Hallo guys 😊😊 It’s been a minute. Today we’re having our first discussion on mental health. Get strapped in 😉
We all worry. That’s part of life. Sometimes we worry about the little things (e.g. did I get the best apples from the shop) and other times we worry about the big things (e.g. will I get the job?).
I’ll be discussing anxiety in this post. I’ll be defining what it is and things to look out for.
Anxiety, in psychiatry, is usually referring to Generalised Anxiety Disorder (GAD). However, it may also be referring to anxiety disorders which are a group of disorders which all have elements of anxiety such as Social anxiety disorder, Specific phobia (e.g. agoraphobia), etc. This post will be discussing GAD specifically as it is one of the commonest mental health problems.
The mere fact that you tend to worry about things a lot does not necessarily mean you have anxiety.
To reiterate, we all worry at different times in life, whether our worry is ‘rational’ or not. The mere fact that you tend to worry about things a lot does not necessarily mean you have anxiety. An important construct in psychiatry is the idea that regardless of what ‘problems’ you’re having, for it to be labelled as a disorder, it has to be impacting on your life. This impact may be noticed in different domains e.g. socially, academically or occupationally. Thus, in anxiety, that construct applies. For you to be diagnosed with anxiety, it usually has started impacting on your life in one or more domains.
A major difference between worrying a lot and anxiety disorder is the fact that the former is short-lived and in relation to a stimulus (e.g. a test or public speaking) whereas the latter is persistent worry in relation to many things even when there are no obvious stimuli (e.g. persistent worrying about losing your job when there are no problems at work or anything to indicate your job might be in jeopardy).
So, what exactly is anxiety?
According to the ICD-10*, it is “A condition marked by excessive worry and feelings of fear, dread, and uneasiness that last six months or longer.” The DSM-V* adds that these symptoms should be present for “more days than not” for the 6-month period. It also adds that the anxiety symptoms should be causing “clinically significant distress or impairment” in important domains as suggested above. Apart from these symptoms, people with anxiety may also develop symptoms like being restless, being tired or irritable, muscle tension, not being able to concentrate or sleep well, shortness of breath, fast heartbeat, sweating, and dizziness. They may also have chest pain or stomach cramps sometimes.
It is important to note that some of the symptoms listed above are physical symptoms which may be attributed to other causes.
It is important to note that some of the symptoms listed above are physical symptoms which may be attributed to other causes. For example, someone having chest pain and palpitations may think they are having a heart attack or heart problems. As such in mental health, it is important to rule out other physical health conditions that may cause similar symptoms.
Anxiety does not have a single cause. It could be genetic in the sense that ‘anxious personalities’ may run in some families. It may also occur following a stressful life event such as divorce or loss of employment. Another cause is childhood trauma.
Over 3% of people suffer from anxiety worldwide and it is more common in women. People with anxiety (GAD) are more likely to have other mental health problems such as depression or other anxiety disorders.
It’s not your fault!
If you think you have some of these symptoms and have had them for over 6 months, I would suggest you see your (family) doctor to discuss how you have been feeling and take it from there. Remember, there are tons of people all over the world, having similar experiences, so you’re not alone or weird. It’s not your fault!
There’s lots of help available if you are diagnosed with anxiety. You can have counselling to discuss what you are anxious about. Also, psychological therapies such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) can help you manage your thoughts, feelings and change the way you behave. It focuses on rewiring the way you think, to make it more positive so your thoughts don’t drag you down the rabbit hole of despair and anxiety.
Also, if your anxiety is severe, you may benefit from some medication. This is a discussion your doctor will have with you if they think you need medication. Antidepressants are commonly used to treat anxiety. However, this does not mean you have depression.
Telling close family and friends may be helpful if you know they’ll be supportive and understanding.
In summary, anxiety is more than just worrying, it’s persistently worrying which has an impact on your life. You are not alone if you have anxiety. There is lots of help for you out there. You may have good days and there may be some bad days as well but overall, I hope you find life enjoyable regardless of whether you have anxiety or not. Telling close family and friends may be helpful if you know they’ll be supportive and understanding.
If you’d like so more information on anxiety, I have put some links below. Also, my references are below if you want to check them out.
I’d like to leave this final message with you. No matter what’s going on in your life, God cares and wants to be present with you through it all.
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*ICD-10 (International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems, 10th revision) and DSM-V (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition) are two main diagnostic manuals used in the diagnosis of mental health conditions. ICD-10 is made by the WHO is largely used in Europe (and worldwide really) while the DSM-V is made in the USA and is largely used in the Americas. However, they are both used worldwide. So, I will be referring to them in my posts.
References
http://www.icd10data.com/ICD10CM/Codes/F01-F99/F40-F48/F41-/F41.1
https://patient.info/health/anxiety/generalised-anxiety-disorder
http://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/10665/254610/1/WHO-MSD-MER-2017.2-eng.pdf
Resources
Anxiety disorders – https://patient.info/health/anxiety
GAD – https://patient.info/health/anxiety/generalised-anxiety-disorder
Young people – http://www.rcpsych.ac.uk/healthadvice/parentsandyoungpeople/youngpeople/worriesandanxieties.aspx
Anxiety info – http://www.rcpsych.ac.uk/healthadvice/problemsanddisorders/anxiety,panicandphobias/anxietyphobiaskeyfacts.aspx
Breathe 