Life is full of so many stressors that can cause anyone to experience the occasional bout of anxiety. For some people, anxiety is a far more common occurrence. Living with anxiety disorders can be difficult at times, but there are coping mechanisms that can help. 

What is Anxiety?

So what exactly is anxiety? Anxiety is an intense, excessive, and persistent feeling of worry or fear. For those with anxiety disorders, they will experience these feelings in everyday situations. Many times these feelings manifest as repeated and sudden episodes of panic. 

Anxiety disorders affect nearly 1 in 5, or 40 million, adults aged 18 and older in the United States every year, making it the most common mental illness in the country. Anxiety disorders are incredibly common but mental health professionals still can’t quite figure out what exactly causes them. It’s believed that anxiety disorders are developed from a complex set of risk factors. These factors include: 

• Life Events – Experiences such as enduring abuse or witnessing a traumatic event can increase the risk of developing an anxiety disorder.
• Genetics or Brain Chemistry – Anxiety disorders may run in the family. 
• Personality – Certain personality types are more prone to developing anxiety disorders.
• Stress Buildup – Experiencing a large event or stress or a buildup of smaller stresses can trigger a person to experience excessive anxiety. People who have health conditions or experience a serious illness may also develop an anxiety disorder.
• Other Mental Health Disorder – Anxiety disorders are often found in people who have other mental health disorders, like depression.
• Substance Abuse – Many people who have substance abuse disorders can develop anxiety or cause it to become worse.

Those with anxiety disorders will often experience panic or anxiety attacks. While these two share similar symptoms, there are slight differences. Anxiety attacks usually build gradually while panic attacks come on very suddenly.

Panic attack symptoms include:

• Shortness of breath
• Excessive sweating
• Accelerated heart rate or heart palpitations
• Fear of dying or losing control
• A sense of detachment from the world or oneself
• Chest pain
• Tightness in throat
• Feeling dizzy

Anxiety attacks share many of the same physical symptoms as panic attacks but differ in their emotional symptoms. Those experiencing an anxiety attack may feel a sense of apprehension or worry, distress, and/or restlessness. 

Regular Stress vs Anxiety

Stress and worry is a relatively common part of life. It is completely normal to worry about your performance at work, dwell on your finances, experience nervousness before attending social gatherings. Some people thrive under these pressures, using the stress to help them focus on the task at hand or give them a boost of energy. 

For those living with anxiety disorders that is not their reality. The feelings of fear and uncertainty they experience often interferes in their daily activities, and can even affect their work and social lives. Anxiety disorders can also increase the risk of developing other medical issues like depression, substance abuse, chronic pain, diabetes, and heart disease. Anxiety can also affect how a person thinks and leave them with a feeling of constant dread that something bad may happen. 

How to Cope with Anxiety Disorder

Luckily anxiety disorders are highly treatable– but less than 37 percent of those suffering from them receive treatment. There are a variety of reasons why someone may not seek treatment for their anxiety but it’s crucial to know when you should seek professional help for your anxiety disorders.

You should reach out to your doctor if:

• You are experiencing frequent, prolonged, and intense bouts of anxiety that leaves you with a constant feeling of distress or unease
• Your anxiety is affecting your daily life in ways that are unmanageable
• You feel that the anxiety you are experiencing is excessive
• Your anxiety is causing you to experience a constant feeling of dread 
• Your anxiety is causing you to feel like you are beginning to lose control 

There are a variety of different treatment options that a person with an anxiety disorder may receive. The main treatments are psychotherapy, medications, or a combination of the two. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) has been found to be very effective and is the first line of treatment for anxiety disorders. 

Psychotherapy like CBT can help reduce the symptoms of anxiety disorders. Short-term treatment will often focus on managing the anxiety and learning triggers so that a person can gradually return to activities they’ve avoided or struggled with due to anxiety. 

There are multiple types of medications that are used to treat anxiety disorders. Each one comes with its own benefits, risks, and possible side effects. Many people find success in controlling their anxiety by combining medications with psychotherapy treatment.

Seek Help with Corner Canyon Counseling

At Corner Canyon Counseling we are passionate about helping our patients get the help they need. Our psychologists, social workers, and mental health counselors at our Salt Lake City, Utah offices are here to help you with your anxiety treatment. We offer counseling services, therapy, and patient education to ensure that you get the best treatment available. To learn more about our services, call us today at 801.438.6053.