Panic attacks (PA), an unreasonable feeling of fear and anxiety. How to Treat an Anxiety Disorder

Why does anxiety arise? The feeling of anxiety is the body's response to a physical or psychological threat emanating from the outside. Anxiety states usually appear before the onset of an important, significant or difficult event. When this event ends, anxiety disappears. But some people are prone to this feeling, they feel anxiety all the time, which makes life very difficult for them. Psychotherapists call this condition chronic anxiety.

When a person is restless, constantly worried about something, experiencing fear, this does not allow him to live normally, the world around is painted with gloomy tones. Pessimism negatively affects the psyche and general health, constant stress has a debilitating effect on a person. The resulting anxiety is often unfounded.

It provokes, first of all, the fear of uncertainty. The feeling of anxiety is common to people of all ages, but those who forget that anxiety and fear are just their personal perception of events and the surrounding reality are especially affected. At the same time, it is important that someone remind you that you cannot live in such a state and tell you how to remove the feeling of constant anxiety.

Anxiety symptoms

Often those who are prone to this sensation explain the appearance of anxiety as a vague or, conversely, a strong premonition of something bad. This condition is accompanied by very real physical symptoms.

Among them are gastric colic and spasms, a feeling of dry mouth, sweating, heart palpitations. Indigestion and sleep disturbance may occur. With an exacerbation of chronic anxiety, many fall into an unreasonable panic for which there is no apparent reason.

Anxiety can also be accompanied by a feeling of suffocation, chest pain, migraine, tingling in the arms and legs, general weakness, and a feeling of impending terror. Sometimes the symptoms are so vivid and severe that they are mistaken for a serious heart attack.

Causes of neurosis

The main causes of anxiety can be difficult family relationships, economic instability, events in the country and the world. Anxiety often appears before a responsible event, for example, an exam, a public speaking, a lawsuit, a doctor's visit, etc., when a person does not know how everything will turn out, what to expect from the situation.

People who often suffer from depression are very prone to anxiety. Those who have received any psychological trauma are also at risk.

The main task of anxiety is to warn about some negative event in the future and prevent its occurrence. This feeling is similar to inner intuition, but is focused exclusively on negative events.

This feeling is sometimes even useful, as it makes a person think, analyze and look for the right solutions. But everything is good in moderation. If anxiety becomes too intrusive, it interferes with a normal life. With excessive and chronic anxiety, you need to consult a specialist.

At present, modern methods of medicine allow us to penetrate deep into this problem and find optimal solutions for its treatment. A painstaking study of the causes of the state of anxiety led to the conclusion that this negative feeling is a consequence of a person's uncertainty about his future.

When a person does not know what will happen next, does not feel the stability of his present and future, an alarming feeling appears. Alas, sometimes confidence in the future does not depend on us. Therefore, the main advice to get rid of this feeling is to cultivate optimism in yourself. Look at the world more positively and try to find something good in the bad.

How to remove the feeling of anxiety?

When the body is in a state of anxiety and stress, it burns nutrients at a double rate than normal. If they are not replenished in time, exhaustion of the nervous system may occur and the feeling of anxiety will intensify. To get out of the vicious circle, you should adhere to a healthy lifestyle and eat well.

The diet should be rich in complex carbohydrates. They are found in whole grain bread, brown or brown rice. Never drink alcohol or drinks that contain caffeine. Drink plain clean water, mineral water without gas, freshly squeezed juices and soothing herbal teas. Such fees are sold in pharmacies.

A harmonious combination of relaxation, physical activity and entertainment will help you look at the world around you more positively. You can do some quiet work. Such an activity, pleasant to you, will calm the nervous system. For some, sitting on the shore of a pond with a fishing rod helps, others calm down when embroidering with a cross.

You can sign up for group classes in relaxation and meditation. Perfectly save from negative thoughts of yoga classes.

You can remove the feeling of anxiety and improve your mood with a massage: Press the thumb on the active point, which is located on the back of the hand, in the place where the thumb and forefinger converge. Massage should be done three times for 10 - 15 seconds. During pregnancy, such a massage can not be performed.

Try to direct your thoughts to the positive aspects of life and personality, and not the negative ones. Write short, life-affirming phrases. For example: “I know how to do this job and will do it better than others. I will succeed".

Or "I foresee the approach of happy events." Repeat these phrases as often as possible. This will definitely help to change the natural or instinctive reactions from negative to positive.

Well, here's how to overcome feelings of anxiety you know. Use what you've learned to help yourself. And they will definitely give you the results you need!

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.

Every person is in a state of anxiety and anxiety . If anxiety manifests itself in connection with a clearly expressed reason, then this is a normal, everyday occurrence. But if such a condition occurs, at first glance, for no reason, then it can signal health problems.

How does anxiety manifest itself?

Excitement , anxiety , anxiety are manifested by an obsessive feeling of expectation of certain troubles. At the same time, a person is in a depressed mood, internal anxiety forces a partial or complete loss of interest in activities that previously seemed pleasant to him. The state of anxiety is very often accompanied by headache, problems with sleep and appetite. Sometimes the rhythm of the heart is disturbed, attacks of palpitations periodically appear.

As a rule, constant anxiety in the soul is observed in a person against the background of anxious and uncertain life situations. It can be worries about personal problems, illnesses of loved ones, dissatisfaction with professional success. Fear and anxiety often accompany the process of waiting for important events or some results that are of paramount importance to a person. He tries to find an answer to the question of how to overcome the feeling of anxiety, but in most cases he cannot get rid of this condition.

The constant feeling of restlessness is accompanied by internal tension, which can manifest itself with some external symptoms − trembling , muscle tension . The feeling of anxiety and restlessness brings the body into a state of constant " combat readiness". Fear and anxiety prevent a person from sleeping normally, concentrating on important matters. As a result, the so-called social anxiety is manifested, associated with the need to interact in society.

The constant feeling of inner restlessness may worsen later. Some specific fears are added to it. Sometimes motor anxiety is manifested - constant involuntary movements.

It is quite clear that such a condition significantly worsens the quality of life, so a person begins to look for an answer to the question of how to get rid of feelings of anxiety. But before taking any sedatives, it is necessary to accurately establish the causes of anxiety. This is possible subject to a comprehensive examination and consultation with a doctor who will tell you how to get rid of anxiety. If the patient has bad dream, and anxiety haunts him constantly, it is important to determine the original cause of this condition. Prolonged stay in this state is fraught with serious depression. By the way, the anxiety of the mother can be transmitted to her baby. Therefore, the anxiety of the child during feeding is often associated precisely with the excitement of the mother.

The extent to which anxiety and fear are inherent in a person depends to a certain extent on a number of personal qualities of a person. It is important who he is - a pessimist or an optimist, how stable psychologically, how high a person's self-esteem, etc.

Why is there anxiety?

Anxiety and anxiety can be a symptom of serious mental illness. Those people who are constantly in a state of anxiety, in most cases, have certain psychological problems and are prone to.

Most mental illnesses are accompanied by a state of anxiety. Anxiety is characteristic of different periods, for the initial stage of neuroses. Severe anxiety is noted in an alcohol-dependent person with withdrawal syndrome . Quite often there is a combination of anxiety with a number of phobias, irritability,. In some diseases, anxiety is accompanied by delirium and.

However, in some somatic diseases, the state of anxiety also manifests itself as one of the symptoms. At hypertension people often have a high degree of anxiety.

Anxiety may also accompany hyperfunction of the thyroid gland , hormonal disorders during the period in women. Sometimes a sharp anxiety fails as a harbinger of a sharp drop in blood sugar levels in patients.

How to get rid of anxiety?

Before being puzzled by the question of how to relieve anxiety, it is necessary to determine whether the anxiety is natural, or the state of anxiety is so serious that it requires specialist advice.

There are a number of signs that indicate that a person will not be able to cope with a state of anxiety without visiting a doctor. You should definitely consult a specialist if the symptoms of an anxiety state appear constantly, which affects daily life, work, and leisure. At the same time, excitement and anxiety haunt a person for weeks.

A serious symptom should be considered anxiety-neurotic states that recur stably in the form of seizures. A person constantly worries that something in his life will go wrong, while his muscles tense up, he becomes fussy.

You should definitely consult a doctor if anxiety conditions in children and adults are accompanied by dizziness, heavy sweating, and work disturbances. gastrointestinal tract, dry mouth. Often, an anxiety-depressive state worsens over time and leads to.

There are a number of drugs that are used in the process of complex treatment of anxiety and anxiety. However, before determining how to get rid of an anxiety condition, the doctor needs to establish an accurate diagnosis by determining which disease and why could provoke this symptom. Conduct an examination and determine how to treat the patient, should psychotherapist . During the examination, laboratory tests of blood, urine are mandatory, ECG. Sometimes the patient needs to consult other specialists - an endocrinologist, a neuropathologist.

Most often, in the treatment of diseases that provoke a state of anxiety and anxiety, tranquilizers and antidepressants are used. The attending physician in the course of therapy may also prescribe a course of tranquilizers. However, the treatment of anxiety with psychotropic drugs is symptomatic. Therefore, such drugs do not remove the causes of anxiety. Therefore, relapses of this condition are possible later, and anxiety may manifest itself in an altered form. Sometimes anxiety begins to bother a woman when pregnancy . How to remove this symptom in this case, only the doctor should decide, since taking any drugs by the expectant mother can be very dangerous.

Some specialists prefer to use only psychotherapy methods in the treatment of anxiety. Sometimes psychotherapeutic methods are accompanied by the use of medications. Some additional methods of treatment are also practiced, for example, auto-training, breathing exercises.

In folk medicine, there are many recipes that are used to overcome anxiety. A good effect can be obtained by taking regularly herbal preparations , which include sedative herbs. it mint, Melissa, valerian, motherwort etc. However, you can feel the effect of the use of herbal teas only after the constant use of such a remedy for a long time. In addition, folk remedies should be used only as an auxiliary method, since without timely consultation with a doctor, you can miss the onset of very serious diseases.

Another important factor in overcoming anxiety is right way of life . A person should not sacrifice rest for the sake of labor exploits. It is important to get enough sleep every day, eat right. Anxiety can be aggravated by caffeine abuse and smoking.

A relaxing effect can be obtained with a professional massage. deep massage effectively relieves anxiety. We should not forget about how improving the mood of playing sports. Daily physical activity will allow you to always be in good shape and prevent the aggravation of anxiety. Sometimes, to improve your mood, it is enough to take a walk in the fresh air for an hour at a fast pace.

To control their emotions, a person must carefully analyze everything that happens to him. A clear definition of the cause that caused anxiety helps to focus and switch to positive thinking.

When a person is in danger, it is normal to feel fear and anxiety. After all, in this way our body is preparing to act more efficiently - "fight or run away."

But unfortunately, some people tend to experience anxiety either too often or too much. It also happens that manifestations of anxiety and fear appear for no particular reason or for a trifling reason. When anxiety interferes with a normal life, the person is considered to be suffering from an anxiety disorder.

Symptoms of Anxiety Disorders

According to annual statistics, 15-17% of the adult population suffers from some form of anxiety disorder. The most common symptoms are:

Cause of anxiety and fear

Everyday events are often associated with stress. Even such seemingly ordinary things as standing in a car during rush hour, celebrating a birthday, lack of money, living in cramped conditions, overwork at work or conflicts in the family are all stressful. And we are not talking about wars, accidents or diseases.

In order to cope with a stressful situation more effectively, the brain gives a command to our sympathetic nervous system (see figure). It puts the body in a state of excitement, causes the adrenal glands to release the hormone cortisol (and others), increases the heart rate and causes a number of other changes that we experience as fear or anxiety. This, let's say - "ancient", animal reaction, helped our ancestors to survive in difficult conditions.

When the danger has passed, the parasympathetic nervous system is activated. It normalizes the heart rhythm and other processes, bringing the body to a state of rest.

Normally, these two systems balance each other.

Now imagine that for some reason a failure has occurred. (Detailed analysis of typical causes is presented).

And the sympathetic nervous system begins to get excited, reacting with a feeling of anxiety and fear to such meager stimuli that other people do not even notice ...

People then experience fear and anxiety with or without cause. Sometimes their condition is constant and enduring anxiety. Sometimes they feel agitated or impatient, impaired concentration, problems with sleep.

If such symptoms of anxiety persist long enough, then, according to the DSM-IV, the doctor can make a diagnosis of " generalized anxiety disorder».

Or another kind of "failure" - when the sympathetic nervous system hyperactivates the body for no particular reason, not constantly and weakly, but in strong bursts. Then they talk about panic attacks and, accordingly, panic disorder. We have written quite a bit about this variety of phobic anxiety disorders elsewhere.

About treating anxiety with medication

Probably, after reading the text above, you will think: well, if my nervous system has been unbalanced, then it needs to be brought back to normal. I'll take a proper pill and everything will be fine! Fortunately, the modern pharmaceutical industry offers a huge selection of products.

Some of the anti-anxiety drugs are the typical "fuflomycins" that have not even passed normal clinical trials. If someone is helped, then due to the mechanisms of self-hypnosis.

Others - yes, really relieve anxiety. True, not always, not completely and temporarily. We mean serious tranquilizers, in particular, the benzodiazepine series. For example, such as diazepam, gidazepam, xanax.

However, their use is potentially dangerous. First, when people stop taking these medications, the anxiety usually returns. Secondly, these drugs cause a real physical dependence. Thirdly, such a crude way of influencing the brain cannot remain without consequences. Drowsiness, problems with concentration and memory, and depression are common side effects of anxiety medications.

And yet ... How to treat fear and anxiety?

We believe that an effective, and at the same time, gentle for the body way of treating increased anxiety is psychotherapy.

That's just not outdated conversational methods, like psychoanalysis, existential therapy or gestalt. Control studies indicate that these types of psychotherapy give very modest results. And that, at best.

What a difference modern psychotherapeutic methods: EMDR-therapy, cognitive-behavioral psychotherapy, hypnosis, short-term strategic psychotherapy! They can be used to solve many therapeutic problems, for example, to change inadequate attitudes that underlie anxiety. Or teaching clients to “control themselves” in a stressful situation more effectively.

The complex application of these methods in anxiety neurosis is more effective than drug treatment. Judge for yourself:

the probability of a successful result is about 87%! This figure is not only the result of our observations. There are many clinical trials confirming the effectiveness of psychotherapy.

a noticeable improvement in the condition after 2-3 sessions.

short term. In other words, you do not need to go to a psychologist for years, usually 6 to 20 sessions are required. It depends on the degree of neglect of the disorder, as well as other individual characteristics of the person who applied.

How is fear and anxiety treated?

Psychological diagnostics- the main goal of the first meeting of the client and the psychotherapist (sometimes two). Deep psychodiagnostics is what further treatment is based on. Therefore, it must be as accurate as possible, otherwise nothing will work. Here is a checklist for a good diagnosis:

found the real, underlying causes of anxiety;

a clear and rational plan for the treatment of anxiety disorder;

the client fully understands the mechanisms of psychotherapeutic procedures (this alone gives relief, because the end of all suffering is visible!);

you feel sincere interest and care for you (in general, we believe that this condition should be present in the service sector everywhere).

Effective treatment, in our opinion, this is when:

scientifically proven and clinically tested methods of psychotherapy are applied;

the work takes place, if possible, without medication, which means that there are no side effects, no contraindications for pregnant and lactating mothers;

the techniques used by the psychologist are safe for the psyche, the patient is reliably protected from repeated psychotrauma (and we are sometimes approached by “victims” of amateurs of all stripes);

the therapist promotes the autonomy and confidence of the client rather than making them dependent on the therapist.

Sustainable result This is the result of intense collaboration between the client and the therapist. Our statistics show that on average 14-16 meetings are needed for this. Sometimes there are people who achieve excellent results in 6-8 meetings. In especially neglected cases, even 20 sessions are not enough. What do we mean by “quality” result?

Sustained psychotherapeutic effect, no relapses. So that it doesn’t turn out the way it often happens in the treatment of anxiety disorders with drugs: you stop taking them - fear and other symptoms return.

There are no residual effects. Let's go back to medication. As a rule, people taking medications still feel anxiety, albeit through a kind of “veil”. From such a "smoldering" state, a fire can flare up. It shouldn't be like that.

A person is reliably protected from possible stresses in the future, which (theoretically) can provoke the appearance of anxiety symptoms. That is, he is trained in self-regulation methods, has high stress tolerance, and is able to properly take care of himself in difficult situations.

A sense of anxiety and worry is a common reaction of people to some negative events, anticipation or even anticipation of them. However, anxiety often reduces the quality of our already difficult life.

We experience and worry for many objective and subjective reasons. Dismissal from work, appointment to a higher responsible position, illness and much more. In such cases, anxiety is a reaction of our psyche that helps to overcome stress. When the problem is successfully solved, the alarm will go away.

Physicians have the concept of "pathological anxiety". This is when a person is always tense, experiencing inexplicable anxiety. He explains his condition as a premonition of some danger. This state cannot be recognized as natural, the quality of life goes down, anxiety dominates other human feelings. Chronic anxiety is not a result of stress or a trait. This is a disease that needs treatment.

Feeling of anxiety - its causes

Naturally, the cause of the disease is the anxiety and temperament of a particular person. But at the core there is some change in the brain (the exchange of serotonin, which transmits a nerve impulse, is disturbed). Medical scientists in many countries conducted research, involving hundreds of volunteers in their experiments. As a result, it was found that such changes are of a genetic nature. Therefore anxiety and anxiety may be hereditary.

Feelings of anxiety and constant worry cause sleep disturbance

For example, vegetovascular dystonia may be one of the symptoms of a completely different disease or simply fatigue. Such mental disorders are sometimes hidden under various diagnoses. Anxiety often accompanies muscle tension almost constantly felt by a person. The main symptoms of anxiety are: unreasonable anxiety, irritation and

A person is almost never in a calm state. He fusses all the time, bites his lips, fidgets in his chair, sometimes shudders or shudders for no apparent reason. All this proves that the patient has chronic anxiety. Symptoms of this disease are also fatigue, memory impairment, strong heartbeat. A person may experience shortness of breath, constipation or loose stools, dizziness, etc.

What can help you deal with anxiety

In such a situation, breathing exercises often help. You can recommend breathing "in the bag." As soon as you feel nauseous, hold the paper bag to your mouth and breathe. A good effect can give a massage. On the wrist is the so-called "zone of concern." These are the folds formed during bending. Do a light massage in this area and after a few minutes you will calm down.

Don't drink black tea. It is better to replace it with the addition of valerian, which includes motherwort, peony, lemon balm, peppermint, chamomile, hawthorn. Such a decoction will quickly have a calming effect. You can also take a complex of vitamins Mg - B6 or Ca - D3. It will reduce anxiety, relax muscles, and improve heart and lung function.

Remember that medicinal substances containing phenobarbital should be completely excluded from use. Taking anxiolytics can cause memory impairment, not the best way to affect the liver. Very often similar preparations cause dependence. In no case should they be used by the elderly. Anxiolytics can only relieve the symptom for a short time, but will not eliminate the cause of the disease. It is better to take antidepressants after consulting with your doctor.

Yoga and meditation will also help. Recently, psychiatrists have been offering massages, book therapy, listening to classical music, and even dance therapy. A good novel or detective story, quiet music will help you calm down. Outdoor games, leisurely morning and evening walks, meetings with good friends can be advised, and for women, a leisurely shopping trip will be a good sedative.