Anxiety: Why It’s Become Epidemic

From time to time, everyone feels butterflies in their stomach before an upcoming event, or maybe a bit anxious about a health concern. It’s when those little worries turn into constant, life-altering experiences, forcing you to avoid social situations and disrupting your routine, that you should sound the alarm. Chronic worrying and apprehension may be a sign of an anxiety disorder.

The Anxiety and Depression Association of America estimates that nearly 40 million American adults suffer from symptoms of anxiety. For the majority of sufferers, anxiety is a highly treatable condition. That’s the good news. But the bad news: Less than 40% of people with anxiety seek out treatment.

Having anxiety may also put you at a higher risk for developing depression and other mental health conditions.

Common patterns of anxiety

Anxiety can show itself in several ways. The most common signs of anxiety tendencies include:

Rumination: Ongoing state of negative thoughts and worry
Speculation: Constant worry and dread about the future
Avoidance: Not dealing with uncomfortable situations

Further, avoidance often leads to social isolation and a constant feeling of wanting to escape.

Anxiety is essentially a heightened sense of worry that causes your body to respond physically. You may frequently feel restless and sick to your stomach, and often develop headaches from your body being in a near-constant state of fight or flight.

Triggers of anxiety

Anxiety symptoms and disorders are the results of numerous factors, such as your genetic background, health status, and brain chemistry. Also factoring into the equation are your personality and the events in your life that influence your thoughts and actions.

The society also seems to be at the root of the growth of today’s anxiety epidemic. Why? Increasingly, situations and conversations deemed uncomfortable aren’t confronted, creating a generation of people who aren’t prepared to handle the real-world aspects of life.

Technological advancements also play a part in today’s anxiety epidemic. The attachment to smartphones and social media for both adults and teenagers further ups the ante on anxiety. For example, access to 24-hour news channels and the never-ending stream of social media contact increases stress and prevents people from being able to truly relax and disconnect, instead of causing undue worry about events out of your control.

If you don’t have the necessary coping skills to keep your emotions and thoughts in check, you can develop one or more types of anxiety disorders, including:

Generalized anxiety disorder
Panic disorder
Phobias
Social anxieties

When these anxiety issues are constant and begin to interfere with your life, there’s no shame in turning to a professional like Dr. Sidhu for help.

Reducing the anxiety epidemic

The primary way to slow down your anxiety epidemic is to seek help and learn the necessary coping skills.

Dr. Sidhu works closely with you to determine the best method for correcting anxiety-triggering behaviors and thoughts. She may recommend psychotherapy exercises to help you regain control of your thoughts and make changes to the behaviors that heighten your anxiety.

Meditation, mindfulness, and relaxation techniques are often the first methods Dr. Sidhu recommends that help you take back your life. You may also need medications to help reduce your symptoms and help you refocus on the things you need in life to stay mentally and physically healthy.

Stop letting negative thoughts and worries take away your quality of life. Schedule a consultation at Revîv Functional Psychiatry & TMS Wellness Center.