Have you ever been concerned about an upcoming job interview?
Were you ever in a situation where you were nervous about talking in front of people?
It is likely that your answer to the above questions is YES!
Does this mean that we all have anxiety?
Not necessarily!
Let me explain....
Although anxiety, worry, and stress might seem like one and the same thing, they are not! While worrying and stress may be a part of anxiety, it is certainly not the same as anxiety. In fact, even worrying and stressing are different from each other!
How?
Worry revolves around your mind. It is more about repetitive, negative, and obsessive thoughts that a person has in their mind. On the other hand, stress revolves more around your body. It is the body’s response to a distressing external event called a stressor. Anxiety includes both a cognitive and a physical component. In other words, it is the combination of both worry and stress.
Now that you know the meaning of these terms, here are some points that can help you identify if you are experiencing stress, worry, or anxiety:
Stress:
It is temporary in nature.
It does not affect daily life.
It revolves around the body.
Physiologic response of the body to external factors.
Worry:
It is temporary in nature.
It does not affect daily life.
It is primarily focused on the mind.
Negative thoughts about uncertainty and things that could go wrong.
Anxiety:
It is persistent in nature.
It affects day-to-day functions.
It affects both the mind and body.
It is more internal. It is your reaction to stressors.
So, is Anxiety a rare occurrence?
NOT AT ALL!
According to the World Health Organization, 1 in 13 people globally suffer from an anxiety disorder. If you suffer from anxiety, then remember that YOU ARE NOT ALONE! Women are twice as likely to be diagnosed with anxiety as men, and 7.2% of women aged 5–19 years of age experience anxiety.
But this does not mean that all individuals experiencing anxiety have the same type of anxiety. In fact, there are several different forms of anxiety.
Let us go over some of these forms:
1. Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD)
This is what people mean when they say they have anxiety. People with GAD feel anxious most of the time, not necessarily being in a stressful situation. They often expect the worst-case scenario and find it hard to control these negative feelings.
2. Social Anxiety
Social anxiety disorder, or social phobia, is the most common anxiety disorder. This disorder causes an intense fear of being in social situations. Social phobia can last for years or even a lifetime without treatment. People may worry for days or weeks before a social event.
They’re often embarrassed, self-conscious, and afraid of being judged by others. The most common scenarios where social anxiety might strike include starting conversations, meeting new people, public speaking, dating, and eating in front of people.
3. Panic Disorder
You’ve probably heard of panic attacks before, a panic attack often comes out of the blue and causes symptoms such as shaking, heart palpitations, hyperventilation, and dizziness. During a panic attack, a person may feel that they can’t breathe or that they’re having a heart attack and sometimes worry that they’re going to pass out or die. Not everyone who has panic attacks will develop panic disorder.
4. Phobias
People might often make jokes about having a phobia of something, but phobias are actually a fairly common type of anxiety disorder that needs to be taken seriously. When you have a phobia of something, you’re completely terrified of it and will exaggerate any danger in your mind.
It’s not necessary to be around phobic stimuli, but just the thought or sight of it on a screen might cause an excessive amount of fear or even a panic attack. Some of the most common phobias include Pteromerhanophobia (a fear of flying); Claustrophobia (fear of enclosed spaces); and entomophobia (a fear of insects).
If you believe that you may suffer from an anxiety disorder, don’t hesitate to reach out to a professional.
Therefore, people who talk about their mental health struggles are not "attention seeking"; they are "support seeking".
Comments