Food for Thought: Why am I so anxious?

Every human feels anxiety on occasion; it is a part of life.

All of us know what it is like to feel worry, nervousness, fear, and concern. We feel nervous when we have to give a speech or go for a job interview.

Most of us manage these kinds of anxious feelings fairly well and are able to carry on with our lives without much difficulty. But millions of people (an estimated 15% of the population) suffer from devastating and constant anxiety that severely affects their lives.

These people experience panic attacks, phobias, extreme shyness, obsessive thoughts, and compulsive behaviors. The feeling of anxiety is a constant and dominating force that disrupts their lives.

An anxiety disorder affects a person’s behavior, thoughts, feelings, and physical sensations.

The most common anxiety disorders are: social anxiety, panic disorder and generalized anxiety disorder. Social anxiety is a fear of being around other people. People who suffer from this disorder always feel self-conscious around others.

Because the anxiety is so painful, they learn to stay away from social situations and avoid people. Panic disorder is a condition where a person has panic attacks without warning.

Common symptoms of panic include: racing heart, trembling, sweaty palms, feelings of terror, chest pains or heaviness in the chest, dizziness and light headedness, fear of dying, fear of going crazy and losing control.

A panic attack is extremely frightening. It is often followed by feelings of helplessness and depression. Generalized anxiety disorder fills a person’s life with worry, anxiety, and fear.

People who have this disorder are always thinking and dwelling on the “what ifs” of every situation. The person often becomes depressed about life. They can become incapacitated by an inability to shut the mind off, and are overcome with feelings of worry, dread, fatigue, and a loss of interest in life.

People with generalized anxiety disorder often have physical symptoms including headaches, irritability, frustration, trembling, inability to concentrate, and sleep disturbances.

Most treatment options include teaching the client how to identify and change unproductive thought patterns by observing his feelings and learning to separate realistic thoughts from unrealistic thoughts.

Relaxation training is often part of psychotherapy. Many people with anxiety disorders benefit from self-hypnosis, guided visualization, and biofeedback.

Antidepressant and anti anxiety medications can help restore chemical imbalances that cause symptoms of anxiety. This is an effective treatment for many people, especially in combination with psychotherapy.

When a person is motivated to try new behaviors and practice new skills and techniques, he or she can learn to change the way the brain responds to familiar thoughts and feelings that have previously caused anxiety.

Dr. Leta A Livoti Ph.D., LCSW, LCPC is a psychotherapist in Thompson Falls. She is accepting new clients and can be reached at 827-0700.