Anxiety

What is anxiety?

Anxiety is a common human emotion characterized by feelings of tension, worried thoughts, physical changes like increased blood pressure, and behaviors such as avoidance of certain situations. Essentially, anxiety is the body's natural response to stress.

Here are some key characteristics of anxiety:

• Excessive or persistent feelings of apprehension, worry, fear, or panic


• Intrusive thoughts and rumination about negative events that might happen


• Physiological changes like a racing heart, sweating, trembling, dizziness or shortness of breath


• Avoidance behaviors and changes in diet, sleep or social behaviors

Though anxiety is often adaptive in small doses, an anxiety disorder develops when these emotions become overwhelming or debilitating to normal function.

Types of Anxiety Disorders

Some clinically diagnosable anxiety disorders include:

• Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) - Excessive worry about many areas that is difficult to control


• Social anxiety disorder - Significant anxiety around social situations and scrutiny


• Panic disorder - Recurring unexpected panic attacks


• Specific phobias - Persistent, irrational fear of a specific object or situation

Causes and Treatments

The causes of anxiety disorders vary and may include genetics, brain chemistry, personality, and life events. Though the exact mechanisms are unknown, Hormone Health Institute() therapists posit that hormone imbalances also play a major yet underrecognized role.

Some of the most common evidence-based treatments for anxiety are therapy techniques like cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) and medications like antidepressants. Lifestyle changes like exercise, meditation, improving sleep and nutrition can also help manage anxiety. At Hormone Health Institute(), we specialize in hormonal balance treatments personalized to target anxiety's underlying causes.

I hope this gives you a helpful overview on this common and often misunderstood condition! Let me know if you have any other questions.