the norm are subject to correction.

Psychological exercises to reduce anxiety

There are certain exercises that can be done on your own to help reduce anxiety.

• "The Anxiety Game"

To complete this exercise, you will need to focus on a particular factor that causes anxiety, and determine how often thoughts about this factor come up during the day. Next, you will need to choose a time and place that is most atypical for such anxiety manifestations, and it is here to focus on the negative consequences of anxiety (what would happen if the worst assumptions came true). After a few minutes, you will notice that the state of anxiety is reduced, giving way to a more calm and stable mood.

• Status revision.

In order to complete this exercise, you will need to use your imagination and imagine the situation causing anxiety in reverse chronological order, while seeing your participation in it as if from the outside. In order for the exercise to succeed, you will need to form a clear positive attitude towards that “you” that you observe from the outside, give him the support that he needs in this situation. Analyze how the behavior of this person may change when receiving resources transferred as support; An exercise can be considered a success if you can "see" that the scenario presented has been completed successfully.

These are just a few examples of anxiety relief exercises. The specialist can suggest something more suitable for a particular patient.

People with high levels of anxiety often come to a consultation with a psychologist. This is not surprising, because sooner or later any person realizes how much this condition reduces the comfort of life, interferes with building a career and relationships. However, even at the first contact, the psychologist needs to differentiate a high level of anxiety and its consequences from other conditions, for which appropriate methods are used, and not rely on one's own intuition.

If it is confirmed that the level of anxiety in this patient is outside the normal range, it is most often recommended to undergo a course of psychotherapy and correction of the condition. Upon completion of such a course, there is a decrease in anxiety, and psychological comfort will become more tangible. However, psychocorrection will only give results if the patient trusts the psychologist and is ready to work on overcoming his own anxiety.

Anxiety: how to get rid of yourself

With a certain manifestation of willpower, anxiety can be reduced independently. Some people are helped in this regard by the so-called change of scenery; moving to another city, changing jobs - all this can stimulate a person's activity and displace anxiety with new experiences.

Mastering psychological techniques that you can apply on your own is another way to relieve anxiety. But for success here, a certain amount of a person’s confidence is needed that he can achieve success and it’s not in vain that he does all these exercises. Self-control and teaching yourself not to panic will also help get rid of increased and unreasonable anxiety. The techniques that are universal for relieving anxiety also include a variety of breathing exercises and meditations that help stabilize and balance the psycho-emotional state.

To eliminate child anxiety, it is necessary to understand the causes of its occurrence, which in most cases lie either in a violation of the relationship between the child and an adult, or in the wrong approach to raising a child. Children's anxiety can also be a projection of parental anxiety. If you realize what exactly led to the formation of such a state in a child, and eliminate this cause (establish a trusting relationship with the child, pay more attention to him, lower the level of expectations from the baby, do not try to protect him from all imaginary and real threats), then the level of anxiety the child will begin to decline naturally.

You can help your baby get rid of anxiety by offering him to get a pet. A sense of responsibility and joint care of a pet will help not only stabilize the condition of the child, but also bring him closer to his parents.

Teach your child breathing exercises, because proper breathing greatly affects the psycho-emotional state.

• Increasing the child's self-esteem.

In this regard, parents should first of all get rid of anxiety themselves, and from the habit of comparing the baby with other children, when the comparison is clearly not in his favor. Too high expectations that do not correspond to the capabilities of the child also negatively affect his self-esteem and increase the level of anxiety.

• Mastering the skills of self-control.

Already in childhood, kids are able to control themselves even in exciting situations - especially if an adult teaches you exactly how to do it.

• Relieve muscle tension.

Anxiety is often accompanied by excessive muscle tension, which causes discomfort, so training in muscle relaxation is another step towards controlling children's anxiety.

If, despite all the measures, anxiety persists, it is recommended to contact a child psychologist who will carry out appropriate work with the child.

Anxiety, its elevated level, is a condition characteristic of many people living in the modern world. One should not be condescending to manifestations of increased anxiety, since a long stay in this state has a destructive effect on the psyche and can significantly worsen a person's life at any age, from early childhood to old age.

Increased anxiety- the most common reason (along with depression) for turning to psychologists and psychotherapists.

If anxiety takes time and energy, it has become impossible to enjoy life and plan for the future - contact an experienced psychotherapist.

Anxiety comes in many forms:

• people worry that they have an incurable, fatal disease, although they experience relatively mild illness;
• they are afraid that they will be fired, although they are doing their job well;
• they constantly call children, relatives, they are afraid that trouble has happened to them;
• they cannot sleep when they are worried, they are very worried about small things that they usually forget about instantly;
• many times they check the iron, taps, the lock on the door when they leave the house.

If anxiety worries constantly, it is necessary psychotherapeutic help. The causes of chronic anxiety are hidden deep under the protection of the psyche - a person without special skills will not be able to "get to the bottom" of them. With an experienced specialist, relief comes already in the first sessions, and purposeful work (the client must actively participate in it) gives a stable positive result - a person gets rid of anxiety and can quickly cope with it in any situation.

Reading time: 3 min

Human anxiety is an individual-personal psychological feature that is found in the tendency of subjects to constantly feel the strongest anxiety for minor reasons. Often, anxiety disorder is regarded as a personality trait or is interpreted as a feature of temperament arising from the weakness of nervous processes. In addition to this, increased anxiety is often seen as a joint structure that combines a personality trait and a temperamental feature. The state of anxiety is a feeling of discomfort or the anticipation of a certain threat. The described disorder, as a rule, is referred to as neurotic disorders, in other words, to pathological conditions that are psychogenic and characterized by the absence of personality disorders.

Personal anxiety is predominantly increased in people with, in individuals with neuropsychiatric ailments or suffering from severe somatic diseases, experiencing the consequences of mental trauma. In general, the state of anxiety is a subjective reaction to personal trouble.

Causes of anxiety

Modern science does not know the exact causes that provoke the development of this condition, but a number of factors can be identified that contribute to the emergence of anxiety, among them are: genetic predisposition, malnutrition, lack of physical activity, negative thinking, experience, somatic diseases, environment.

Many scientists believe that the level of anxiety is laid down at the genetic level. Each individual has a specific set of genes, the so-called "biological design". Often a person feels an increased level of anxiety due to the fact that it is just "built into" his genetic code. Such genes provoke a significant chemical “skew” in the brain. It is the imbalance that creates anxiety.

There is also a biological theory that claims that increased anxiety is due to the presence of some biological anomalies.

Anxiety can be triggered by malnutrition and lack of physical activity, which is critical to health. Sports, running and other physical activities are excellent ways to relieve tension, stress and anxiety. Thanks to such activity, a person can direct hormones in a healthier direction.

Most psychologists believe that people's thoughts and attitudes are key factors influencing their mood, and therefore anxiety. The personal experience of the individual also often becomes a cause of concern. The acquired negative experience can cause fear in similar situations in the future, which will increase the level of anxiety and affect success in life.

In addition, high anxiety can be triggered by an unfriendly or new environment. In the normal state, anxiety is a signal that the individual is in a dangerous situation, but if the level of danger anxiety does not correspond to the degree of danger, then this condition must be corrected.

This condition is often a concomitant symptom of some somatic ailments and mental illnesses. This, first of all, includes various endocrine disorders, hormonal failure during menopause in women, neurosis, alcoholism. Often, a sudden feeling of anxiety is a harbinger of a heart attack or indicates a decrease in blood sugar levels.

All of the above factors can not provoke anxiety in every individual, the age of the individual often plays a decisive role in the occurrence of anxiety.

Neo-Freudians, in particular K. Horney and G. Sullivan, believed that the basic cause of anxiety is an early dysfunctional relationship experience that provoked the development of basal anxiety. Such a state accompanies the individual throughout his life, influencing to a large extent on his relationship with the social environment.

Behaviorists regard anxiety as a result of learning. According to them, anxiety is the learned response of the human body to dangerous situations. This reaction is further transferred to other circumstances that cause association with a known threatening situation.

Signs of anxiety

Common symptoms of anxiety:

inability to relax;

Feeling unwell;

restless sleep;

Feeling unable to cope.

Physical symptoms of anxiety:

Increasing muscle tension, provoking pain in the head;

Rigidity of the muscles of the neck or shoulders;

From the side of the autonomic nervous system - increased arousal (rarely).

The state of anxiety gives rise to a steady struggle with oneself, which affects the whole organism as a whole or its individual systems. For example, panic attacks or rapid breathing can result in dizziness or weakness. In such a state, the individual loses control over the situation. Often he may have fear or.

An excited person experiences weakness, his sweating increases, he can cry at any second. An anxious subject is quite easy to frighten, because he is too sensitive to noise. In addition to the symptoms described above, there is often difficulty swallowing or breathing, dry mouth, palpitations, pain or tightness in the chest area.

Also, to the listed manifestations, one should add indigestion, epigastric pain, flatulence, nausea. Perhaps increased urination or an urgent need for immediate emptying of the bladder, diarrhea, weakening of libido. All the signs under consideration have a subjective conditionality, namely, there is a connection: anxiety, age or gender dependence. So, for example, in men in a state of increased anxiety, there may be cases of impotence, and in the fairer sex, menstrual pain.

In children, high anxiety is manifested by a depressed mood, poorly established contacts with the environment that frightens him, which over time can lead to underestimation and a stable pessimistic mood.

All manifestations are also determined by the type of anxiety, namely personal anxiety and situational, mobilizing and relaxing, open and hidden. The first type is a personal formation, which is found in a stable tendency to anxiety and unrest, regardless of the severity of life circumstances. It is characterized by a sense of the inexplicable and menacing. An individual with such a personality trait is ready to perceive all events as dangerous.

Situational anxiety is caused by a specific situation or event that causes anxiety. Such a state can be found in each individual in front of serious life difficulties and possible troubles, which is considered the norm, since it contributes to the mobilization of human resources.

Mobilizing anxiety gives an additional message to action, relaxing anxiety paralyzes the personality at crucial moments. Researchers have also shown that the state of anxiety changes over time as a function of the degree of stress to which a person is exposed and varies in intensity.

Anxiety is diagnosed through various methods, including questionnaires, drawings and all kinds of tests.

Anxiety Correction

An annual diagnosis of anxiety reveals a huge number of children with signs of anxiety and fear.

Removing anxiety in children is associated with certain difficulties and can take quite a long time. Psychologists recommend corrective work to be carried out simultaneously in several directions. First of all, it is necessary to direct all efforts to increase children's self-esteem. This stage is quite long and requires daily work. You need to try to address the baby by name, more often sincerely praise him, celebrate his successes in the presence of peers. At the same time, the baby should understand well what he received praise for.

At the same time, it is necessary to teach the baby the ability to control himself in certain, most disturbing situations. At this stage, games are used to reduce anxiety and its various manifestations. Story games and dramatizations have the maximum effect. For their implementation, specially selected scenes are used to help relieve anxiety. It is easier for crumbs to overcome any barriers through play activities. In addition, in the gameplay, negative personal qualities are transferred from the baby to the game character. Thus, the child can get rid of his own imperfections for a while, see them as if from the outside. In addition, a preschooler can show his own attitude to personal shortcomings in play activities.

In addition to the described methods aimed at reducing anxiety, various methods of relieving muscle tension are used. Here it is better to use games related to bodily contact, relaxation exercises, massage. A very effective method of reducing childhood anxiety is to paint the face with mom's unnecessary lipsticks to play an impromptu masquerade.

The best way to relieve anxiety in adults is to use various meditative techniques. The secret to the success of meditation lies in the presence of a relationship that combines negative emotions and muscle tension. Reducing muscle tension can gradually overcome anxiety.

Anxiety treatment

The first step in treating anxiety is identifying the exact cause. So, for example, if an anxiety condition is provoked by taking medications or narcotic substances, then the treatment will consist in their cancellation.

When caused by a somatic ailment, in the first place it is necessary to treat the main disease. If an individual is found to have a primary anxiety disorder, in cases where the anxiety persists after the underlying disorder has been treated or medications have been discontinued, psychotherapy and drug treatment are recommended.

Modern drugs designed to relieve anxiety are effective, safe and easily tolerated. With anxiety disorder, a short course of benzodiazepines can reduce anxiety and eliminate insomnia.

If the patient suffers, then the use of medicines in the complex is indicated. The appointment of drugs is due to the presence of concomitant mental disorders, such as depression, alcoholism and. In such cases, antidepressants are indicated.

The psychological approach involves, as a rule, the use of cognitive methods. The techniques of this approach are aimed at changing the client's reactions to situations that generate anxiety.

In addition, psychologists advise not to forget about self-help in getting rid of increased anxiety. Often, individuals with excessive anxiety are helped by a change in lifestyle. Numerous studies have shown that increasing physical activity helps burn off excess adrenaline and provides a healthy outlet for motor restlessness. Also, studies show that physical activity can improve mood and stimulate the development of a more positive outlook on life.

Speaker of the Medical and Psychological Center "PsychoMed"

The concept of anxiety unites a group of diseases of different origin, united by a common symptom - anxiety. It is characterized by the appearance in a person of constant obsessive thoughts, insomnia, abdominal pain, nausea, dizziness, excessive sweating.

Anxiety predominates in women. This is associated with increased lability of the nervous system and greater sensitivity of body cells to the action of the anxiety hormone.

Diseases that are characterized by anxiety:

• generalized anxiety disorders;
• panic attacks;
• post-traumatic stress disorder;
• phobias;
• obsessive-compulsive disorder;
• post-traumatic stress state;
• depression;
• social phobia.

Anxiety appears, as a consequence of incidents, and for no reason. The occurrence of this condition is difficult to predict or prevent.

What is anxiety

The emotional state of a person that occurs as a reaction of the body to an internal or external stimulus. It is characterized by the appearance of fear, increased irritability, emptiness, a feeling of tension, insomnia, dizziness, increased fatigue, tremors and other symptoms. A person has obsessive thoughts that completely occupy time. In certain cases, the state of emotional stress passes through a certain period of time and without specialized intervention by a doctor. But there are times when medical attention is needed.

Increased anxiety

It occurs mainly in adults against the background of situations for which a person was absolutely not ready. The reason for this condition lies deeper than it seems. Psychologists have linked unpredictable responses to stress to childhood trauma. In everyday life, a person experiences anxiety a huge number of times a day, but this does not harm. When increased anxiety occurs, the body is not ready for such a strong shock.

Anxiety is considered elevated when both physiological and emotional symptoms appear that last more than 7 days and do not disappear. Somatic include increased heart rate, tremor, headache, increased sweating, increased fatigue, weakness. Mental signs: emptiness, fear, search for signs of danger, tension.

Anxiety scale

There are several scales and gradations of anxiety, but the most common and used are the Spielberg-Khanin and Kondash scales.

Spielberg scale - Khanin. A technique that distinguishes anxiety associated with a specific situation and which is characteristic of a person. Two forms are used: the first is for determining situational anxiety, and the second is for personal anxiety. Reactive (situational) anxiety characterizes the state of a person at a certain point in time, after the occurrence of some incident. Manifested by increased sweating, increased heart rate and respiration, fear and tension.

A person is provided with 2 forms, which list 40 judgments and answer options (1 - never, 2 - almost never, 3 - often, 4 - almost always). Further, without thinking twice, the patient chooses one of the numbers that corresponds to his condition at the moment (form 1) and usually (form 2).

Each digit corresponds to a certain number of points: 1 means 4; 2 - 3; 3 - 2. Next, the results are calculated and the points are summed up:

• up to 30 - low level;
• 31 - 44 - moderate;
• more than 45 - high.

The higher the number of points scored, the higher the level of anxiety and the risk of a disease of the nervous system.

Kondash Anxiety Scale. The peculiarity is that a person determines how much a particular situation can cause anxiety, without using signs of personal experiences and the external environment. Used in schools to determine what is the main stress factor for students.

Students are given a form with a variety of situations and answers to them.

• communication situations;
• experiences associated with school and teachers;
• anxiety associated with self-image.

Important! Anxiety is a symptom of psychological disorders. It is characterized by panic attacks, fears, obsessive thoughts. The condition reduces the quality of a person's life, causing daily suffering. Get rid of anxiety with the help of a psychotherapist

Reasons for increased anxiety

The occurrence of anxiety is strictly individual and is associated with a genetic predisposition, upbringing, the presence of somatic or mental diseases, and the state of the environment.

• most often, anxiety occurs when a new, unfamiliar situation or situation arises that requires an urgent decision;
• also a feeling of anxiety comes when waiting for a situation or event, when emotional experiences become very strong;
• somatic diseases (diabetes mellitus, hormonal disorders) lead to the appearance of the main symptoms of stress;
• the presence of negative consequences in the past, which led to the emergence of anxiety in the present.

Risk factors

There is a huge variety of possible causes that precede the appearance of stress in people of any age. Main factors:

• psychological problems in the family or at work;
• emotional lability;
• overwork;
• lack of proper sleep and rest;
• eating a lot of unhealthy foods;
• low physical activity;
• the presence of mental illness;
• constant stress.

Are depression and anxiety linked?

For both anxiety and depression, there are no exact causes. But after research, it became known that increased and prolonged anxiety leads to depression or a depressive-like state. A person who is under the influence of stress for a long time is prone to the development of not only diseases of internal organs, but also mental illnesses. This is due to the fact that with short exposure to the stress hormone, the body turns on compensatory mechanisms. With a prolonged and massive concentration of stress substances, regulatory systems are unable to maintain the body under normal conditions. There is an exhaustion and weakening of the protective reactions of the body, which leads to the onset of depression.

Anxiety classification

There are various classifications of anxiety developed by psychiatrists around the world.

According to Ch. Spielberg:

• personal - the presence of a trait in a person that makes an individual prone to anxiety in a variety of situations;
• situational (reactive) - the presence of a situation that, regardless of the type of organism, can cause stress and anxiety.

According to A.M. The parishioner is based on situations at school that contribute to the emergence of anxiety in students:

• associated with communication with peers;
• caused by the learning process;
• situations where the student expresses self-image.

According to Z. Freud:

• realistic anxiety - occurs when there is an object from the external environment that causes a threat to a person or his loved ones;
• moral - when a person has motives that contradict generally accepted norms and rules. As a result of internal self-blame, a feeling of stress appears;
• neurotic - manifests itself with the realization that a person does not control the situation and his role in it.

Other types of anxiety:

• separation - in case of a threat to lose items necessary for existence;
• depressive - with the appearance of fear of a serious mental illness;
• castration - the presence of a real or imagined threat to sexual health;
• paranoid - the presence of fear of attack or invasion;
• psychotic - with the threat of loss of identity.

All of the above classifications are used in modern medical science to broadly designate the type of anxiety.

How anxiety manifests

For each person, anxiety is manifested by certain symptoms characteristic of a particular organism. Among the most common physiological signs are:

• insomnia or other sleep disorders;
• increased heart rate;
• headache;
• tremor of fingers;
• frequent urination;
• increased sweating;
• increased fatigue
• stool disorder.

Emotional symptoms include:

• increased irritability;
• fear;
• fear of the worst development of the event;
• a large number of obsessive thoughts;
• tension and nervousness;
• inability to concentrate.

Doctor's advice! If at least 3 symptoms from the above list occur, you should urgently contact a neurologist or psychiatrist. Do not neglect a visit to a specialist, as anxiety can develop into a serious illness or provoke the appearance of complications.

Anxiety and restlessness in children

Children's nervous system is more labile than that of adults. Anxiety occurs earlier and has severe symptoms. In adolescents, signs of emotional disturbance come to the fore:

• severe irritability;
• nervousness and tension;
• lack of desire for communication;
• increased motor activity;
• the emergence of a sense of danger;
• fear;
• the appearance of confused thoughts.

Children's anxiety worries parents. If even minor signs appear, it is recommended to deal with the problem and try to switch the child to doing what he loves.

Which doctor to contact

If complaints arise, both from the emotional sphere and physiological manifestations, it is recommended to contact, or a general practitioner. The specialist will listen to the patient, ask additional questions, conduct an examination and prescribe laboratory and instrumental tests. It is important not to delay contacting a doctor, as symptoms progress and complications may occur.

Diagnostics

It is based on an examination by a psychiatrist, an analysis of the patient's complaints, and an anamnesis of the disease. The patient is observed for two weeks from the moment of contacting a specialist. It is important not only to detect an anxiety condition, but to determine the type of disorder. It is necessary to pass a general blood and urine test, conduct an ECG, consult a neurologist, psychologist or other related doctors.

Treatment

Treatment includes:

• mode - normalize sleep, organize regular physical activity, sufficient exposure to fresh air;
• It is recommended not to take long breaks between meals. Reduce the consumption of alcoholic beverages and coffee;
• it is important to eliminate the cause that causes concern;
• Meditation is an aspect of tranquility, aimed at drawing attention inside the body, focusing on breathing and heartbeat.

Home psychotherapy - includes a number of exercises that are aimed at distracting a person:

• doing what you love;
• dialogue with oneself;
• game "worst case scenario;
• drug treatment - tranquilizers and antidepressants.

Treatment is carried out in a complex with the use of both medications and psychological methods, diet and regimen.

Folk methods

There are a variety of medicinal plants that can help manage anxiety. Before using one of the plants, it is recommended to consult a doctor. Common means:

• baths with needles - have a calming effect on the nervous system;
• tea with mint or lemon balm - has a distracting and relaxing effect;
• tincture of lure or lemon balm;
• use of oatmeal.

Traditional medicine is not aimed at treatment, but short-term relief of symptoms.

Self help for anxiety

It is necessary to understand what led to the appearance of anxiety and eliminate the cause. If it was not possible to get rid of the annoying factor, you need to try to calm down. Breathing exercises or meditation will help with this. Sweets or warm herbal tea also help. If there is no effect, consult a doctor.

What happens if not treated

In the absence of complex treatment, the symptoms of anxiety lead to an exacerbation and turn into a serious illness. Patients with anxiety create inconvenience to loved ones and relatives. Anxiety takes a person's time and doing household chores and work becomes impossible.

Forecast

With the implementation of complex treatment and elimination of the cause, the prognosis for life, recovery and working capacity is favorable.

Prevention

Preventive measures include:

• eliminate the effect of factors that provoke anxiety;
• adhere to the diet, exercise, sleep;
• meditation or other calming practices;
• treatment of somatic diseases.

Preventing anxiety is easier than treating anxiety and its severe consequences.

Anxiety- the tendency of a person to feel intense anxiety and fear, often unreasonably. It is manifested by psychological anticipation of a threat, discomfort and other negative emotions. Unlike a phobia, with anxiety, a person cannot accurately name the cause of fear - it remains uncertain.

Prevalence of anxiety. Among children in high school, anxiety reaches 90%. Among adults, 70% suffer from increased anxiety at some time in their lives.

Psychological symptoms of anxiety may occur intermittently or most of the time:

• excessive worries for no reason or for a minor reason;
• premonition of trouble;
• inexplicable fear before any event;
• feeling of insecurity;
• indefinite fear for life and health (personal or family members);
• perception of ordinary events and situations as dangerous and unfriendly;
• depressed mood;
• weakening of attention, distraction to disturbing thoughts;
• difficulties in study and work due to constant tension;
• increased self-criticism;
• "scrolling" in the head of one's own actions and statements, increased feelings about this;
• pessimism.

• rapid breathing;
• accelerated heartbeat;
• weakness;
• sensation of a lump in the throat;
• increased sweating;
• skin redness;

• clenches fists;
• snaps fingers;
• pulls clothes;
• licking or biting lips;
• bites nails;
• rubs his face.

Increased anxiety is considered a pathological condition (not a disease, but a deviation from the norm). Often it is a reaction to the transferred physical or emotional stresses.

Norm and pathology. Norma counts moderate anxiety associated with disturbing personality traits. In this case, a person often has anxiety and nervous tension for the most insignificant reasons. At the same time, vegetative symptoms (pressure drops, palpitations) appear very slightly.

Signs of mental disorders are bouts of intense anxiety, lasting from several minutes to several hours, during which the state of health worsens: weakness, pain in the chest, a feeling of heat, trembling in the body. In this case, anxiety may be a symptom of:

• anxiety disorder;
• Panic disorder with panic attacks;
• Anxious endogenous depression;
• obsessive-compulsive disorder;
• Hysteria;
• Neurasthenia;
• Post-traumatic stress disorder.

• Departure to the world of illusions. Often anxiety does not have a clear subject. For a person, this turns out to be more painful than the fear of something specific. He comes up with a reason for fear, then phobias develop on the basis of anxiety.
• Aggressiveness. It occurs when a person has increased anxiety and low self-esteem. In order to get rid of the oppressive feeling, he humiliates other people. This behavior only brings temporary relief.
• Inactivity and apathy, which are a consequence of prolonged anxiety and are associated with the depletion of mental strength. A decrease in emotional reactions makes it difficult to see the cause of anxiety and eliminate it, and also worsens the quality of life.
• The development of psychosomatic illness. The physical symptoms of anxiety (palpitations, bowel spasms) are aggravated and become the cause of the disease. Possible consequences: ulcerative colitis, gastric ulcer, bronchial asthma, neurodermatitis.

Why does anxiety occur?

Reasons for the development of anxiety

1. Congenital features of the nervous system. Anxiety is based on a congenital weakness of the nervous processes, which is characteristic of people with a melancholic and phlegmatic temperament. Heightened experiences are caused by the peculiarities of the neurochemical processes that take place in the brain. This theory is proved by the fact that increased anxiety is inherited from parents, therefore, it is fixed at the genetic level.
2. Features of education and social environment. The development of anxiety can be provoked by excessive guardianship of parents or an unfriendly attitude from others. Under their influence, disturbing personality traits become noticeable already in childhood or appear in adulthood.
3. Situations associated with a risk to life and health. These can be serious illnesses, attacks, car accidents, catastrophes and other situations that have caused a person to have a strong fear for their life and well-being. In the future, this anxiety extends to all the circumstances that are associated with this situation. So a person who has survived a car accident feels anxiety for himself and loved ones who are traveling in transport or crossing the road.
4. Repetitive and chronic stress. Conflicts, problems in personal life, mental overload at school or at work deplete the resources of the nervous system. It is noticed that the more negative experience a person has, the higher his anxiety.
5. Severe somatic diseases. Diseases accompanied by severe pain, stress, high temperature, intoxication of the body disrupt the biochemical processes in nerve cells, which can manifest as anxiety. Stress caused by a dangerous illness causes a tendency to negative thinking, which also increases anxiety.
6. Hormonal disorders. Failures in the work of the endocrine glands lead to a change in the hormonal balance, on which the stability of the nervous system depends. Often, anxiety is associated with an excess of thyroid hormones and a malfunction in the ovaries. Periodic anxiety caused by a violation of the production of sex hormones is observed in women in the premenstrual period, as well as during pregnancy, after childbirth and abortion, during menopause.
7. Improper nutrition and vitamin deficiency. Lack of nutrients leads to violations of metabolic processes in the body. And the brain is especially sensitive to starvation. The production of neurotransmitters is negatively affected by a lack of glucose, B vitamins and magnesium.
8. Lack of physical activity. A sedentary lifestyle and lack of regular exercise disrupt the metabolism. Anxiety is the result of this imbalance, manifesting itself on a mental level. Conversely, regular training activates nervous processes, contributes to the release of hormones of happiness and the elimination of disturbing thoughts.
9. Organic brain damage in which blood circulation and nutrition of the brain tissue are disturbed:

• Severe infections in childhood;
• Injuries received during childbirth;
• Violations of cerebral circulation in atherosclerosis, hypertension, age-related changes;
• Changes caused by alcoholism or drug addiction.

• Overprotection by parents who are too protective of the child, afraid of illness, injury and show their fear.
• Anxiety and suspiciousness of parents.
• Parental alcoholism.
• Frequent conflicts in the presence of children.
• Poor relationship with parents. Lack of emotional contact, detachment. Lack of kindness.
• Fear of separation from mother.
• Parental aggression towards children.
• Excessive criticism and excessive demands on the child by parents and teachers, which result in internal conflicts and low self-esteem.
• Fear of not meeting the expectations of adults: "If I make a mistake, then they will not love me."
• Inconsistent demands of parents, when the mother allows, and the father forbids, or "Not at all, but today it is possible."
• Rivalries in the family or class.
• Fear of being rejected by peers.
• Child's disability. Inability to dress, eat, go to bed on their own at the appropriate age.
• Children's fears associated with scary tales, cartoons, films.

• preparations containing caffeine - citramon, cold medicines;
• preparations containing ephedrine and its derivatives - broncholitin, dietary supplements for weight loss;
• thyroid hormones - L-thyroxine, alostin;
• beta-agonists - clonidine;
• antidepressants - Prozac, fluoxicar;
• psychostimulants - dexamphetamine, methylphenidate;
• hypoglycemic agents - Novonorm, Diabrex;
• narcotic analgesics (with their cancellation) - morphine, codeine.

What types of anxiety exist?

Due to development

• Personal anxiety- a constant tendency to anxiety, which does not depend on the environment and circumstances. Most events are perceived as dangerous, everything is seen as a threat. It is considered an overly pronounced personality trait.
• Situational (reactive) anxiety- anxiety arises before significant situations or is associated with new experiences, possible troubles. Such fear is considered a variant of the norm and is present to varying degrees in all people. It makes a person more careful, stimulates to prepare for the upcoming event, which reduces the risk of failure.

• Learning anxiety- related to the learning process;
• interpersonal- associated with difficulties in communicating with certain people;
• Associated with self-image– high level of wishes and low self-esteem;
• Social- arises from the need to interact with people, get acquainted, communicate, be interviewed;
• Choice anxiety- the unpleasant sensations that arise when you have to make a choice.

• Mobilizing anxiety- provokes a person to take actions aimed at reducing risk. It activates the will, improves thought processes and physical activity.
• Relaxing anxiety- paralyzes the will of man. It makes it difficult to make decisions and perform actions that would help find a way out of this situation.

• Adequate anxiety- reaction to objectively existing problems (in the family, in the team, in school or at work). May refer to one area of ​​​​activity (for example, communication with the boss).
• Inappropriate anxiety- is the result of a conflict between a high level of aspirations and low self-esteem. It occurs against the background of external well-being and the absence of problems. It seems to a person that neutral situations are a threat. Usually it is spilled and concerns many areas of life (study, interpersonal communication, health). Often seen in teenagers.

• Reduced anxiety– even potentially dangerous situations that carry a threat do not cause alarm. As a result, a person underestimates the seriousness of the situation, is too calm, does not prepare for possible difficulties, and often neglects his duties.
• Optimal Anxiety- Anxiety arises in situations that require the mobilization of resources. Anxiety is expressed moderately, so it does not interfere with the performance of functions, but provides an additional resource. It has been observed that people with optimal anxiety are better than others in controlling their mental state.
• Increased anxiety- anxiety manifests itself often, too much and for no reason. It interferes with an adequate reaction of a person, blocks his will. Increased anxiety causes absent-mindedness and panic at a crucial moment.

Which doctor should I contact with anxiety?

How is anxiety corrected?

1. Psychotherapy and psychological correction

1. Behavioral psychotherapy

1. Determine the source of the alarm. To do this, you need to answer the question: “What were you thinking about before you felt anxiety?”. This object or situation is likely to be the cause of the anxiety.
2. Question the rationality of negative thoughts. “How big is the chance that your worst fears will come true?” Usually it is negligible. But even if the worst happens, in the vast majority of cases there is still a way out.
3. Replace negative thoughts with positive ones. The patient is encouraged to replace thoughts with positive and more real ones. Then, at the moment of anxiety, repeat them to yourself.

1. Exposure psychotherapy

This direction is based on a systematic reduction of sensitivity to situations that cause anxiety. This approach is used when anxiety is associated with specific situations: fear of heights, fear of public speaking, public transport. In this case, the person is gradually immersed in the situation, giving the opportunity to face their fear. With each visit to a psychotherapist, the tasks become more difficult.

1. Situation representation. The patient is asked to close their eyes and imagine the situation in full detail. When the feeling of anxiety reaches its highest level, the unpleasant image must be released and returned to reality, and then move on to muscle relaxation and relaxation. At the next meetings with a psychologist, they look at pictures or films that demonstrate a frightening situation.
2. Getting to Know the Situation. A person needs to touch what he is afraid of. Go out onto the balcony of a high-rise building, say hello to those gathered in the audience, stand at the bus stop. At the same time, he experiences anxiety, but is convinced that he is safe and his fears are not confirmed.
3. getting used to the situation. It is necessary to increase the exposure time - ride on a Ferris wheel, drive one stop in transport. Gradually, the tasks become more difficult, the time spent in an anxious situation is longer, but at the same time, addiction sets in and anxiety is significantly reduced.

1. Hypnosuggestive Therapy

1. Normalization of processes occurring in the nervous system.
2. Increasing self-esteem and self-confidence.
3. Forgetting unpleasant situations that led to the development of anxiety.
4. Suggestion of an imaginary positive experience regarding a frightening situation. For example, "I like to fly on airplanes, during the flight I experienced the best moments of my life."
5. Instilling a sense of calm and security.

1. Psychoanalysis

1. play therapy

1. fairy tale therapy

1. Relieve muscle tension

1. Family Therapy

1. Medical treatment for anxiety

Self help for anxiety

• Introspection It is an attempt to sort out the inner conflict on your own. First you need to make two lists. The first is “I want”, where all material and non-material desires are entered. The second is “Must/Must”, which includes responsibilities and internal restrictions. Then they are compared and contradictions are revealed. For example, “I want to go traveling”, but “I have to pay off the loan and take care of the children.” Even the first stage will significantly reduce anxiety. Then you should determine what is more valuable and more important to you. Is there a compromise between "want" and "need"? For example, a short trip after paying off a loan. The final step is to draw up an action plan that will help in the fulfillment of desires.
• Auto-training to increase self-esteem. It combines self-persuasion and muscle relaxation. Often at the heart of anxiety, the contradiction between desire and lack of faith in one's own strength is treated - "I want to please a man, but I'm not good enough." Self-confidence is aimed at strengthening faith in oneself. To do this, in a relaxed state, it is better to repeat verbal formulas before falling asleep, with the necessary statements. “My body is completely relaxed. I am beautifull. I am self-confident. I'm charming." The result will improve significantly if you combine auto-training and work on yourself in other areas: sports, intellectual development, etc.
• Meditation. This practice includes breathing exercises, muscle relaxation and concentration on a specific subject (sound, candle flame, one's own breath, a point in the area between the eyebrows). At the same time, it is necessary to discard all thoughts, but not to drive them away, but to ignore them. Meditation helps to streamline thoughts and emotions, to concentrate on the present moment - “here and now”. It reduces anxiety, which is a vague fear of the future.
• Change of life situation work, marital status, social circle. Often, anxiety arises when it is necessary to do something that goes against the goals, moral attitudes, and opportunities. When the cause of the internal conflict is eliminated, anxiety disappears.
• Increasing Success. If a person feels successful in some area (work, study, family, sports, creativity, communication), then this significantly increases self-esteem and reduces anxiety.
• Communication. The wider the social circle and the closer social contacts, the lower the level of anxiety.
• Regular spot classes. Training 3-5 times a week for 30-60 minutes reduces the level of adrenaline, increases the production of serotonin. They restore balance in the nervous system and improve mood.
• Rest and sleep mode. A full 7-8 hour sleep restores the resource of the brain and increases its activity.

• Reduce the number of remarks. An anxious child suffers greatly from the excessive demands of adults and the inability to meet them.
• Make comments to the child in private. Explain why he is wrong, but do not humiliate his dignity, do not call him names.
• Be consistent. It is impossible to allow what was forbidden before and vice versa. If the child does not know how you will react to his misbehavior, then the level of stress increases significantly.
• Avoid speed competitions and general comparisons of the child with others. It is acceptable to compare the child with him in the past: "Now you are doing better than last week."
• Demonstrate confident demeanor in front of your child. In the future, the actions of parents become a model to follow in difficult situations.
• Remember the importance of physical contact. It can be strokes, hugs, massage, games. Touch shows your love and soothes a child at any age.
• Praise the child. Praise must be well-deserved and sincere. Find something to praise your child for at least 5 times a day.

What is the Anxiety Scale?

1. Spielberger-Khanin technique

• I get upset easily;
• I am quite happy;
• I am satisfied;
• I have blues.

• I am calm;
• I am satisfied;
• I'm nervous;
• I'm sad.

1. Children's Anxiety Scale

• general anxiety;
• relationships with peers;
• relationship with parents;
• relationships with teachers;
• check of knowledge;
• assessment of others;
• success in learning;
• self-expression;
• decrease in mental activity caused by anxiety;
• vegetative manifestations of anxiety (shortness of breath, sweating, palpitations).

• Anxiety denial - what can be a defensive reaction;
• Normal level of anxiety that prompts action;
• Increased level - in certain situations, anxiety disrupts the child's adaptation;
• High level - anxiety needs to be corrected.

It should be noted that although increased anxiety in children and adults is not dangerous to health, it leaves an imprint on a person’s behavior, making them more vulnerable or vice versa aggressive, and makes them refuse meetings, trips, as situations that carry a threat. This state affects the decision-making process, forcing you to choose not what will bring success, but what entails less risk. Therefore, the correction of anxiety allows you to make life richer and happier.