What is anxiety?

It sort of feels like having knowledge that the world will end horrifically, but you can’t ever remember why, or how, or when. Although perhaps an overly colorful depiction of what anxiety feels like, it is a useful metaphor to allow others to wrap their minds around what the day to day feels like dealing with this condition.
When we scroll through social media, a large buzz word we often come across is “anxiety”; how to cope with it, how to reduce, control or nullify it completely. But, when we are bombarded with all this information, it is easy to get confused and overwhelmed.  To clarify some of the confusion and anxiety (no pun intended) that this information overload may present, we wanted to gather the most common questions that you may have about this condition and address them once and for all.

The first and most common: What is anxiety?

It is a condition in which worries, for no apparent reason, inhibit those who suffer from it from concentrating and carrying out their daily tasks on a regular basis.
People with anxiety disorder frequently have intense, excessive and persistent worry and fear about everyday situations. Often, anxiety disorders involve repeated episodes of sudden feelings of intense anxiety and fear or terror that reach a peak within minutes (panic attacks)”. 
On the other hand, it is important to know what the symptoms of anxiety disorder are. The National Institute of Mental Health states that the most common symptoms of this condition are:

• Worry excessively about everyday things
• Have trouble controlling their worries or feelings of nervousness
• Know that they worry much more than they should
• Feel restless and have trouble relaxing
• Have a hard time concentrating
• Startle easily
• Have trouble falling asleep or staying asleep
• Tire easily or feel tired all the time
• Have headaches, muscle aches, stomachaches, or unexplained pains
• Have a hard time swallowing
• Tremble or twitch
• Feel irritable or “on edge”
• Sweat a lot, feel lightheaded, or feel out of breath
• Have to go to the bathroom frequently

However, since these symptoms co-occur in so many other disorders as features, it can be confusing. When in doubt, visit your mental health provider. They will be able to give you an accurate diagnosis of whether or not you suffer from an anxiety disorder.
Another question that we get asked the most is: When is the best time to seek help if I think I suffer from anxiety? The answer to this question is definitely not to wait until you feel a decline in your mental health to attend therapy. You usually get a medical checkup every so often, right? You can do the same with your mental health! However, some of the signs that may indicate that it is time to seek help are:

• You feel that your thoughts are interfering with the way you carry out your daily tasks.
• Some situation is alienating you from your loved ones or from your social circle
• You have developed unhealthy habits to deal with your thoughts

And last but not least, how can I help a friend or loved one with anxiety?

• The best way to help someone who is diagnosed with an anxiety disorder is to not judge them. A person who suffers from a mental disorder continually feels that they are a burden to those around them, so the first piece of advice we give you at AMP is to constantly repeat how strong they are and how much you support them during their process.

• On the other hand, it is important that you educate yourself about what anxiety is, how it manifests itself and what can be done about it. Sometimes people with anxiety have a hard time admitting they need help, so encourage them to seek professional help.

• Listen to them. Many times anxiety can occur because the person who suffers from it feels that they have no one to share the thoughts that are affecting them with. Take the time to listen to them and, at the end, offer some resources that can help. For example, the contact of a mental health provider or some tips to control anxiety while the person decides to seek professional help.

We hope that with these answers you have a little more clarity about what anxiety disorder is and what can be done about it. Remember that this condition can affect us at any time in our lives (although it usually appears more frequently in adolescence and young adulthood) and that no one is exempt from suffering from it.
If you want to know more about mental health you can follow us on our social media Instagram and LinkedIn.
At AMP Group Mental Health Services we provide mental health services throughout the state of Florida in English and Spanish. We also accept more than 15 insurance companies. We are here to help you!