Do You Suffer From Anxiety?

April is National Anxiety Month. It is the perfect time to address those feelings of fear, panic and worry that sometimes can be overwhelming. Mental Health is just now beginning to get the attention that it deserves. Those who suffer from Anxiety are not "crazy" as was once the term used for all mental health problems.  Most of us suffer from anxiety attacks of some sorts during our lives. 

I remember when I was growing up. It was a taboo to have any mental health problem. If you felt anxiety, you did not tell anyone. It was quite common to have jokes told about Psychiatric wards or mental institutions.  Sad but true.  I think this was so common because people were ignorant of the facts. Ignorance breeds fear. Ignorance is not a bad word. It simply means that the knowledge of the subject is not present in the society.

Today we have so much more knowledge on the subject and people are not so ignorant of mental health issues. This knowledge that society now has is helping  individuals to seek the help they need to lead a normal life.

There are many different kinds of Anxiety related issues including  the following:

Generalized Anxiety Disorder-  Chronic, exaggerated worry, tension and irritability that appear to have no cause or are more intense than the situation warrants. Physical signs such as restlessness, trouble falling or staying asleep, headaches, trembling, twitching, muscle tension or sweating, often accompany these psychological symptoms

Panic Disorder- Pounding heart, chest pains, lightheadedness or dizziness, nausea, shortness of breath, shaking or trembling, choking, fear of dying, sweating, feeling of unreality, numbness or tingling, hot flashes or chills and a feeling of going out of control or going crazy.

Phobias- phobias occur in several different forms, for example Agoraphobia is the fear of being in a situation that might trigger a panic attack and from which escape might be difficult.  Social phobia is a fear of being extremely embarrassed in front of other people.   Phobias have many of the same symptoms as panic attacks.

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder-  The symptoms of PTSD can range from constantly reliving the event to a general emotional numbing. Persistent anxiety, exaggerated reactions, difficulty concentrating, nightmares and insomnia are quite common. People who suffer from PTSD typically avoid situations that remind them of the traumatic event, because they provoke intense distress or even panic attacks.

There are many different feelings that can occur with anxiety disorders. They can range from feelings of uneasiness to immobilizing bouts of terror. The list above is just part of the anxiety symptoms that one can be experiencing. It is no longer necessary to keep these feeling bottled up inside. There is medications that work wonders for all of these problems.

 Are you wondering how I know so much about anxiety? I suffer from several forms of anxiety and depression. I suffered for over a year before I went to seek out help. It had reached the point that I would just lay on the couch and cry all the time.  I was one of those people who was raised to fear mental health problems. Well I am here to tell you that there is no sin in these health problems. Yes, mental health problems are genuine health problems just like high blood pressure and diabetes. There are medication that helps and if you suffer from any of these problems, pleases seek help as soon as possible.  I finally went to a Psychiatrist and I am on medicationss leading a much more normal life. You can too.  You are not alone.