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See Also
See Again
© Shutterstock
0 / 31 Fotos
Introducing anxiety
- When it comes to anxiety, a little is completely normal. In fact, anxiety is a very natural response to many different situations we may find ourselves in.
© Shutterstock
1 / 31 Fotos
Natural response - For instance, anxiety is one of the ways our body alerts us to danger and warn us to either fight back or remove ourselves from a dangerous situation.
© Shutterstock
2 / 31 Fotos
Helpful anxiety
- A healthy amount of anxiety can even be helpful in certain situations. It can serve as motivation to prepare properly for an exam, for example.
© Shutterstock
3 / 31 Fotos
Anxiety disorders
- However, when anxiety becomes uncontrollable or it gets in the way of doing things, it might be time to consider whether an anxiety disorder is at play.
© Shutterstock
4 / 31 Fotos
General anxiety disorder (GAD)
- There are several different anxiety disorders. General anxiety disorder (GAD) looks a lot like normal anxiety at first but is characterized by constant and crippling worry.
© Shutterstock
5 / 31 Fotos
Panic disorder - Panic disorder occurs when someone experiences recurring and unexpected panic attacks, often without there being an obvious cause.
© Shutterstock
6 / 31 Fotos
Specific phobias
- Specific phobias occur when someone has an excessive and irrational fear of something specific. It could be a certain place, situation, or object.
© Shutterstock
7 / 31 Fotos
Social anxiety disorder
- Social anxiety disorder, otherwise known as social phobia, is when someone experiences anxiety and/or fear specifically in social settings.
© Shutterstock
8 / 31 Fotos
Separation anxiety disorder
- Separation anxiety disorder occurs when a child is separated from their parents or caregivers. It is a perfectly normal stage of a child’s development.
© Shutterstock
9 / 31 Fotos
Agoraphobia - Finally, agoraphobia is an anxiety disorder that causes people to avoid places and situations that might make them feel trapped, helpless, or panicked (among other emotions).
© Shutterstock
10 / 31 Fotos
Telling the difference between anxiety and an anxiety disorder - It can be difficult to tell the difference between normal anxiety and an anxiety disorder, so here are some characteristics that help to define both.
© iStock
11 / 31 Fotos
Normal anxiety
- Normal anxiety tends to be related to a specific situation or problem, and it only lasts for as long as that situation or problem lasts.
© iStock
12 / 31 Fotos
Proportional and realistic - Normal anxiety also tends to be a proportional and realistic response to the situation or problem at hand.
© iStock
13 / 31 Fotos
Anxiety disorder - In a person with an anxiety disorder, by contrast, anxiety may occur unexpectedly. It might come out of nowhere, appear for seemingly no reason.
© iStock
14 / 31 Fotos
Extreme reactions
- When someone is suffering from an anxiety disorder, they may also react to a certain situation or problem in a much stronger or dramatic way than you might expect.
© Shutterstock
15 / 31 Fotos
Unrealistic anxiety
- Someone with an anxiety disorder may also experience a lot of unrealistic anxiety, such as fear of a situation that has never happened and is very unlikely to ever happen.
© Shutterstock
16 / 31 Fotos
Long-lasting anxiety - Anxiety disorders are also characterized by anxiety that lasts for a very long time, sometimes even after the original situation or problem that triggered the anxiety is resolved.
© Shutterstock
17 / 31 Fotos
Uncontrollable - Finally, people with an anxiety disorder may feel their anxiety is impossible to control, and they may avoid situations or things that they believe trigger their symptoms.
© Shutterstock
18 / 31 Fotos
Example
- To illustrate the difference between anxiety and an anxiety disorder, imagine a person that does not like flying (which is very common).
© Shutterstock
19 / 31 Fotos
Normal anxiety
- If that person is asked to travel for work, normal anxiety will not stop them from traveling to the airport and boarding a plane.
© Shutterstock
20 / 31 Fotos
Anxiety disorder - If, however, the person suffers from an anxiety disorder, they may not be able to go to the airport and get on the flight, even if it means losing their job.
© Shutterstock
21 / 31 Fotos
Anxiety disorder - If a person has anxiety that prevents them from going about their daily life, they could well be suffering from an anxiety disorder.
© Shutterstock
22 / 31 Fotos
When to seek help
- If you or someone you know has anxiety that is interfering with everyday life, it may be time to seek attention from a doctor or healthcare professional.
© Shutterstock
23 / 31 Fotos
Seeking help
- Rest assured: there are plenty of ways to manage anxiety, and there is no reason for anyone to suffer through it alone.
© Shutterstock
24 / 31 Fotos
Treatment
- If you are diagnosed with an anxiety disorder after speaking to a professional, you may be prescribed treatment.
© Shutterstock
25 / 31 Fotos
Therapy
- Treatment for anxiety disorders can include psychotherapy, in particular cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), and medication, such as antidepressants or beta-blockers.
© Shutterstock
26 / 31 Fotos
Other treatments
- Your doctor or healthcare professional may also recommend that you attend a support group and/or practice some stress management techniques.
© Shutterstock
27 / 31 Fotos
Lifestyle changes
- Then there are the other, complementary techniques that may be used alongside treatment and/or medication.
© Shutterstock
28 / 31 Fotos
Lifestyle changes
- Your doctor or healthcare professional may advise you to regularly exercise, meditate, and/or make dietary changes.
© Shutterstock
29 / 31 Fotos
In summary
- Living with an anxiety disorder can be very difficult and feel suffocating at times. But by raising awareness and sharing resources, we can hope to help those most affected. Sources: (Healthline) (Here to Help)
© Shutterstock
30 / 31 Fotos
© Shutterstock
0 / 31 Fotos
Introducing anxiety
- When it comes to anxiety, a little is completely normal. In fact, anxiety is a very natural response to many different situations we may find ourselves in.
© Shutterstock
1 / 31 Fotos
Natural response - For instance, anxiety is one of the ways our body alerts us to danger and warn us to either fight back or remove ourselves from a dangerous situation.
© Shutterstock
2 / 31 Fotos
Helpful anxiety
- A healthy amount of anxiety can even be helpful in certain situations. It can serve as motivation to prepare properly for an exam, for example.
© Shutterstock
3 / 31 Fotos
Anxiety disorders
- However, when anxiety becomes uncontrollable or it gets in the way of doing things, it might be time to consider whether an anxiety disorder is at play.
© Shutterstock
4 / 31 Fotos
General anxiety disorder (GAD)
- There are several different anxiety disorders. General anxiety disorder (GAD) looks a lot like normal anxiety at first but is characterized by constant and crippling worry.
© Shutterstock
5 / 31 Fotos
Panic disorder - Panic disorder occurs when someone experiences recurring and unexpected panic attacks, often without there being an obvious cause.
© Shutterstock
6 / 31 Fotos
Specific phobias
- Specific phobias occur when someone has an excessive and irrational fear of something specific. It could be a certain place, situation, or object.
© Shutterstock
7 / 31 Fotos
Social anxiety disorder
- Social anxiety disorder, otherwise known as social phobia, is when someone experiences anxiety and/or fear specifically in social settings.
© Shutterstock
8 / 31 Fotos
Separation anxiety disorder
- Separation anxiety disorder occurs when a child is separated from their parents or caregivers. It is a perfectly normal stage of a child’s development.
© Shutterstock
9 / 31 Fotos
Agoraphobia - Finally, agoraphobia is an anxiety disorder that causes people to avoid places and situations that might make them feel trapped, helpless, or panicked (among other emotions).
© Shutterstock
10 / 31 Fotos
Telling the difference between anxiety and an anxiety disorder - It can be difficult to tell the difference between normal anxiety and an anxiety disorder, so here are some characteristics that help to define both.
© iStock
11 / 31 Fotos
Normal anxiety
- Normal anxiety tends to be related to a specific situation or problem, and it only lasts for as long as that situation or problem lasts.
© iStock
12 / 31 Fotos
Proportional and realistic - Normal anxiety also tends to be a proportional and realistic response to the situation or problem at hand.
© iStock
13 / 31 Fotos
Anxiety disorder - In a person with an anxiety disorder, by contrast, anxiety may occur unexpectedly. It might come out of nowhere, appear for seemingly no reason.
© iStock
14 / 31 Fotos
Extreme reactions
- When someone is suffering from an anxiety disorder, they may also react to a certain situation or problem in a much stronger or dramatic way than you might expect.
© Shutterstock
15 / 31 Fotos
Unrealistic anxiety
- Someone with an anxiety disorder may also experience a lot of unrealistic anxiety, such as fear of a situation that has never happened and is very unlikely to ever happen.
© Shutterstock
16 / 31 Fotos
Long-lasting anxiety - Anxiety disorders are also characterized by anxiety that lasts for a very long time, sometimes even after the original situation or problem that triggered the anxiety is resolved.
© Shutterstock
17 / 31 Fotos
Uncontrollable - Finally, people with an anxiety disorder may feel their anxiety is impossible to control, and they may avoid situations or things that they believe trigger their symptoms.
© Shutterstock
18 / 31 Fotos
Example
- To illustrate the difference between anxiety and an anxiety disorder, imagine a person that does not like flying (which is very common).
© Shutterstock
19 / 31 Fotos
Normal anxiety
- If that person is asked to travel for work, normal anxiety will not stop them from traveling to the airport and boarding a plane.
© Shutterstock
20 / 31 Fotos
Anxiety disorder - If, however, the person suffers from an anxiety disorder, they may not be able to go to the airport and get on the flight, even if it means losing their job.
© Shutterstock
21 / 31 Fotos
Anxiety disorder - If a person has anxiety that prevents them from going about their daily life, they could well be suffering from an anxiety disorder.
© Shutterstock
22 / 31 Fotos
When to seek help
- If you or someone you know has anxiety that is interfering with everyday life, it may be time to seek attention from a doctor or healthcare professional.
© Shutterstock
23 / 31 Fotos
Seeking help
- Rest assured: there are plenty of ways to manage anxiety, and there is no reason for anyone to suffer through it alone.
© Shutterstock
24 / 31 Fotos
Treatment
- If you are diagnosed with an anxiety disorder after speaking to a professional, you may be prescribed treatment.
© Shutterstock
25 / 31 Fotos
Therapy
- Treatment for anxiety disorders can include psychotherapy, in particular cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), and medication, such as antidepressants or beta-blockers.
© Shutterstock
26 / 31 Fotos
Other treatments
- Your doctor or healthcare professional may also recommend that you attend a support group and/or practice some stress management techniques.
© Shutterstock
27 / 31 Fotos
Lifestyle changes
- Then there are the other, complementary techniques that may be used alongside treatment and/or medication.
© Shutterstock
28 / 31 Fotos
Lifestyle changes
- Your doctor or healthcare professional may advise you to regularly exercise, meditate, and/or make dietary changes.
© Shutterstock
29 / 31 Fotos
In summary
- Living with an anxiety disorder can be very difficult and feel suffocating at times. But by raising awareness and sharing resources, we can hope to help those most affected. Sources: (Healthline) (Here to Help)
© Shutterstock
30 / 31 Fotos
Do you have regular anxiety or an anxiety disorder?
Learn how to tell difference between them
© Shutterstock
If you feel anxious just before giving a presentation or taking an exam, it's probably completely normal. In fact, there are all sorts of situations in life that trigger a healthy anxious reaction. However, if you feel constantly worried about situations that are very unlikely to arise and are anxious to the point that it interferes with your life, you may have an anxiety disorder on your hands.
While it can be difficult to tell the difference between normal anxiety and an actual anxiety disorder, there are certain things to look out for. Check out this gallery to learn more.
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