Excitement is accompanied. Treatment of anxiety disorders in children. Anxiety - causes, symptoms and treatment

Anxiety and restlessness are a person’s tendency to experience a state of anxiety. Quite often, such feelings arise when people are faced with serious problems or stressful situations.

Types of Anxiety and Worry

In his life, a person may encounter the following types of anxiety:

Causes and symptoms

The reasons for feelings of anxiety and restlessness can vary. The main ones include:

The above reasons most often cause anxiety disorders in people at risk:

Such disorders lead to the appearance various symptoms, the main one of which is excessive anxiety. Physical symptoms may also occur:

• impaired concentration;
• fatigue;
• increased irritability;
• sleep problems;
• numbness in the arms or legs;
• anxiety;
• pain in the abdomen or back;
• hyperemia;
• shiver;
• sweating;
• constant feeling fatigue.

A correct diagnosis will help you understand how to cope with anxiety and worry. Put correct diagnosis a psychiatrist can. You should only seek help if the symptoms of the disease do not go away within a month or several weeks.

The diagnosis is quite simple. It is much more difficult to determine which type of disorder a patient has, since many of them have almost the same symptoms.

To study the essence of the problem and clarify the diagnosis, the psychiatrist conducts special psychological tests. The doctor should also pay attention to the following points:

• absence or presence characteristic symptoms, their duration;
• the presence of a connection between symptoms and possible diseases organs;
• the presence of stressful situations that could lead to the appearance of an anxiety disorder.

Treatment

Some people don't know what to do when they feel constant anxiety and worry. There are several ways to get rid of this.

Drug treatment

Tablets for anxiety and restlessness are prescribed for aggravated disease. During treatment the following can be used:

1. Tranquilizers. Allows you to relieve muscle tension, reduce the severity of fear and anxiety. Tranquilizers must be used with caution, as they are addictive.
2. Beta blockers. Helps get rid of autonomic symptoms.
3. Antidepressants. With their help, you can get rid of depression and normalize the patient’s mood.

Confrontation

Used if you need to get rid of increased anxiety. The essence this method consists of creating an alarming situation that the patient must cope with. Regular repetition of the procedure reduces the level of anxiety and makes a person confident in his abilities.

Psychotherapy

Relieves the patient of negative thoughts that aggravate the anxiety state. It is enough to carry out 10-15 sessions to completely get rid of anxiety.

Physical rehabilitation

It is a set of exercises, most of which were taken from yoga. With their help, anxiety, fatigue and nervous tension are relieved.

Hypnosis

The fastest and effective method getting rid of anxiety. During hypnosis, the patient faces his fears, which allows him to find ways to overcome them.

Treatment of children

In order to get rid of anxiety disorders used in children medications And behavioral therapy, which is the most effective method treatment. Its essence is to create frightening situations and take measures to help cope with them.

Prevention

To prevent the onset and development of an anxiety disorder, you must:

1. Don't get nervous over trifles. To do this, you need to change your attitude towards factors that may cause anxiety.
2. Exercise. Regular physical activity will help take your mind off problems.
3. Avoid stressful situations. It is recommended to do less activities that cause negative emotions and worsen your mood.
4. Rest periodically. A little rest helps relieve anxiety, fatigue and stress.
5. Eat nutritiously and limit the consumption of strong tea, coffee and alcohol. It is necessary to eat more vegetables and fruits, which contain many vitamins. If this is not possible, then you can take vitamin complexes.

Consequences

If you do not get rid of this problem in a timely manner, some complications may appear.
If left untreated, the feeling of anxiety becomes so pronounced that the person begins to panic and begin to behave inappropriately. Along with this, there appear physical disorders, which include vomiting, nausea, migraines, loss of appetite and bulimia. Such strong anxiety destroys not only a person’s psyche, but also his life.

Almost everyone in life comes a moment when a person begins to worry, worry and worry. There are many such reasons and every day every inhabitant of planet Earth experiences a feeling of anxiety. Today we will talk about the psychology of fear and anxiety, and also look at ways to combat anxiety.

Personality anxiety

If personality anxiety is too high level and goes beyond normal condition, then this may lead to disruption in the functioning of the body and the appearance of various diseases in circulatory system, immune and endocrine. Anxiety, from which a person cannot overcome on his own, greatly affects indicators general condition person and his physical abilities.

Each person reacts differently to a given situation. Most often, a person already knows in advance what emotions he will experience if some event happens.

Excessive personal anxiety is a certain violation of the adequacy of the expression of emotions. When a person experiences this type of anxiety, they may experience: trembling, a feeling of danger and complete helplessness, uncertainty and fear.

When some unfavorable situation occurs, a person begins to gesticulate unusually, depressed and excited facial expressions appear, pupils dilate and blood pressure rises. A person remains in this state almost all the time, because personal anxiety is a certain character trait of an already established personality.

Of course, in the lives of each of us there are unplanned situations that throw us off balance and create a feeling of anxiety. But so that later the body does not suffer from higher level anxiety, you need to learn to control your emotions.

Symptoms of Anxiety

There are many symptoms that accompany anxiety, we will list the most common:

• reactions to severe stress;
• constant feeling of lack of sleep;
• stomach problems;
• chills or paroxysmal sensations of heat;
• cardiopalmus;
• feeling as if you are having a mental crisis;
• constant irritability;
• problems with concentration;
• constant feeling panic fear.

There are some of the most common and known species anxiety that people often feel.

Panic disorder - most often accompanied by repeated panic attacks, fear or some discomfort may suddenly appear. Such emotional disorders, often accompanied by rapid heartbeat, shortness of breath, chest pain, increased sweating, fear of dying or going crazy.

Many people who experience anxiety suffer from such attacks. People with panic disorders they begin to avoid completely everything around them, they do not go to places where there is even a small chance of getting injured and being left alone.

Generalized feelings of anxiety are also widespread known disease, which is persistent and not limited to ordinary environmental circumstances. A person who suffers from this type of anxiety often experiences: worry about future failures, fidgetiness, inability to relax and tension, nervousness, sweating, dizziness and difficulty concentrating.

What is anxiety?

Anxiety is the activity of the subconscious, trying to protect the body from a possible unfavorable event. In this case, a vague feeling of anxiety and fear arises.

The occurrence of this phenomenon is due to the fact that a person expects danger in various things. Associative reflexes arise in the brain with a possible source of threat. It is important that there may not be a threat, that is, a false association occurs, but the body’s response is quite real:

• increase cardiac output, number of heartbeats;
• increased breathing;
• sweating;
• nausea.

With a long course, these symptoms are joined by:

• sleep disturbance;
• decreased appetite;
• feeling of shortness of breath;
• apathy.

Psychosomatic disorders, depression, deterioration in quality of life, and personality disorders become their apogee.

The difference between anxiety and fear

Many people who are in an anxious state are aware of the above changes. But here is an understanding of anxiety itself, that is, the causes of the above physiological changes, is not available to everyone.

This is what distinguishes anxiety from fear. With fear, a person specifically and very accurately knows the reason. Fear begins immediately during danger and this is an understandable reaction, while anxiety is a deeper, incomprehensible phenomenon.

Adaptive and pathological anxiety

Adaptive anxiety appears as the body's response to possible changes environment, for example, before important event(tests, interviews, first date...). This is quite natural process, capable of slowly and imperceptibly flowing into pathological. At the same time, there is no longer a threat, but there is anxiety, it is in no way connected with real events.

Examples from life

Anxiety can also be thought of as thoughts that unreasonably run ahead. That is, a person imagines himself in a place where he is not currently present.

For example, students during a lesson fall into this state when the teacher wants to start a survey and looks at the magazine.

The only question in this situation is “why?” Because the teacher is still in thought and doesn’t know who to ask. There are many options for the outcome of this situation. If you think logically, then such a phenomenon as anxiety is completely inappropriate in in this case.

But you were unlucky, and it so happened that the teacher’s gaze fell on you on the list. A person who gets ahead of himself may become constrained and, in the worst case scenario, reach the point of loss of consciousness. But in fact, nothing has happened yet. The teacher didn't even ask the question. Again, “why?”

It is important to always ask yourself the sobering question “why?”

The teacher raised the student, but until he asked a question, there was no cause for alarm.

The teacher asked a question - there is no reason for alarm. In this case, you can try to answer it.

You didn’t answer, the teacher gave you a negative grade - there is no reason to worry. You need to think about how to correct an unsatisfactory grade. Because you can’t remove a bad mark from the journal, but you can get several positive points.

Let's consider another situation that everyone has been in - waiting for a bus. In addition, if you are late, then waiting becomes an unbearably draining task. But your worry will not speed up the bus, which is quite logical. Then why worry?

Fighting Anxiety

If you feel the symptoms listed above, then often ask yourself the question “why?” This question will direct your thoughts in the right direction. It is much easier to deal with it, because the genesis, that is, the origin and cause of fear, is clear.

When there are too many fears and anxieties, they seriously complicate the life of any person, preventing them from relaxing and focusing on really important things, so you need to try to fight them. Everyone is concerned about the question of how to overcome fear forever. In fact, you cannot completely get rid of fear and there is nothing wrong with that. Fear is necessary; a person needs this emotion to survive. In order to be a completely mentally healthy person, fear is necessary.

But make sure that fear does not literally tie you hand and foot. There are several steps to managing your fears.

Non-judgmental attitude

The more attention a person pays to fighting fear, the more it paralyzes him. It is necessary to stop judging fear, because there is nothing good or bad in the fact that a person is afraid. There is no need to view your fear as an enemy; on the contrary, you need to treat it positively. Let this become your powerful weapon.

Explore your fear

Fear needs to be explored. My internal energy You need to spend it wisely; with the help of this energy you can control your fear. Try to switch from fear to something else, each person will be able to do this differently, you need to find your own way that will be most effective.

Practical training

Overcoming fear should not be the main goal, otherwise internal resistance will develop, which will interfere with all processes within a person and will only worsen the feeling of anxiety and fear. In order to develop self-confidence, you need to make some effort. First, get out of your comfort zone. Before you start an active struggle, you need to ask yourself the question of why all this is being done, why this struggle is needed and what it will lead to.

On a piece of paper, you need to make a list of all your desires, the fulfillment of which is prevented by excessive anxiety, and then begin to gradually implement this list. It won't be easy at first, but it's very useful training and, most importantly, incredibly effective.

Fears must be present in life, but they should not complicate this life too much. A person should be in a comfortable state and feel good, be able to control fears and prevent them. Anxiety should not be excessive, and you need to learn to cope with this.

12 tips to get rid of anxiety, fear and worry

Exercise stress

If you're feeling anxious or scared, do some physical activity. Work out with dumbbells, run or do other activities physical exercise. During physical activity, the human body produces endorphin - the so-called joy hormone, which lifts the mood.

Drink less coffee

Caffeine is a powerful nervous system stimulant. In large quantities it can even healthy person turn into an irritated, nervous grumbler. Don't forget that caffeine is not only found in coffee. It is also found in chocolate, tea, Coca-Cola and a number of medicines.

Avoid annoying conversations

When you are tired or stressed, such as after a tiring day at work, avoid talking about topics that might make you anxious. Agree with your family members not to talk about problems after dinner. It is especially important to get rid of anxious thoughts before bed.

"White noise"

A white noise generator is great for healthy sleep. Buy this device and enjoy quality sleep. After all, lack of sleep can provoke stress and simply makes a person tired and irritable.

Analysis of experiences

If you are worried about many different things and problems, make a list of these sources of anxiety. Attribute to each individual alarm possible consequences. When you clearly see that nothing very terrible threatens you, it will be easier for you to calm down. In addition, this will make it easier for you to think through all the options for solving your problems.

Watch funny movies and laugh more. Laughter releases endorphins and helps relieve stress.

Looking at what terrible things can happen to people, your own problems will seem trivial to you. After all, everything is learned by comparison.

Don't create unnecessary problems for yourself

Many people really like to get ahead of themselves and prematurely draw conclusions about the bad outcome of certain events, phenomena, and so on.

Solve problems as they arise. The fact that you worry about what may happen in the future or not happen at all will not change the end result.

You will only irritate yourself with such thoughts. If you are suddenly worried about something that might happen, ask yourself two questions: how likely is it that it will happen, and how, if at all, can you influence the course of events. If you have no control over what's coming, just don't worry. It's stupid to be afraid of the inevitable.

Introspection

When something worries you, try to remember similar situations in the past. Think about how you behaved similar situations, how much we were able to influence the problem and how the problem was resolved. After such an analysis, you will come to the conclusion that nothing lasts forever, in this case the problem. Very often problems are solved even without our intervention.

Detail your fears

You need to know the enemy by sight. Analyze all your fears and anxieties down to the smallest detail, study the likelihood of a problem occurring or specific situation, think about how you can avoid the problem and how to resolve it. In the course of such an analysis, you will not only be seriously prepared to face the problem, but you will also find out that the likelihood that something you fear will happen to you is not at all high. Based on specific data or numbers, you will realize that you are simply fooling yourself.

Eastern wisdom

Take up mastering one of the Eastern techniques of relaxation, meditation or yoga. These practices significantly contribute to complete relaxation, both physically and mentally. Also, during exercise, endorphin, already known to us, is produced. Practice with an instructor, or master one of the techniques yourself with the help of relevant literature or video lessons. It is recommended to cheer up in this way for 0.5-1 hour every day.

Share your worries with a friend

Fear of the future (futurophobia)

Fear of the future is a constant feeling of anxiety in a person associated with upcoming events in his life. This fear appears under the influence of daily stressful situations in combination with positive emotions (a desired move or the birth of a child).

Futurophobia is an individual’s endless doubt that he is able to overcome all the obstacles and problems that await him in life. Often a person begins to understand the groundlessness of this fear. However, more often it all comes down to the fact that he cannot find the origins of his doubts. The person’s internal state then worsens, and the fear itself returns with renewed vigor.

At its core, fear of the future is fear of the unknown. A person does not know what could happen tomorrow, or what to do in a given situation. Because of this, the feeling of security is reduced to critical point, replacing it with constant anxiety. At this moment, fear of the future appears.

How to overcome fear of the future?

Specialists have developed a strategic plan that contains techniques for increasing and replenishing strength for psychological stability, individual confidence in one’s own capabilities, as well as for developing the ability to adequately respond to various events.

Analyze

Initially, you should analyze what situation causes fear and what it is associated with. Here it is very important to remember when anxious thoughts first began to occur and whether they were based on a real danger or a subjective one. The more accurately you determine the form of fear, the easier it will be to analyze all the facts that should be written down daily.

At this stage, it is good to visualize the fear in some way, even if it is a drawing of an abstract shape or with some name. This method allows you to throw out all your worries, and possibly your fears.

Also, it is very important not to discuss the emotions themselves. They can be expressed as own feeling. This will help relieve general tension in a situation where fear manifests itself to others. A frank conversation about your fears will help you unite in resolving this issue. It is best to create a social circle in which you can feed on positive energy.

Find a solution

The next thing to do is to list and write down a step-by-step solution with the sequential implementation of certain actions. This process requires determination and willpower, which is very important for removing the paralyzing and numbing influence that causes a person to fear the future.

In the case when fear has haunted a person for a very long time and he is unable to overcome his fears on his own, which prevents him from living a normal life full life, it is better to consult a specialist (psychotherapist) who will prescribe medication.

How to get rid of anxiety and relax: 13 “grounding” exercises

Grounding exercises are designed to restore contact with the present - here and now. the main objective is to connect your mind and body together and make them work together.

These exercises are useful in many situations when you feel:

• overloaded;
• suppressed by difficult memories, thoughts and feelings;
• are captivated by strong emotions;
• experiencing stress, anxiety or anger;
• suffer from painful memories;
• You wake up from nightmares with your heart pounding.

The exercises are based on using the senses - sight, hearing, taste, smell, touch - to connect the mind and body in the present moment. These are basic human feelings, which remind us that we are here and now, and we are safe. Use only those that you feel comfortable doing.

#1 - Remind yourself who you are

State your name. Say your age. Tell me where you are now. List what you did today. Describe what you will do next.

#2 - Breathing

Take 10 slow breaths. Focus your attention on your breathing, each inhalation and exhalation. Count to yourself the number of exhalations.

#3 - Feel it

Splash some water on your face. Notice how you felt. Feel the touch of the towel you used to wipe your face. Take a sip cold water. Pick up a cold can of cola or lemonade. Feel the cold and wetness of the surface of the bottle. Pay attention to the bubbles and taste of the liquid you drink. Now take a large mug of hot tea in your hands and feel its warmth. Do not rush to drink tea, take small sips, savoring the taste of each.

#4 - Nightmare

If you wake up in the middle of the night from a nightmare, remind yourself who you are and where you are. Tell yourself what year it is and how old you are. Look around the room, note all familiar objects and name them. Touch the bed where you are lying, feel the coolness of the air, name any sounds you hear.

#5 - Clothes

Feel the clothes on your body. Notice whether your arms and legs are covered or exposed, and pay attention to how your clothes feel as you move in them. Notice how your feet feel in your socks or shoes.

#6 - Gravity

If you are sitting, touch the chair below you and feel the weight of your body and legs touching the surface and floor. Notice how much pressure your body, arms, and legs place on the seat, floor, or table. If you are lying down, feel the contact between your head, body and legs as they touch the surface you are lying on. Starting with your head, notice how each part of your body feels, then work your way down to your feet and the soft or hard surface they rest on.

#7 - Stop and listen

Name all the noises you hear around you. Gradually move your attention from nearby sounds to those coming from a distance. Look around and notice everything that is directly in front of you, and then to the left and to the right. Name character traits, details and features of large objects first, and then smaller and smaller ones.

#8 - Get up and walk around the room

Focus on every step you take. Stomp your feet and notice the sensations and sounds as your feet touch the ground. Clap your hands and rub your hands vigorously. Listen to the sound and sensation in your palms.

#9 - Temperature

When you go outside, pay attention to the air temperature. How different (or similar) is it to the temperature in the room you were just in?

No. 10 - See, hear, touch

Find five things you can see, five things you can hear, touch, taste, smell.

#11 - Dive

Dip your hands into something that has an interesting or unusual texture.

#12 - Music

Listen to a piece of instrumental music. Give it your full attention.

No. 13 - Garden

If you have a garden or houseplants, spend some time with them. Plants, and even soil itself, can be a great grounding agent - a cure for anxiety and restlessness.

Treatment

If the above methods do not work, you should contact specialists who will provide competent therapy and prescribe a course of treatment. The main thing is not to start this process, that is, follow the principle “the sooner the better.”

Many people worry about the smallest things, even if nothing serious has happened. Such feelings bring nothing but anxiety, they destroy nervous system. People who worry a lot cannot live a full life. They are constantly tense and uncomfortable. By turning to psychology, you can understand the essence of these phenomena and get rid of them.

What is the difference between fear and anxiety

Fear and anxiety, both of these phenomena may seem the same at first glance. But in reality, they don't go hand in hand. If causeless anxiety destroys the nervous system, then fear, on the contrary, mobilizes the body’s strength.

Imagine that a dog attacks you on the street, a feeling of fear will force you to act, to take any action to protect yourself. But if you simply worry that the dog might attack you, it will make you feel bad. An excessive sense of fear also does not lead to anything good.

Feelings of anxiety may have varying degrees- from mild to strong. This feeling of anxiety and fear for no reason may depend on the state of the body, on upbringing or hereditary factors. This is why there are people suffering from phobias, migraines, suspiciousness, etc.

Main Causes of Anxiety

In this condition, a person experiences an internal conflict that gradually grows and makes him feel bad. Certain factors contribute to this. Let's look at the causes of fear and anxiety:

• psychological trauma in past,
• irritating actions,
• suspiciousness of character, when a person is not sure of anything,
• psychological trauma in childhood, when parents put too much pressure on the child, made excessive demands on him,
• sedentary lifestyle life, poor nutrition,
• starting life in a new place, earlier unfamiliar to a person,
• negative events in the past,
• character traits when a pessimistic attitude towards life becomes lifestyle,
• disorders in the body that destroy endocrine system and cause hormonal imbalance.

The destructive effects of anxiety and fear

A person only makes things worse for himself when he constantly lives in a state of anxiety and fear. Not only his psychology suffers, but also his health. When a person experiences a constant feeling of anxiety, his heart begins to beat faster, he lacks air, and his blood pressure jumps up.

Too strong emotions make a person very tired, and his body wears out faster. Trembling appears in the limbs, he cannot fall asleep for a long time, pain appears in the stomach for no apparent reason. Many body systems suffer in this condition, women experience hormonal imbalances, and men experience disruptions genitourinary system. Therefore, you need to know how to get rid of fear and anxiety.

Identifying problems

There is no such person who would not be afraid of anything. It is important to realize how much this interferes with life. Each person has their own fears: some are afraid to speak in public, others have problems communicating with the opposite sex, others are simply embarrassed by their character, they do not want to show themselves too smart, stupid, etc. By recognizing your problem, you can begin to fight it and overcome your fear.

Combating Fear and Anxiety

There are many ways to get rid of anxiety and fear.

1. When you feel anxious, tension always arises. And if this tension is removed, then the negative feelings will dissipate. To stop constantly worrying, you need to learn to relax. Physical activity helps in this matter, so try doing exercises, or better yet, do physical activity in a team. Walking on fresh air, jogging, breathing exercises will also help fight excessive anxiety.
2. Share your feelings with loved ones you trust. They will help you dispel feelings of fear. To other people, other people's fears seem insignificant, and they will be able to convince you of this. Communication with loved ones who love you will relieve the burden of problems that are weighing you down. If you don’t have such people, then trust your feelings to a diary.
3. Don't leave problems unresolved. Many people worry about something but do nothing to change it. Don't leave your problems as they are, start doing at least something to cope with them.
4. Humor helps us get rid of many problems, defuse tense situations and make us relax. So hang out with those people who make you laugh a lot. You can also just watch a comedy program or read about something funny. Anything that makes you feel happy can be used.
5. Do something enjoyable for you. Take a break from your negative thoughts and call your friends, invite them for a walk or just sit with you in a cafe. Sometimes it's enough just to play computer games, read a fascinating book, you can always find something that gives you pleasure.
6. Imagine more often a positive outcome of events, and not vice versa. We often worry that something might end badly, and we imagine it in vivid colors. Try doing the opposite and imagine that everything ended well. This will help you reduce anxiety neurosis.
7. Remove everything from your life that gives rise to an anxiety disorder. Typically, watching the news or crime programs, which often talk about something negative, creates an even greater feeling of anxiety. Therefore, try not to watch them.

Psychological tricks to help get rid of fear

Give yourself 20 minutes a day when you can completely surrender to your anxiety and think about what worries you most. You can let yourself go and even cry. But when the allotted time comes to an end, stop yourself from even thinking about it and get on with your daily activities.

Find a quiet place in your apartment where nothing will disturb you. Sit comfortably, relax, breathe deeply. Imagine that in front of you is a burning piece of wood, from which smoke rises into the air. Imagine that this smoke is your alarm. Watch how it rises into the sky and completely dissolves in it until the piece of wood burns out. Just watch it without trying to influence the movement of the smoke in any way.

Do some handicrafts. Monotonous work helps to distract from unnecessary thoughts and make life more serene.

Even if you can't get rid of anxious thoughts at first, over time you will learn to do it. The main thing is to follow the advice and you will gradually become less worried.

Getting rid of fear - advice from psychologists

Psychologists suggest using several tricks to get rid of fear.

1. Art therapy helps cope with feelings of fear. Try to draw your fear and express it on paper. Then burn the piece of paper with the design.
2. When you experience panic attacks, switch to something else to do so that your feeling doesn't deepen and make you feel bad. Do something else that will absorb all your thoughts and your negative feelings will go away.
3. Realize the nature of your fear, sort it out. Try to write down everything you feel and worry about, and then light the paper.
4. The breathing exercise “Inhaling Strength and Exhaling Weakness” will help you get rid of fear. Imagine that as you inhale, courage enters your body, and as you exhale, your body gets rid of fear. You should sit up straight and be relaxed.
5. Face your fear. If you push through it no matter what, it will help you worry less. For example, you are afraid to communicate with someone, go and communicate with him. Or, for example, you are terribly afraid of dogs, watch them, try to pet a harmless dog. This is the most effective way which helps get rid of fear.
6. When panic and anxiety have completely taken over you, breathe deeply 10 times. During this time, your mind will have time to adapt to the surrounding reality and calm down.
7. Sometimes it's good to talk to yourself. This way your experiences will become more understandable to you. You realize the depth of the situation in which you find yourself. Understanding your condition will help you calm down, your heart will no longer beat so fast.
8. Feeling angry will help you shift away from your fear, so find someone that makes you feel this feeling.
9. Find something really funny, it will neutralize panic attacks instantly. You will feel much better after this.

Stop being afraid of your fears

In fact, the feeling of fear helps us overcome life's obstacles and improve our lives. Many people have done great things out of fear. Great musicians were afraid that they would remain unrecognized and composed great music, athletes were afraid of defeat and reached incredible heights, scientists and doctors made discoveries out of fear of something.

This feeling actually mobilizes the strength of our body, makes us act actively and do great things.

You will never be able to overcome your fear by simply letting it go indiscriminately or not paying attention to it. But you can become happier. Try to live with joy, enjoying the current moment. Don't worry too much about past mistakes and constantly dream about the future. This will help you live comfortably and be happy with what you have.

Do something you enjoy and you will feel important to other people. This will help you cope more easily with all the fears and worries in your life.

Anxiety is a person’s tendency to experience a state of anxiety. Most often, a person’s anxiety is associated with anticipation. social consequences his success or failure. Anxiety and anxiety are closely related to stress. On the one hand, anxious emotions are symptoms of stress. On the other hand, the initial level of anxiety determines individual sensitivity to stress.

Anxiety- groundless, vague anxiety, a premonition of danger, an impending catastrophe with a feeling of internal tension, fearful expectation; may be perceived as pointless anxiety.

Increased anxiety

Increased anxiety as personal characteristic often formed in people whose parents often forbade something and frightened them with the consequences, such a person could be in a state for long periods of time internal conflict. For example, a child is excitedly anticipating an adventure, and the parent says: “this is not possible,” “this must be done this way,” “this is dangerous.” And then the joy from the upcoming camping trip is drowned out by the prohibitions and restrictions ringing in our heads, and at the end we end up with an anxious state.

A person transfers such a scheme into adulthood, and here it is - increased anxiety. The habit of worrying about everything can be inherited; a person repeats the behavioral patterns of a restless mother or grandmother who worries about everything and “inherits” a corresponding picture of the world. In it, he appears as a loser, on whose head all possible bricks must certainly fall, and it cannot be otherwise. Such thoughts are always associated with strong self-doubt, which began to form in the parental family.

Such a child was most likely fenced off from activities, a lot was done for him and he was not allowed to gain any experience, especially negative ones. As a result, infantilism is formed, and the fear of making a mistake is constantly present.

In adult life people are rarely aware of this model, but it continues to work and influence their lives - fear of error, disbelief in their strengths and abilities, distrust of the world give rise to a constant feeling of anxiety. Such a person will strive to control everything in his life and the lives of his loved ones, because he was raised in an atmosphere of distrust of the world.

Such attitudes as: “the world is unsafe”, “you always have to wait for a trick from anywhere and from anyone” - were decisive in his parental family. This may be due to family history, when parents received similar messages from their parents who experienced, for example, war, betrayal, and many hardships. And it seems that now everything is fine, and the memory of difficult events remains for several generations.

Regarding others anxious person does not believe in their ability to do something well on their own precisely because he himself was beaten on the wrist all his life and convinced that he himself could not do anything. The learned helplessness formed in childhood is projected onto others. “No matter how hard you try, it’s still to no avail.” And then - “and a brick, of course, will fall on me, and my loved one will not escape this.”

A person brought up in such a picture of the world is constantly within the framework of what he should be - he was once taught what he should be and what to do, what other people should be, otherwise his life will not be safe if everything goes wrong. as it should." A person drives himself into a trap: after all, real life everything cannot (and should not!) correspond to the ideas once acquired, it is impossible to keep everything under control, and a person, feeling that he “cannot cope,” produces more and more anxious thoughts.

Also, the formation of a personality prone to anxiety is directly influenced by stress, psychological trauma, and the situation of insecurity in which the person was for a long time, for example, physical punishment, lack of emotional contact with loved ones. All this creates a distrust of the world, a desire to control everything, worry about everything and think negatively.

Increased anxiety prevents one from living here and now; a person constantly avoids the present, being in regrets, fears, worries about the past and future. What can you do for yourself, besides working with a psychologist, how to cope with anxiety yourself, at least to a first approximation?

Causes of anxiety

Like stress in general, the state of anxiety cannot be called unequivocally bad or good. Anxiety and worry are integral components normal life. Sometimes anxiety is natural, adequate, and useful. Everyone feels anxious, restless or stressed in certain situations, especially if they have to do something unusual or prepare for it. For example, giving a speech in front of an audience or passing an exam. A person may feel anxious when walking down an unlit street at night or when lost in a strange city. This type of anxiety is normal and even useful, as it prompts you to prepare a speech, study the material before an exam, and think about whether you really need to go out at night all alone.

In other cases, anxiety is unnatural, pathological, inadequate, harmful. It becomes chronic, permanent and begins to appear not only in stressful situations, but also without visible reasons. Then anxiety not only does not help the person, but, on the contrary, begins to interfere with him in his daily activities. Anxiety has two effects. Firstly, it influences mental condition, making us worry, reduces the ability to concentrate, and sometimes causes sleep disturbances. Secondly, it also has an effect on the general physical state, causing such physiological disorders as rapid pulse, dizziness, trembling, digestive disorders, sweating, hyperventilation, etc. Anxiety becomes a disease when the strength of the anxiety experienced does not correspond to the situation. This increased anxiety is classified into a separate group of diseases known as pathological anxiety conditions. At least 10% of people suffer from such diseases in one form or another at least once in their lives.

Post-traumatic stress disorder is common among war veterans, but anyone who has experienced events outside of normal life can suffer from it. Often in dreams such events are experienced again. Generalized disorders based anxiety state: In this case, the person feels a constant feeling of anxiety. This often causes mysterious physical symptoms. Sometimes doctors cannot figure out the causes of a particular disease for a long time; they prescribe many tests to detect heart disease, nervous and digestive systems, although in fact the reason lies in mental disorders. Adaptation disorder. A state of subjective distress and emotional disturbance that interferes with normal functioning and occurs during adaptation to a significant life change or stressful event.

Types of Anxiety

Panic

Panic is a sudden, recurring attack strong fear and anxiety, often completely unreasonable. This can be combined with agoraphobia, when the patient avoids open spaces and people, fearing to panic.

Phobias

Phobias are illogical fears. This group of disorders includes social phobias, in which the patient avoids appearing in public, talking with people, eating in restaurants, and simple phobias, when a person is afraid of snakes, spiders, heights, etc.

Obsessive manic disorder

Obsessive manic disorders- a state when a person periodically has the same type of ideas, thoughts and desires. For example, he constantly washes his hands, checks whether the electricity is turned off, whether the doors are locked, etc.

Disorders associated with post-traumatic stress

Post-traumatic stress disorder is common among war veterans, but anyone who has experienced events outside of normal life can suffer from it. Often in dreams such events are experienced again.

Generalized anxiety disorders

In this case, the person feels a constant feeling of anxiety. This often causes mysterious physical symptoms. Sometimes doctors cannot figure out the causes of a particular disease for a long time; they prescribe many tests to detect diseases of the heart, nervous and digestive systems, although in fact the cause lies in mental disorders.

Symptoms of Anxiety

People with anxiety disorders have a variety of physical symptoms, in addition to the nonphysical symptoms that characterize this type disorders: excessive, abnormal anxiety. Many of these symptoms are similar to those present in people suffering from diseases such as myocardial infarction or stroke, and this leads to a further increase in anxiety. Below is a list physical symptoms related to anxiety and worry:

• shiver;
• indigestion;
• nausea;
• diarrhea;
• headache;
• back pain;
• cardiopalmus;
• numbness or pins and needles in the arms, hands, or legs;
• sweating;
• hyperemia;
• anxiety;
• slight fatigue;
• difficulty concentrating;
• irritability;
• muscle tension;
• frequent urination;
• difficulty falling or staying asleep;
• easy onset fear.

Anxiety Treatment

Anxiety disorders can be effectively treated with rational persuasion, medication, or both. Supportive psychotherapy can help a person understand psychological factors that provoke anxiety disorders, and also teach how to gradually cope with them. Manifestations of anxiety are sometimes reduced with the help of relaxation, biological feedback and meditation. There are several types of medications that can help some patients relieve distressing symptoms such as excessive fussiness, muscle tension, or inability to sleep. Taking these medications is safe and effective as long as you follow your doctor's directions. At the same time, drinking alcohol, caffeine, as well as smoking cigarettes, which can increase anxiety, should be avoided. If you are taking medication for an anxiety disorder, consult your doctor first before you start using alcoholic drinks or take any other medications.

Not all methods and treatment regimens are equally suitable for all patients. You and your doctor should decide together which combination of treatments is best for you. When deciding on the need for treatment, it should be borne in mind that in most cases, anxiety disorder does not go away on its own, but transforms into chronic diseases internal organs, depression or takes a severe generalized form. Peptic ulcer stomach, hypertonic disease, irritable bowel syndrome and many other diseases are often the result of advanced anxiety disorder. The basis of treatment for anxiety disorders is psychotherapy. It allows you to identify the real reason development of an anxiety disorder, teach a person ways to relax and control his own condition.

Special techniques can reduce sensitivity to provoking factors. The effectiveness of treatment largely depends on the patient’s desire to correct the situation and the time elapsed from the onset of symptoms to the start of therapy. Drug treatment anxiety disorders includes the use of antidepressants, tranquilizers, and adrenergic blockers. Beta blockers are used to relieve autonomic symptoms (palpitations, increased blood pressure). Tranquilizers reduce the severity of anxiety and fear, help normalize sleep, and relieve muscle tension. The disadvantage of tranquilizers is their ability to cause addiction, dependence and withdrawal syndrome, so they are prescribed only for strict indications and for a short course. It is unacceptable to drink alcohol during treatment with tranquilizers - respiratory arrest may occur.

Tranquilizers should be taken with caution when performing work that requires increased attention and concentration: drivers, dispatchers, etc. In most cases, in the treatment of anxiety disorders, preference is given to antidepressants, which can be prescribed over a long course, since they do not cause addiction or dependence. The peculiarity of the drugs is gradual development effect (for several days and even weeks), associated with the mechanism of their action. An important outcome in treatment is the reduction of anxiety. In addition, antidepressants increase the threshold of pain sensitivity (used for chronic pain syndromes), help relieve autonomic disorders.

Questions and answers on the topic "Anxiety"

Question:My child (14 years old) constant anxiety. He can’t describe his anxiety, just constant worry for no reason. Which doctor can I show it to? Thank you.

Answer: The problem of anxiety is especially acute for children adolescence. Due to the series age characteristics adolescence is often called the “age of anxiety.” Teenagers are worried about their appearance, about problems at school, relationships with parents, teachers, and peers. A psychologist or psychotherapist can help you understand the reasons.

Anxiety is an emotion that all people experience when they are nervous or afraid of something. Constantly being “on edge” is unpleasant, but what can you do if life is like this: there will always be a reason for anxiety and fear, you need to learn to keep your emotions under control, and everything will be fine. In most cases this is exactly the case.

It's normal to worry. Sometimes this can even be beneficial: when we worry about something, we pay more attention to it, work harder, and generally achieve better results.

But sometimes anxiety goes beyond reasonable limits and interferes with life. And this is an anxiety disorder - a condition that can ruin everything and which requires special treatment.

Why does anxiety disorder occur?

As in the case of most mental disorders, no one can say exactly why anxiety clings to us: too little is known about the brain to talk about the reasons with confidence. Several factors are likely to blame, from ever-present genetics to traumatic experiences.

For some, anxiety appears due to the stimulation of certain parts of the brain, for some, hormones - and norepinephrine - are acting up, and for others, the disorder occurs as a result of other diseases, and not necessarily mental ones.

What is an anxiety disorder?

To anxiety disorders Studying Anxiety Disorders. include several groups of diseases.

• Generalized anxiety disorder. This is the case when anxiety does not appear because of exams or the upcoming meeting with the parents of a loved one. Anxiety comes on its own, it does not need a reason, and the feelings are so strong that they prevent a person from performing even simple everyday activities.
• Social anxiety disorder. Fear that prevents you from being among people. Some are afraid of other people's assessments, others are afraid of other people's actions. Be that as it may, it interferes with studying, working, even going to the store and saying hello to neighbors.
• Panic disorder. People with this disease experience panic attacks: they become so scared that they sometimes cannot take a step. The heart is beating at a breakneck speed, the vision is getting dark, there is not enough air. These attacks can come at the most unexpected moment, and sometimes because of them a person is afraid to leave the house.
• Phobias. When a person is afraid of something specific.

In addition, anxiety disorder often occurs in combination with other problems: bipolar or obsessive-compulsive disorder or.

How to understand that this is a disorder

The main symptom is constant feeling anxiety that lasts at least six months, provided that there are no reasons to be nervous or they are insignificant, and emotional reactions are disproportionately strong. This means that anxiety changes your life: you give up work, projects, walks, meetings or acquaintances, some activities just because you are too worried.

Other symptoms Generalized anxiety disorder in adults - Symptoms., which hint that something is wrong:

• constant fatigue;
• insomnia;
• constant fear;
• inability to concentrate;
• inability to relax;
• trembling in hands;
• irritability;
• dizziness;
• frequent heartbeat, although there are no cardiac pathologies;
• increased sweating;
• pain in the head, stomach, muscles - despite the fact that doctors do not find any violations.

There is no exact test or analysis that can be used to identify an anxiety disorder, because anxiety cannot be measured or touched. The decision on the diagnosis is made by a specialist who looks at all the symptoms and complaints.

Because of this, there is a temptation to go to extremes: either diagnosing yourself with a disorder when life has just begun, or not paying attention to your condition and scolding your weak-willed character, when, due to fear, an attempt to go out into the street turns into a feat.

Don’t get carried away and confuse constant stress and constant anxiety.

Stress is a response to a stimulus. For example, a call from a dissatisfied client. When the situation changes, the stress goes away. But anxiety may remain - this is a reaction of the body that occurs even if there is no direct impact. For example, when an incoming call comes from a regular customer who is happy with everything, but it’s still scary to pick up the phone. If the anxiety is so strong that anyone phone call- this is torture, then this is already a disorder.

Don't bury your head in the sand and pretend that everything is fine when... constant pressure interferes with life.

It is not customary to consult a doctor with such problems, and anxiety is often confused with suspiciousness and even cowardice, and being a coward in society is shameful.

If a person shares his fears, he will more likely receive advice to pull himself together and not become limp than an offer to find good doctor. The trouble is that overcoming the disorder is powerful by force of will It won’t work, just as it won’t be possible to cure with meditation.

How to treat anxiety

Persistent anxiety is treated like other mental disorders. This is why there are psychotherapists who, contrary to popular belief, do not just talk to patients about difficult childhoods, but help them find methods and techniques that truly improve their condition.

Some people will feel better after a few conversations, others will benefit from pharmacology. The doctor will help you reconsider your lifestyle, find the reasons why you are nervous a lot, assess how severe your symptoms are and whether you need to take medications.

If you don't think you need a therapist yet, try taming your anxiety on your own.

1. Find the reason

Analyze what makes you worry the most and most often, and try to eliminate this factor from your life. Anxiety is a natural mechanism that is needed for our own safety. We are afraid of something dangerous that can harm us.

Maybe if you are constantly shaking with fear of your boss, it’s better to change jobs and relax? If you succeed, it means that your anxiety is not caused by a disorder, there is no need to treat anything - live and enjoy life. But if you can’t identify the cause of your anxiety, then it’s better to seek help.

2. Exercise regularly

There are many blind spots in the treatment of mental disorders, but researchers agree on one thing: regular exercise stress really helps keep my mind organized.

3. Let your brain rest

The best thing is to sleep. Only in sleep does the brain overloaded with fears relax, and you get a break.

4. Learn to slow down your imagination with work.

Anxiety is a reaction to something that hasn't happened. It's the fear of what might happen. Essentially, anxiety exists only in our heads and is completely irrational. Why is it important? Because counteracting anxiety is not calm, but reality.

While all sorts of horrors happen in the anxious imagination, in reality everything goes on as usual, and one of the best ways turn off the constantly itching fear - return to the present, to current tasks.

For example, keep your head and hands busy with work or sports.

5. Stop smoking and drinking

When the body is already a mess, it is at least illogical to shake the fragile balance with substances that affect the brain.

6. Learn relaxation techniques

The rule “the more the better” applies here. Learn breathing exercises, look for relaxing yoga poses, try music or even drink chamomile tea or use in the room essential oil lavender. Everything in a row until you find several options that will help you.