The competitive lifestyles that we all lead now have led to an increase in mental health diseases which are why the need for awareness of mental health has been on a rise. The most common mental health issue that people face is anxiety. It is very common to feel anxious during certain situations and periods in your life like you can feel anxious before taking a big decision, or before an interview, or when things may not happen as planned; but feeling anxious or nervous also helps us tackle the situation at hand more carefully and proves to be beneficial. According to the statistics for The World Mental Health Survey Initiative, almost 18.2% of people worldwide suffer from anxiety disorders.
Anxiety disorder can be defined as a type of mental health condition in which a person may respond to certain things and situations with sudden feelings of intense fear or terror that might reach a peak point leading to panic/anxiety attacks. When feeling anxious is a common occurrence in our lives, it becomes essential to understand and figure out the difference between lifestyle anxiety and an anxiety disorder.
An anxiety disorder goes beyond the regular nervousness and slight fear that you may feel from time to time as it interferes with your ability to function on an everyday basis. Secondly, there are noticeable major physical changes in your body associated with heightened anxiety levels like sweating/tremors, increased heart rate, shortness of breath, and feeling muscle tension. Untreated anxiety disorder can lead to interference with work, personal life, relationships, and almost everything. Getting treatment as early as possible might always prove fruitful. There are different types of anxiety disorders like Generalized Anxiety Disorder, Phobias, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, Panic Disorder, and many more. It is crucial to get it diagnosed and treated for the well-being of both yourself and your loved ones around you.
Although the treatment and medication might seem like a hassle, you do not need to live with the anxiety disorder. Many things like stress management techniques, meditation, support groups can help one cope with its symptoms and make treatment more effective.