Anxiety- a person's tendency to feel intense anxiety and fear, often unfounded. It is manifested by the psychological foresight of the threat, discomfort and other negative emotions... Unlike a phobia, with anxiety, a person cannot accurately name the cause of the fear - it remains undefined.
Prevalence of anxiety... Among children in secondary school, anxiety reaches 90%. Among adults, 70% suffer from increased anxiety in different periods life.
Psychological symptoms of anxiety may occur intermittently or most time:
- excessive worries for no reason or for a minor reason;
- foreboding of trouble;
- unexplained fear of any event;
- feeling insecure;
- uncertain 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 by 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, heightened feelings about this;
- pessimism.
- rapid breathing;
- accelerated heartbeat;
- weakness;
- feeling of a lump in the throat;
- excessive sweating;
- redness of the skin;
- clenches fists;
- snaps fingers;
- pulls at clothes;
- licks or bites lips;
- bites nails;
- rubs her face.
Increased anxiety is considered a pathological condition (not a disease, but a deviation from the norm). It is often a response to physical or emotional stress.
Norm and pathology. The norm counts moderate anxiety related to disturbing character traits... In this case, the person often develops anxiety and nervous tension for the most insignificant reasons. In this case, autonomic symptoms (pressure drops, heart palpitations) appear very slightly.
Signs of mental disorders are attacks of severe anxiety lasting from several minutes to several hours, during which the state of health worsens: weakness, pain in chest, feeling of heat, trembling in the body. In this case, anxiety can be a symptom:
- Anxiety disorder;
- Panic disorder with panic attacks;
- Anxious endogenous depression;
- Obsessive-compulsive disorder;
- Hysteria;
- Neurasthenia;
- Post-traumatic stress disorder.
- Leaving for the world of illusions. Often, anxiety has no clear subject. For a person, this turns out to be more painful than the fear of something specific. He invents the cause of the fear, then phobias develop on the basis of anxiety.
- Aggressiveness. It occurs if a person has increased anxiety and low self-esteem. In order to get rid of oppressive feelings, he humiliates other people. This behavior only brings temporary relief.
- Lack of initiative and apathy, which are a consequence of prolonged anxiety and are associated with the depletion of mental strength. A decrease in emotional responses makes it difficult to discern the cause of anxiety and eliminate it, and also worsens the quality of life.
- Development of psychosomatic illness... Physical symptoms of anxiety (palpitations, bowel cramps) get worse and cause illness. Possible consequences: ulcerative colitis, stomach ulcer, bronchial asthma, neurodermatitis.
Why does anxiety arise?
To the question: "Why does anxiety arise?" there is no definite answer. Psychoanalysts say that the reason is that a person's desires do not coincide with the possibilities or are contrary to morality. Psychiatrists believe that wrong upbringing and stress are to blame. Neuroscientists argue that the main role is played by the characteristics of the course of neurochemical processes in the brain.The reasons for the development of anxiety
- Congenital features of the nervous system. Anxiety is based on congenital weakness of nervous processes, which is characteristic of people with a melancholic and phlegmatic temperament. Heightened experiences are caused by the peculiarities of 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.
- Features of education and social environment. Anxiety can be triggered by overprotective parenting or unfriendly attitudes from others. Under their influence, disturbing personality traits become noticeable already in childhood or manifest themselves in adulthood.
- Situations associated with risk to life and health. It can be serious illnesses, attacks, car accidents, accidents and other situations that caused a person intense fear for your life and well-being. In the future, this anxiety extends to all circumstances that are associated with this situation. So a person who survived car accident, feels anxiety for himself and his loved ones who travel in transport or cross the road.
- Repetitive and chronic stress. Conflicts, problems in personal life, mental overload at school or at work drain the resources of the nervous system. It is noticed that the more negative experience a person has, the higher his anxiety.
- Severe somatic diseases. Diseases accompanied by severe pain, stress, high temperature, intoxication of the body disrupts biochemical processes in nerve cells, which can be manifested by anxiety. The stress of a dangerous illness makes you prone to negative thinking, which also increases anxiety.
- Hormonal Disorders. Malfunctions endocrine glands lead to a change in hormonal balance, on which the stability of the nervous system depends. Anxiety is often associated with an excess of hormones. thyroid gland and a malfunction of 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.
- Improper diet and vitamin deficiency. a lack of nutrients leads to disturbances in 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.
- Lack of physical activity. A sedentary lifestyle and lack of regular physical exercise violate metabolism. Anxiety is the result of this imbalance on the mental level. Conversely, regular exercise activates nervous processes, helps release the hormones of happiness and eliminates anxious thoughts.
- Organic lesions brain, in which blood circulation and nutrition of the brain tissue are impaired:
- Severe infections in childhood;
- Injuries sustained during childbirth;
- Violations cerebral circulation with atherosclerosis, hypertension, age-related changes;
- Changes caused by alcoholism or drug addiction.
Causes of increased anxiety in children
- Excessive custody by parents who are too protective of the child, fear illness, injury, and demonstrate their fear.
- Anxiety and suspiciousness of parents.
- Alcoholism in parents.
- Frequent conflicts in the presence of children.
- Dysfunctional relationship with parents. Lack of emotional contact, detachment. Lack of affection.
- Fear of separation from mother.
- Aggression by parents towards children.
- Excessive criticism and excessive demands on the child from parents and teachers, which result in internal conflicts and low self-esteem.
- Fear of not living up to the expectations of adults: "If I am wrong, then they will not love me."
- Inconsistent demands of parents, when the mother allows, and the father forbids, or "Generally not, but today it is possible."
- Family or class rivalry.
- Fear of being rejected by peers.
- Child's lack of independence. Inability to dress independently, eat, go to bed at the appropriate age.
- Children's fears associated with scary tales, cartoons, films.
- preparations containing caffeine - citramone, cold medicines;
- preparations containing ephedrine and its derivatives - bronchodilator, dietary supplements for weight loss;
- thyroid hormones - L-thyroxine, alostin;
- beta-adrenostimulants - clonidine;
- antidepressants - Prozac, Fluoxycar;
- psychostimulants - dexamphetamine, methylphenidate;
- sugar reducing agents - novonorm, diabrex;
- narcotic analgesics (if canceled) - morphine, codeine.
What types of anxiety are there?
Due to development- Personal anxiety- a constant tendency to anxiety, which does not depend on the environment and the prevailing 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 in front of 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. Makes a person more careful, stimulates them 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-perception- high level of wishes and low self-esteem;
- Social- arises from the need to interact with people, get acquainted, communicate, pass an interview;
- Anxiety of choice- unpleasant sensations arising when it is necessary to make a choice.
- Mobilizing anxiety- provokes a person to take actions aimed at reducing the risk. Activates will, improves thought processes and physical activity.
- Relaxing anxiety- paralyzes the will of a person. It makes it difficult to make decisions and take actions that would help find a way out of the current situation.
- Adequate anxiety- reaction to objectively existing problems (in the family, in the team, in school or at work). May relate to one area of activity (for example, communication with a boss).
- Inappropriate anxiety- is the result of a conflict between a high level of aspiration and low self-esteem. It arises against the background of external well-being and the absence of problems. It seems to a person that neutral situations are a threat. It is usually spilled and affects many areas of life (study, interpersonal communication, health). Common in adolescents.
- Reduced anxiety- even potentially dangerous situations that carry a threat are not alarming. As a result, a person underestimates the seriousness of the situation, is overly 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 moderately expressed, so it does not interfere with the performance of functions, but provides an additional resource. It has been observed that people with optimal anxiety control their mental state better than others.
- Increased anxiety- anxiety manifests itself often, too strongly and for no reason. It interferes with the adequate reaction of a person, blocks his will. Increased anxiety causes distraction and panic at a crucial moment.
Which doctor should i go to for anxiety?
People with anxious character traits do not need treatment because "character is not treated." To reduce anxiety, they are helped by good rest for 10-20 days and elimination stressful situation... If after a few weeks the condition has not returned to normal, then you need to seek help from psychologist... When he reveals signs of neurosis, anxiety disorder or other violations, he will recommend contacting psychotherapist or psychiatrist.How is anxiety corrected?
Correction of anxiety should begin with setting accurate diagnosis... Since at anxious depression antidepressants may be needed, and with neurosis, tranquilizers, which will be ineffective for anxiety. The main method of treating anxiety as a personality trait is psychotherapy. - Psychotherapy and psychological correction
- Behavioral psychotherapy
Treatment is carried out in 3 stages
- Identify the source of the alarm... To do this, you need to answer the question: "What were you thinking before you felt anxiety?" This object or situation is most likely the cause of the alarm.
- Doubt the rationality of negative thoughts... "How big is the chance that your worst fears will come true?" It is usually negligible. But even if the worst happens, then in the vast majority of cases there is still a way out.
- 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.
- Exposure psychotherapy
This direction is based on a systematic desensitization to situations of anxiety. This approach is used when anxiety is associated with specific situations: fear of heights, fear of public speaking, travel in 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.
- Presentation of the situation... The patient is asked to close his eyes and imagine the situation in full detail. When the feeling of anxiety reaches the highest level of an unpleasant image, it is necessary to let go and return 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.
- Getting to know the situation... A person needs to touch what he fears. Go to the balcony of a high-rise building, greet those gathered in the audience, stand at the bus stop. At the same time, he experiences anxiety, but makes sure that he is safe and his fears are not confirmed.
- Getting used to the situation... It is necessary to increase the exposure period - to ride a Ferris wheel, drive one stop in transport. Gradually, tasks become more and more difficult, the time spent in an anxious situation is longer, but addiction sets in and anxiety decreases significantly.
- Hypnosuggestational therapy
- Normalization of the processes occurring in the nervous system.
- Increased self-esteem and self-confidence.
- Forgetting unpleasant situations that led to the development of anxiety.
- Suggesting an imaginary positive experience of a fearful situation. For example, "I like flying on airplanes, during the flight I experienced the best moments of my life."
- Instilling a sense of calmness and security.
- Psychoanalysis
The inability of a person to independently identify the cause of anxiety suggests that it lies in the subconscious. Psychoanalysis helps to penetrate the subconscious and eliminate the cause of anxiety, therefore it is recognized as an effective technique.
Psychological correction of anxiety in children
- Play therapy
The most common type of play therapy, when the child is asked to play the role of what / what he is afraid of - ghosts, bandits, teachers. At the initial stages, these can be individual games with a psychologist or parents, then group games with other children. Fear and anxiety decrease after 3-5 sessions.
The game "Masquerade" is suitable for relieving anxiety. Children are given various items of adult clothing. Then they offer to choose what role to play in the masquerade. They are asked to tell about your character and to play with other children who are also “in character”.
- Fairy tale therapy
- Withdrawal muscle tension
Muscle tension games
| The game | Instructions for the child |
| "Balloon" | We fold the lips with a tube. Exhaling slowly, inflate Balloon... Imagine what a big and beautiful ball we got. We smile. |
| "Dudochka" | Exhale slowly through the lips folded into a tube, fingering on an imaginary pipe with our fingers. |
| "Gift under the tree" | We inhale, close our eyes, imagine the most best gift under the tree. We exhale, open our eyes, depict joy and surprise on our face. |
| "Barbell" | Inhale - raise the bar over your head. Exhale - lower the barbell to the floor. We tilt the body forward, relax the muscles of the arms, neck, back, and rest. |
| "Humpty Dumpty" | With the phrase "Humpty Dumpty was sitting on the wall," we rotate the body, the arms are relaxed and freely follow the body. "Humpty Dumpty fell in a dream" - a sharp tilt of the body forward, arms and neck relaxed. |
- Family therapy
At a meeting with a psychologist, it is important that both parents are present, and, if necessary, grandparents. It should be borne in mind that after 5 years of age, the child listens more to the parent of the same gender, which has a special influence.
- Medication for anxiety
| Group of drugs | Medicines | Action |
| Nootropic drugs | Phenibut, piracetam, glycine | They are prescribed when the energy resources of the brain structures are depleted. Improves brain function, making it less sensitive to damaging factors. |
| Sedatives for plant based
| Tinctures, infusions and decoctions of lemon balm, valerian, motherwort peony, persen | They have a calming effect, reduce fear and anxiety. |
| Anxiolytics selective action | Afobazol | Relieves anxiety and normalizes processes in the nervous system, eliminating its cause. Has no inhibitory effect on nervous system. |
Self-help for increased anxiety
Methods for Reducing Anxiety in Adults- Introspection- This is an attempt to independently understand the internal conflict. First, you need to make two lists. The first one is “I want”, where all material and non-material desires are entered. The second is “Should / Should”, where responsibilities and internal restrictions are entered. Then they are compared and contradictions are revealed. For example, “I want to go away to travel,” 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 important to you. Is there a possibility of a compromise between "want" and "need". For example, a short trip after the loan is paid. The final stage is drawing up an action plan that will help you fulfill your desires.
- Self-training to improve self-esteem. It combines self-belief and muscle relaxation. Often, at the root of anxiety, the contradiction between desire and lack of faith in oneself heals - "I want to please a man, but I'm not good enough." Self-belief is aimed at strengthening self-confidence. 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 confident in myself. 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 object (sound, candle flame, own breath, a point in the eyebrow region). In this case, it is necessary to discard all thoughts, but not drive them away, but ignore. Meditation helps to organize thoughts and emotions, to concentrate on the present moment - “here and now”. This reduces anxiety, which is a vague fear of the future.
- Change life situation – work, marital status, social circle. Often, anxiety arises when it is necessary to do something that runs counter to goals, moral attitudes, and capabilities. When the cause of the internal conflict is eliminated, anxiety disappears.
- Increased 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 spotting. Exercising 3-5 times a week for 30-60 minutes will reduce adrenaline levels and increase serotonin production. They restore balance to the nervous system and improve mood.
- Rest and sleep mode. A good 7-8 hour sleep restores the brain's resource and increases its activity.
- Reduce the number of comments. An anxious child suffers greatly from the exaggerated demands of adults and the inability to meet them.
- Make comments to your child in private. Explain what he is wrong about, but do not demean his dignity, do not call names.
- Be consistent. You cannot allow what was previously prohibited and vice versa. If the child does not know how you will react to his or her misbehavior, then the stress level increases significantly.
- Avoid speed competition and in general comparisons of the child with others. It is permissible to compare the child with him in the past: "You are doing it better now than you were last week."
- Demonstrate Confident Behavior in the Presence of a Child... In the future, the actions of the parents become a role model in difficult situations.
- Remember the importance of skin-to-skin contact... This can be stroking, hugging, massage, games. Touch shows your love and soothes a child of any age.
- Praise your child. Praise should be deserved and sincere. Find something to praise your child for at least 5 times a day.
What is anxiety scale?
The basis for determining the level of anxiety is anxiety scale... It is a test in which you need to choose a statement that most accurately describes a mental state or assess the degree of anxiety in different situations.Exists different options techniques named after the authors: Spielberger-Khanin, Kondash, Parishioner.
- Spielberger-Khanin method
The Spielberger-Hanin technique is intended for adults. It can be in the form of two tables, but the electronic version of testing is more convenient. An important condition when passing the test is that you cannot think about the answer for a long time. It is necessary to indicate the option that first came to mind.
To determine personal anxiety it is necessary to assess 40 judgments describing your feelings USUALLY(In most cases). For instance:
- I get upset easily;
- I am quite happy;
- I am satisfied;
- I have a blues.
- I'm calm;
- I am satisfied;
- I'm nervous;
- I'm sad.
The scores are not summed up, but a "key" is used to interpret the answers. With its help, each answer is evaluated with a certain number of points. After processing the answers, the indicators of situational and personal anxiety are determined. They can be in the range from 20 to 80 points.
- Scale for determining anxiety in children
It consists of 100 questions, which must be answered "yes" or "no". These questions relate to various areas of the child's activity:
- general anxiety;
- peer relationships;
- relationship with parents;
- relationships with teachers;
- knowledge check;
- assessment of others;
- success in learning;
- self-expression;
- decreased mental activity caused by anxiety;
- vegetative manifestations of anxiety (difficulty breathing, sweating, heart palpitations).
- Denial of anxiety - what can be a defensive reaction;
- Normal level anxiety prompting action;
- Elevated level- in certain situations, anxiety disrupts the adaptation of the child;
- High level- correction of anxiety is necessary.
Note 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, on the contrary, aggressive, makes them refuse meetings, trips, as situations carrying a threat. This condition influences the decision-making process, forcing to choose not what will bring success, but what entails less risk. Therefore, correcting anxiety can make life richer and happier.
Anxiety takes away strength, thoughts, the ability to react to a situation, look for opportunities to solve it. Anxiety drives you into depression, sharply allows you to feel your own helplessness and insignificance. Is there a way to get rid of this oppressive state?
According to many psychologists, anxiety is more destructive than even depression. A state of constant tension, expectation of something terrible, the absence of the slightest opportunity for relaxation, the inability to make the right decision and generally perform at least some action that can overcome the feeling of anxiety and get out of this difficult psychological state - this is how people who experience constant feeling anxiety. This exhausting oppressive sensation contributes to the development of various psychosomatic diseases, sleep disorders, digestion, physical and mental activity. That is why it is so important not only to determine in advance the slightest manifestations of anxiety and immediately begin treatment when its main symptoms occur. To overcome anxiety caused by stress, psychologists recommend using several methods to help cope with the first symptoms of anxiety:
1. Recognize the existence of a "raptor brain".
It means accepting the fact that our fears, apprehensions and our anxiety come from a small part of the brain called the amygdala, which is responsible for the occurrence of primitive reactions and feelings. Of course, our thoughts, decisions and actions in an ordinary situation arise in the front lobes of the brain, that part of it that is responsible for cognition, learning and logic in reasoning and actions. But, as soon as a threat to our basic needs arises (our life, health, well-being of loved ones and relatives), then logic is powerless, we are overwhelmed by feelings and emotions that have very deep roots and we act more instinctively than judiciously. What way out in this situation can you find? Each time, feeling how my hands grow cold, my stomach shrinks into a tight ball, and words begin to get stuck in my throat, in general, feeling a full set of approach alarming symptoms, it is worth remembering that now the situation is controlled by the "lizard brain", and not by us. It is worth remembering this and talking to this overly dramatic creature and suggesting that you take control! Realizing that you can find a way out of any situation, you just have to think about what resources we have in this moment, you can return to logical reasoning, ceasing to be afraid and anxious for no one knows what.
2. Understand the cause of anxiety: try to find out what caused your anxiety, why you are experiencing anxiety and where it is directed.
Having learned what your anxiety is, where it came from, in other words, what or who you are worried about, it is much easier to stop worrying and think about what can be done to neutralize the alarming situation in which you find yourself. It may be worth calling your relatives because of whose trip you are worried and find out how they are doing, send an SMS to a child who is late from school, talk directly with the boss to clarify your situation at work.
3. Perform breathing exercises.
They are necessary to calm down and pull yourself together. The principle of these breathing exercises is quite simple: you need to consistently inhale through your mouth, hold your breath, then exhale through your nose and hold your breath again, only the abdominal muscles should work, not the chest. The main task is to relax all the muscles of your body as much as possible while inhaling and focus on the state of relaxation that gradually envelops you in the process of performing this exercise.
4. Imagine the worst outcome for your alarming situation, what can happen to you in this situation and accept it.
Try to feel what you might feel if the end was like this. Calm down, do not forget about breathing exercises. Now imagine how you will act in this situation, find everything possible solutions and ways out of this situation. See how you can fix everything. Once prepared in this way, you can stop worrying and worry and start acting. So instead of anxiety and fear, you were prepared for the worst outcome of the situation and were able to find a solution for it, although the situation may not happen! Is it worth worrying about minor troubles now?
5. Distract yourself from any source of anxiety.
Stop watching disaster news coverage if you are worried about it. You shouldn't multiply your own excitement by looking at nightmarish pictures on newscasts. This will make you even more anxious. Find yourself a hobby that can capture you headlong, try to avoid in communication with family and friends the topics that cause you anxiety. Connect with those who exude confidence and a positive attitude, see interesting movies, take up new sports, start collecting stamps, or join any environmental society.
6. Write a letter to yourself.
In the letter, list your worries, why they arise, and the decisions you are going to make to stop worrying.
7. Time management: divide the day into minutes and hours.
Such a gradation will allow you to distract yourself from disturbing thoughts, especially if your whole day will be busy with some important and not very things. By concentrating on them, you can safely give yourself the installation not to worry until tomorrow, almost as Scarlet did from the movie "Gone with the Wind".
8. Eat tasty and healthy food.
Limiting diets in order to lose weight, become slimmer and more attractive, especially if the decision to "go on a diet" was made independently, without the necessary recommendations from doctors, can play with your mood bad joke... There are plenty of other things to worry about in this world than adding a few extra grams to your weight. Your body will thank you if you do not burden it with diets, but make a balanced diet that includes vitamins and minerals that your body is used to receiving in full.
9. Double your physical activity.
Running, swimming, skydiving, cycling and compulsory evening or morning runs- any physical activity will help you cope with anxiety. It doesn't matter how good you are at the sport, just do it consistently and to the point where your doubts and worries fade into the background. It doesn't matter what exactly you do - aerobics or weeding on garden plot, the main thing is a combination of determination and physical activity, which can distract you from disturbing thoughts.
10. Use visual anchors.
Choose a look that suits you and embodies tranquility and relaxation. For example, clouds, with their measured and smooth flow across the sky, or the deep calmness of the ocean, its waves rolling along the sandy shore. Every time you look at a picture of the ocean or look out of the window at the clouds, you will feel that they help you calm down and stop worrying.
11. Repeat your own mantra.
For everyone it is its own, the one that brings peace and serenity. For example, in a beautiful cartoon, Carlson liked to repeat "Trivia, a matter of everyday life," and he waved his hand carelessly, turning away from the newly broken toy, which threatened to turn into a catastrophe for the Kid. Come up with any phrase for yourself that will help you overcome the impending anxiety and remind you that you can always find a way out of any situation, the main thing is to know that it is possible!
Photo source: Depositphotos17 August 2015 I like:
Fear is a way to save your life. It is for this purpose that the ability to be afraid is inherent in every living being at the level of instinct. But people, educated and fantasizing creatures, turned this instinct out and turned it into a habit.
Regular and unreasonable feelings of anxiety are most often experienced by nervous, impressionable, creative, hypochondriacal natures, as well as people with vegetative-vascular dystonia and psychological trauma of childhood. But it usually "gets" for such an unreasonable fear to the VSD.
Reasons that are not visible
“Have you got yourself fancy again? Again inventing fears for no reason? " - these questions can be asked by a person who himself only yesterday was worried about public speaking or interviewing a new employer. Of course, he considers his own fear to be justified and adequate - he was also worried about his work, about his reputation, about the future, in the end.
Although from the point of view of nature, any anxiety that has no connection with life-threatening factors is anxiety without a reason. But it is just at the very bottom of the soul that the VSDshnik has a real animal fear for his own life, which does not let go either day or night. But voicing your alarm means once again hitting the wall of misunderstanding and irritation. If relatives believe that this feeling of anxiety has appeared for no reason, out of the blue, then what to say about doctors?
Such an attitude of those around him forces the VVD person to keep silent about his inner experiences, remaining with them one-on-one. Meanwhile, anxiety eats away from the inside all the positive, all hopes and dreams. While a person is accused of infantility and spinelessness, irreversible changes begin to occur in his cerebral cortex.
The brain is overgrown with new neural structures that "process" fears and muffle them. So the body itself tries to fight the negative pathological state of anxiety. But this struggle is unequal, and it always ends for a person with deep mental disorders or lifelong depression. But why do people with VSD continue to squeeze themselves into other people's frames of "normality" with all their might, aggravating their condition?
Anxiety has children's eyes
Almost every VVD person experienced his first attacks of anxiety and panic at school age, when the functions of his central nervous system were formed and the hormonal background was laid. It was then that the teenager for the first time so clearly felt what was mistaken for the "touch of death" - a leap blood pressure, adrenaline rush, wild panic and despair. This imprint has forever remained on the psyche. The person grew, and anxiety grew with him, regularly feeding on new panic attacks or the surrounding events associated with death.
Feelings of anxiety and anxiety do not arise without reason. Never. The only reason that determines the anxiety of the VSD is the immense, huge, hidden fear of death, which the patient carried through many years and is ready to carry on. He will hide him so that his family and friends will consider him "normal" and love him as before. And this desire to hide fear also has its own reason - it comes from deep childhood.
By all means, justifying the love of parents, conforming to their scenario, not provoking scandals at home - this is the attitude that a preschooler who is brought up in a tense home atmosphere remembers. All suppressed negativity and fear falls on the psyche in a thick layer, a kind of swamp is formed, which sucks in all other mental troubles. And most often it is in this swamp that the first panic attack, and behind it - and everything that the VSD person carries from childhood to his already adult life... And the familiar cycle begins:
- The feeling of anxiety and anxiety for no reason before bedtime provokes insomnia, forcing you to constantly take sedative drops or sleeping pills.
- A person feels inferior, sick, his vitality decreases, the flight of fantasies takes him to the "country of unknown lethal diseases."
- The patient, not feeling support from relatives and doctors, tries to find answers to questions himself: he surfs medical forums, reads a lot of terrible information, turns into a hypochondriac.
- Anxiety grows in geometric progression, taking on new, more serious forms.
Life is today!
Human can for a long time blame “bad childhood”, authoritarian parents or incompetent doctors for their dystonia. Sometimes the VVD people even benefit from the state of anxiety! After all, you can blame all your failures, laziness and irresponsibility on this "illness" and even expect that they will regret you and do everything for you. But is it great?
Worry and anxiety in the soul - integral components Everyday life... More often than not, people feel anxious when faced with an unfamiliar situation or danger. Sports, an exam, an important meeting, or an interview can cause concern.
Feelings of anxiety have a twofold effect on the body. On the one hand, it affects the psychological state, reduces concentration of attention, makes you worry, and disrupts sleep. On the other hand, it strongly affects the physical state causing tremors, dizziness, sweating, indigestion, and other physiological disturbances.
Anxiety can be considered painful if the anxiety that appears is stronger than the situation requires. Increased anxiety refers to a separate group diseases, they are called pathological anxiety conditions. Such ailments to one degree or another occur in 10% of people.
Symptoms:
1. Panic. It manifests itself in the form of unexpected, periodically recurring attacks of severe anxiety and fear, often for no reason. Sometimes combined with agoraphobia, open spaces.
2. Obsessive In this state, a person has the same type of thoughts, desires and ideas. For example, he constantly checks whether the doors are locked, whether the electrical appliances are turned off, and often washes his hands.
3. Phobias. These fears defy logic. These include social ones, which make a person avoid appearing in public, and simple ones, which cause a feeling of fear of spiders, snakes, and heights.
4. Generalized anxiety-based disorders. In this situation, a person experiences a constant feeling of anxiety. This can contribute to the appearance of mysterious physiological symptoms... There are cases when doctors cannot find the causes of a disease for a long time, and at the same time, a large number of analyzes to identify diseases of the digestive, nervous system, heart. But the reason lies in psychological disorders.
5. Disorders accompanying post-traumatic stress. Common among veterans of war, but can occur in anyone who has experienced an event that goes beyond the usual life. Such events are often experienced many times in dreams.
What to do in such cases? requires a visit to a doctor.
In your daily life, try to minimize the factors that contribute to an increase in anxiety. These include:
- drinks that stimulate the nervous system (coffee, strong tea, energy drinks);
- smoking;
- drinking alcohol, especially for sedation purposes.
Reduce Anxiety:
- Tinctures and teas based on (peony, motherwort, valerian).
- relaxation, the ability to physically relax (bathing, yoga, aromatherapy). Combine well with moderate physical activity prior to this.
- Development of psychological stability and a healthy attitude to the surrounding reality.
How will the doctor help?
A specialist consultation will be appropriate in any case, regardless of what caused your anxiety. These types of disorders are treated using several effective techniques. Short-term conditions allow drug therapy.
Behavioral treatment is also very popular nowadays. These methods help a person understand that he does not have any psychological illnesses and teach him how to overcome anxiety. The patient gradually realizes the reasons for his anxiety. He learns to evaluate his behavior from a logical point of view, in a new way, to look more positively at the causes of the anxiety state. For example, the fear of flying on an airplane can be contrasted with the expectation of a great holiday abroad. This treatment is especially important for people suffering from agoraphobia, which often prevents them from using public transport during peak hours.
Most importantly, don't ignore your heightened feelings of anxiety. Taking a common sense approach to solving this problem will help make your life more peaceful and joyful.
Loading ...