This disorder is characterized with extreme, overwhelming, and idealistic worry regarding daily endeavors such as family, health, money, friends, or career. Its symptoms include a feeling of constant apprehension (ER, 2015).
Causes of Anxiety
The development of anxiety disorders seems to result from an intricate relationship of nature; genetic, biological, temperament, learned response and other aspects such as socio-economic and workplace pressure experiences. Regarding genetic aspects, it is widely recognized that the predisposition to develop anxiety disorders is hereditary; parents to offspring. Anxieties stemming due to biological factors result from chemical imbalances in the brain particularly between the involvement of neurotransmitter that controls emotional states and physical reactions.
Additionally, individuals with definite temperaments are more susceptible to anxiety disorders. For instance, individuals whose childhood upbringing was repressed and nervous may be disposed to develop social phobia disorders. Regarding learned response, some individuals exposed to people, circumstances, or objects that are displeasing have a high tendency of developing an anxiety response. Further, stress factors can lead to anxiety; individuals with stressful life experiences are susceptible to developing anxiety disorders, predominantly post-traumatic stress disorder (Tuma, & Maser, 2018).
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Therapy
Certainly, anxiety disorders can respond to medication very effectively. Despite explicit characteristics of each anxiety disorder, most of these disorders respond well to psychological therapies and/or medication. In most cases, it has been identified that a combination of medication and psychotherapy may be more effective in producing better long-term results. Below are some of the significant therapies for treating anxiety.
Education
Several scientific researches, evaluating anxiety treatments argue that the vital foundation in the treatment of anxiety disorders is compassionate listening and education. The institution of a therapeutic alliance between the physician and patient in terms of education is substantial to alleviate fears of therapy interventions and progression toward treatment. Education therapies include common lifestyle recommendations such as identifying and removing possible, improving sleep quality/quantity and physical activity (Reid, Balis, Wicoff & Tomasovic, 2018).
Medication
Medications for treating anxiety involve utilization of First-Line Therapies and Second-Line Therapies. First- line Therapies include but not limited to Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), Venlafaxine, Tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs), extended release, duloxetine (Cymbalta) and Azapirones, such as buspirone (Buspar). Second-Line Therapies include Tricyclic antidepressants Amitriptyline, (NA) Imipramine, Antiepileptics Pregabalin, Antipsychotics Quetiapine (Seroquel) and Hydroxyzine (Roy-Byrne, 2015).
Psychotherapy and Relaxation Therapies
Psychotherapy therapies include diverse methodologies, such as applied relaxation and cognitive behavior therapy (CBT). Based on CBT, the cognitive part helps in altering patterns of thinking and behaviors that may cause anxiety, whereas the behavior part entails guiding patients to relax intensely and assists in desensitizing patients from triggers of anxiety. CBT applies approaches such as applied relaxation, cognitive restructuring, exposure therapy, or breathing as interventions (Cuijpers, Cristea, Karyotaki, Reijnders & Huibers, 2016).
Notably, in some types of anxieties, aromatherapy, music therapy, acupuncture, and massage have been considered helpful for treatment therapies.
