Anxiety and anxiety disorder

General information about anxiety

In most cases, anxiety can be explained. Prolonged stress or too many things occurring at once can cause anxiety, for instance. Positive things can also cause anxiety, such as a new relationship, a new job or moving.

Temporarily, anxiety can increase performance, but intense anxiety and panic have the opposite effect – they paralyse and cause problems at work or in studies as well as in social situations. Anxiety can also affect relationships.

Anxiety disorder refers to a prolonged and excessive state of “emotional incapability” that can be paralysing and have a serious negative effect on daily life. Anxiety disorder is a common issue. As many as 25% of people in Finland suffer from it at some point in their lives.

Symptoms of anxiety disorder

Symptoms of anxiety often include insomnia, but it can also manifest as excessive sleep. Initially, anxiety may only manifest itself as difficulties sleeping, but later it can lead to inability to concentrate and memory problems. A person with anxiety can find it difficult to concentrate on things such as watching TV or reading a newspaper. Symptoms also include tension, anxiety, nervousness and restlessness.

Symptoms of physical anxiety include:

• sweating
• shaking
• oppressive feeling in the chest
• palpitations
• shortness of breath and dizziness
• nausea and abdominal symptoms
• blushing
• tingling or numbness of limbs and hands
• compulsive need to urinate

Symptoms of anxiety can take the form of an anxiety attack or a more persistent feeling of vagueness. Many people may be afraid of the symptoms of anxiety and consider them dangerous. However, the symptoms are often not dangerous.

Causes of anxiety disorder

The causes of anxiety disorder are diverse and can be related to the following, for example:

• changes in brain neurotransmitters
• factors predisposing to the social growth environment
• lifestyles, such as excessive intoxication or excessive coffee consumption.

Anxiety is often caused by many kinds of emotions that a person may or may not recognise. Some people are able to recognise anxiety through their physical symptoms, and some are able to directly identify the underlying emotions, such as fear. Fear and anxiety are distinguishable as fear includes an actual external risk, whereas in anxiety, a specific cause of the emotion cannot always be identified.

A person who suffers from an anxiety disorder is often worried about their health, relationships or financial situation, and they often consider their prospects to be bleak. They might know that they are excessively worried about incidents with a low probability, but this knowledge will not make the anxiety any easier.

Treatment of anxiety disorder

The most effective treatment for an anxiety disorder is usually a combination of medication and therapy. In addition, relaxation exercises are carried out to treat anxiety disorder.

• Relaxation exercises. When an anxiety attack strikes, it is important to focus on the present and take a deep breath, so that your body understands that there is no need to worry.
• Psychotherapy. Behavioural cognitive therapy, one of the forms of psychotherapy, is used in particular to treat anxiety disorder.
• Medical treatment. The primary mode of pharmacological treatment of anxiety disorder involves antidepressants, even though the patient may not experience depression. In addition, benzodiazepines (sedatives) can be used for short periods and beta-blockers can be used at the beginning of treatment to reduce physical symptoms of anxiety.

Drug treatment should be continued for at least six months after the symptoms have been relieved in order for the treatment to be effective. You should never quit a medication without a doctor’s orders.