anxiety
Anxiety is one of the most pervasive mental health issues today. Anxiety has dozens of causes and a definitive cause can sometimes be difficult to find.
Anxiety Disorder – not the same as being anxious. Anxiety can be debilitating, making you feel like you are suffocating; like pins and needles are running up and down your spine and your body is failing you, your brain is muddled with what-ifs that only question the worst case scenarios.
Panic Attacks – a sudden episode of intense fear that triggers severe physical reactions when there is no real danger or apparent cause. … When panic attacks occur, you might think you’re losing control, having a heart attack or even dying.
A panic attack can happen anywhere, at any time. You may feel terrified and overwhelmed, even though you’re not in any danger.
You’ll have four or more of these signs:
- Pounding or fast heartbeat
- Sweating
- Trembling or shaking
- Shortness of breath or a feeling of being smothered
- A choking feeling
- Chest pain
- Nausea or stomach pains
- Feeling dizzy or faint
- Chills or hot flashes
- Numbness or tingling in the body
- Feeling unreal or detached
- A fear of losing control or going crazy
- A fear of dying
Trauma, fears, or worries can cause anxiety, as can a number of mental health issues, personality types, and substances. Many individuals with anxiety do not report their symptoms due to not recognizing them or out of fear of being labeled neurotic. Despite the social stigma associated with anxiety, there are a host of medical complications that can be associated anxiety.
One in 10 adults in the U.S. have panic attacks each year. About a third of people have one in their lifetime. But most of them don’t have panic disorder. Only about 3% of adults have it, and it’s more common in women than in men.
Do these sound familiar to you? If so, the providers at ABCNNJ can help! We offer both medication and talk therapy interventions to help patients reduce the physical and mental ways that anxiety manifests.