What is Chronic Anxiety Disorder?
Anxiety is a part of everyone’s life and it is a natural response to unfamiliar situations. It may cause the loss of a night’s sleep or the inability to eat breakfast on the day in question. While not a pleasant emotion, it passes and most people get on with their lives. Most people but not everyone. There are some – and by some we are talking about millions in America alone – who suffer from chronic anxiety disorder, also known as Generalized Anxiety Disorder.
Sufferers of chronic anxiety disorder are constantly apprehensive to the point that the quality of their lives is undermined. This worry may be about something specific such as the safety of family members or work performance or it may be about everything in general and nothing in particular. For some, it may be a vague feeling always in the back of their mind while for others, it may be all-encompassing and omnipresent. For the former, life may not be as grand as they’d like but they can get on with it. For the latter, however, they may feel so burdened that they have difficulty finding the strength to get out of bed, shower or go to work.
The Causes of Chronic Anxiety
The causes of chronic anxiety disorder are varied. In some cases, it can surface suddenly as a response to a traumatic event and in others it can be traced back to an anxious temperament, lack of self esteem or troubled childhood. Anyone who watches news broadcasts or reads the newspapers regularly must know that we live in troubled times. Sufferers of chronic anxiety disorder take the troubles to heart and worry about them incessantly.
As to why some people are so affected by what they see and hear while others carry on is still not certain. Anxiety is linked to a feeling of a lack of control over circumstances as well as the sense that danger is lurking around every corner. It can also be a learned response as a result of one or both parents responding anxiously to events. It may be diet and lifestyle that lead to chemical reactions in the body that cause anxious responses.
The Symptoms of Chronic Anxiety
In order to be diagnosed with a chronic anxiety disorder, the symptoms must have been present for at least six months. Physical symptoms include racing heartbeat, sweating, stomach problems and muscle aches and pains. High anxiety levels will have lead to symptoms such as sleep disorders, depression, fatigue and a feeling of detachment. In extreme cases, panic attacks may develop which in turn leads to avoidance behaviour such as agoraphobia.
Treatment
Luckily, anxiety can be treated. The aim of treatment is the reduction of symptoms to the point where they no longer impact daily life. Treatment needs to be individually tailored as the journey for each patient is unique. Medication, psychological therapy, self help strategies and diet and lifestyle changes are all ways anxiety is reduced. Usually a combination of these therapies gives the best long term result. The road to recovery is not an easy one and it requires dedication and commitment on behalf of the patient. Having said that, a life without chronic anxiety is a goal worth fighting for.
