Anxiety an Issue to Worry About

You may never know that one of you best diagnosed with anxiety disorder a few years
friends, work colleagues or family after high school when I was 24 years old. I
member was even suffering from anxiety didn’t keep any of my close friends from high
disorder. Take it from me. I am Emily school and I didn’t really think anyone was
Horwath a 26-year-old citizen born and there for me. When I thought It was time to
raised in Perth, Australia. I have been leave this stage of life my family and some
suffering from anxiety for nearly 3 years close friends were all behind me. In my
now. I would like to stand up and aware experience of dealing with social anxiety it
the society of this hidden illness. And to was an overwhelming fear of interacting with
those who are suffering you are not alone. different individuals. I was unable to look
Many of us do worry from time to people in the eye when speaking to them and
time. We stress over bills, a romantic I was unable to keep a conversation going. I
break-up and other important life events. might have come of shy and quiet but anyone
Most of these feelings can be normal and who truly knows me knows I am the total
even helpful. Giving you a boost of energy opposite of that.
or help us focus. Even though anxiety can
be a normal and a healthy emotion when Types of anxiety disorders?
a person regularly feels disproportionate Generalized anxiety disorder – lasts or 6
levels of anxiety it can become an anxiety months or longer, excessive anxiety for no
disorder. apparent reason.
There are many different types of Social Anxiety – fear of judgment or
anxiety disorders most include the cause humiliation
of worry, nervousness and fear. Separation Anxiety – fear of being away
The cause of anxiety includes the from home or family
rush of adrenalin caused by a hormone Phobia – fear of a specific activity, object
and chemical messenger in the brain, or situation
which triggers anxious reactions in the Hypochondriasis – persistent fear o having
process called the ‘fight or flight’ serious health issues.
response. This process prepares humans OCD – recurring thoughts that cause
to physically confront or flee any potential specific behaviours
threats to safety. Post-traumatic stress disorder – severe
anxiety after and traumatic event/s.

But what we need to remember is that it
is normal to feel anxious in high pressure
situations and this anxiety can help us,
making us stay focussed and alert. But
anxiety can then interfere with how we go
about our everyday lives making it hard to
cope with ‘normal’ challenges.
Anxiety will become a problem when you
start to feel anxious frequently about
In my case, I suffered from social anxiety. If I minor things, to a stage where your worry
was not careful I could get into the same is out of control and interfering with day
down spiralling pattern as before. I was to day life.

Long-Term Effects: tricyclics and beta-blockers. Everything
Some long-term effects of anxiety include will be different for each person finding
the increase of risk in other physical what works for one person may not work
illnesses or other mental health for another. I found that for me, talking
conditions, such as depression. about my problems and going to
Can include increased risk of stroke as the specialized therapy helped me a lot, but
constant release of “fight or flight there is still a long journey ahead of me.
hormones” increases risks to the heart.
Anxiety can also cause long-term damage What I think people don’t release is
to hippocampus cells, which effects the anxiety is a blind illness and many of the
memory and learning, leading to early people surrounding you may have anxiety
memory decline. Anxiety can cause a lack and no one would know. I would like you
of concentration and lead to low all to know that you are not alone and will
performance at school or work and an never be. There are people all around us
inability to maintain relationships with willing to help and support you. A lie may
family and friends. prevent you from reaching out, seeking
help and finding the peace and healing
Short-Term Effects: your body.
- Difficulty swallowing
- Dizziness I always put myself down calling myself
- Rapid heartbeat ‘Stupid’, ‘Pathetic’ and ‘ridiculous’. The
- Fatigue thought of me calling myself such horrid
- Muscle aches words was crazy, I would never call
- Sweating someone else that so why was it that I
Psychological Symptoms – frequent or thought I could call myself those names.
excessive worry, poor concentration, With treatment I have come a long way
specific fears or phobias. from those days but I want to look back
Physical Symptoms – fatigue, irritability, on them with joy and happiness. I also
sleeping difficulties, general restlessness, want to make it clear that anxiety doesn’t
muscle tension, upset stomach, sweating define who you are as a person and it
and difficulty breathing. Behavioural never will. Everyone is their own person
Changes – procrastination, avoidance, and a mental illness doesn’t define who
difficulty making decisions and social you are.
withdrawal.
“I hope that by sharing my story,
Studies have shown that anxiety disorders
are far more common among women. I can show that there is hope and
They are nearly twice as likely to be it is possible to achieve amazing
affected as men. Adults under age 35 are
most likely to be affected alongside things, even when living with
people who have experienced some of anxiety”
these factors including Trauma, stress due
to illness, drugs or alcohol and having
blood relatives with anxiety disorder.

There are many treatments for anxiety
disorders, these vary for each individual.
Some treatments include counselling
which includes psychotherapy, cognitive-
behavioural therapy and a combination of
other therapies. Medication can be
prescribed to deal with some control off
physical and mental symptoms including
antidepressants, benzodiazepines,