Anxiety disorder is a serious mental health condition affecting one’s physical and mental health, destroying work life and relationships and impairing one’s overall functioning in the society. It is highly common and affects millions of people globally. If left untreated, anxiety disorder can lead to other mental health struggles and lifelong challenges.
This article provides a comprehensive overview on anxiety disorder with its types and causes, symptoms and treatment options available, along with a guide on the best psychiatrist for anxiety disorder treatment in Gurgaon.
Anxiety Disorder- Types and Symptoms
Each type of anxiety disorders has its own symptoms, stressors and treatment methods. DSM 5 TR classifies anxiety disorder in the following types:
- Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD): Generalized anxiety disorder is characterized with persistent feeling of tension and worry, affecting one’s physical, mental and emotional health. People with GAD often experience unrealistic and uncontrollable worry, restlessness, headaches and body aches, irritability, and sleep disturbances for a prolonged period. Its general symptoms which can be treated by the best psychiatrist of anxiety disorder are:
- Restlessness, irritability and fatigue.
- Difficulty concentration.
- Muscle tension and body ache.
- Sleep disturbances
- Panic Disorder: Panic disorder involves sudden and intense panic attack with symptoms without an obvious trigger and may cause both physical and emotional symptoms. These physical and emotional symptoms include:
- Heart palpitation and sweating.
- Chills, dizziness, nausea or heat sensation.
- Tremors or shaking.
- Chest pains and discomfort.
- Feeling of dying
- Emotional outburst.
- Separation Anxiety Disorder: Separation anxiety disorder is characterized by excessive fear and anxiety about being separated from their caregivers and family members such as parents or closed ones. It is highly common among children but can affect adolescents as well as younger adults lasting for few weeks to months. Common symptoms include:
- Intense fear of being detached from their attachment figure.
- Sleep disturbances and Repetitive nightmare of being separated.
- Headaches and stomach cramps with the thought of separation.
- Clinging to their caregiver and wanting continuous reassurance.
- Regression in behaviour (bedwetting in children) or showing tantrums.
- Selective Mutism: Selective mutism is a type of anxiety disorder where an individual finds it stressful to speak in specific situations despite speaking in other situations which usually lasts for a month. Symptoms include:
- Difficulty in speaking at school, while comfortable at home.
- Inability to participate in activities or poor academic performance.
- Specific Phobia: It is an intense and irrational fear of any specific objects, situations, or people which causes significant impairment in social functioning. Specific phobia is classified as animal phobia, natural environment phobia, blood injection injury phobia, situational phobia and others. Symptoms of specific phobia are:
- Avoidance of certain situations and objects.
- Excessive fear and worry which feels uncomfortable.
- Rapid heart palpitation.
- Sweating, breathlessness and shaking.
- Nausea and chest pain.
- Sleep disturbances.
- Social Anxiety Disorder: Social anxiety disorder is also known as social phobia which is marked by intense fear of social situations followed by the fear of being judged or humiliated. It widely interacts with a person/s personal, professional and academic life. Symptoms include:
- Constant worry of being embarrassed or judged.
- Avoiding situations which requires speaking or performing.
- Fear of being the centre of attention.
- Blushing or sweating.
- Muscle tension or dizziness.
- Agoraphobia: Agoraphobia is characterized by intense fear of two or more of the following situations such as using public transportation, being in close spaces, being in open space, standing in line or in crowd and being outside of the home alone. However, this type of anxiety disorder can be treated by a psychiatrist for anxiety in Gurgaon. Symptoms are:
- Avoiding situations which triggers anxiety.
- Feeling trapped and helpless.
- Nausea or stomach aches.
- Shortness of breath and rapid heart palpitation.
- Substance/ Medication- Induced Anxiety Disorder: This type of anxiety disorder is triggered by continuous use and misuse of substances such as alcohol and drugs and medications, affecting the overall well-being of the individual. Its symptoms are:
- Restlessness and agitation.
- Trembling, shaking or dizziness.
- Gastrointestinal or cardiovascular issues.
- Sleep disturbances or hypervigilance.
- Other Specific Anxiety Disorder: This category involves significant anxiety like symptoms causing significant distress in one’s professional and personal life which do not meet the diagnostic criteria for any other specific anxiety disorder. The various types are:
- Limited symptoms panic attack.
- Situational anxiety attack.
- Nocturnal anxiety
- Culture specific syndromes such as antique de nervous and khayal cap.
Causes of Anxiety Disorders
Anxiety disorder is a complex mental health issue and is caused by a combination of environment and genetic factors. Common causes include:
- Genetic factors: A strong family history of anxiety disorder, both in maternal and paternal side, may increase the likelihood of the next generation to develop the condition.
- Brain Chemistry: Imbalances of certain neurotransmitters in the brain such as serotonin, dopamine and GABA are likely to cause anxiety related symptoms.
- Stressful Life Experiences and Trauma: Stress life experiences such as job loss, death of a loved one, or divorce and trauma such as childhood abuse, or emotional unavailable parents are at a higher risk of developing the condition.
- Medical Condition: Certain medical conditions like heart diseases and fatal illnesses can lead to anxiety.
- Substance Abuse: Consumption of tobacco, cigarette, alcohol and drugs can be a contributing factor for anxiety disorder.
Treatment Options for Anxiety Disorder
Psychiatrists in Gurgaon for anxiety disorder uses a combination of treatment methods to provide the right intervention and treatment for an anxiety free life. Treatment approaches include:
Psychotherapy for Anxiety Disorder: Psychotherapy such as cognitive behavioural therapy which focuses on identifying and changing the negative thought patterns, exposure therapy where the individual is gradually exposed to the anxiety related thought, thereby reducing the avoidance behaviour, and dialectical behaviour therapy focusing on emotional control and understanding.
- Medication Management for the Treatment of Anxiety Disorder: Medications which are commonly prescribed by a near me psychiatrist for anxiety disorder are SSRIs, benzodiazepine and SNRIs.
- Lifestyle Changes for Treating Anxiety: Adapting to a healthy lifestyle such as following a balanced diet, regular physical exercise, maintaining a sleep routine and limiting caffeine and alcohol may help to reduce the symptoms of anxiety.
- Complementary Methods of Treatment for Anxiety Disorder: Psychiatrist for anxiety disorder may combine other methods of treatment in their plan like yoga, art and music therapy and aromatherapy to help one with anxiety.
Athena Behavioral Health- The Best Anxiety Treatment Centre in Gurgaon
Athena Behavioral Health in Delhi, NCR, India combines an evidenced based treatment plan along with complementary methods to help an individual to reduce the symptoms of anxiety and recover efficiently. Athena BHS creates a personalized treatment plan using mindfulness practices, yoga and healthy routine connecting the body and the mind, thereby promoting overall well-being. The best near me anxiety disorder rehab has a team of experienced psychiatrists working round the clock to provide a quicker approach to recovery. Athena believes that recovery is possible with the right guidance and help from the best treatment centre for anxiety in Gurgaon.
Conclusion
Anxiety disorders may be challenging and overwhelming, but with the right support and treatment of a psychiatrist, one can recover completely from the condition and live a stress-free life. Athena Behavioural Health is just the right place to achieve a complete recovery and an overall quality of life of the individual
Frequently Asked Questions
Question 1 – Can a person be diagnosed with more than one type of anxiety disorder simultaneously?
Answer 1 – Yes, one can be diagnosed with more than one type of anxiety disorder such as generalized anxiety disorder along with specific phobia or agoraphobia.
Question 2 – Does anxiety disorder require treatment at a rehab centre?
Answer 2 – Anxiety disorder often requires the supervision of a psychiatrist to treat the condition at a rehabilitation centre.
Question 3 – Is it possible to be completely cured from anxiety disorder?
Answer 3 – Yes, one can be completely cured from anxiety disorder through medication management, counselling sessions and recreational therapies which helps one to overcome the uncontrollable fear overtime.
Question 4 – When should I seek help for anxiety?
Answer 5 – You must immediately seek the assistance of a psychiatrist for anxiety disorder in India once it interfers with your daily life, relationships, physical and mental health and professional life.
Question 5 – Can regular exercise and meditation reduce the symptoms of anxiety?
Yes, regular physical exercise releases hormones such as endorphins which works to reduce the stress level and improves the overall mood of the individual.
