It may surprise you to know that about 284 million people worldwide live in need of anxiety treatment. Sadly, less than half of this number eventually access the treatment that they require.
Anxiety, in itself, is a normal part of life as a human being. It is the natural response of our body to stress and a feeling of apprehension for the unknown. As such, it may be impossible to eliminate feelings of anxiety from our daily life.
However, if your anxiety becomes extreme, stays with you for extended periods, and interferes with your life, you may have an anxiety disorder. This is when being anxious becomes a problem, and at this point, it is safe to say you need anxiety treatment.
In most cases, anxiety is a normal and even healthy emotion. Indeed, being anxious can spur you to do better or also alert you to looming danger. This is ordinary anxiety that comes and goes, and more importantly, will not interfere with your everyday activities.
However, anxiety disorders are more intense and sometimes debilitating. If you feel this way, you must seek treatment for your anxiety immediately.
In this article, we will thoroughly shed light on what anxiety disorder is. Also, we will help you identify the signs and symptoms of anxiety so that you can seek help quickly.
Finally, we will give you tips on anxiety treatment options to help you or your loved ones get better. Keep reading to find out all you need to know about anxiety and its treatment in Toronto.
What is Anxiety?
First off, you should know that anxiety, on its own, does not require treatment. Anxiety can be described as feelings of fear or apprehension arising from happenings in our environment.
For instance, starting a new job or having to face a crowd can make you anxious. Having cars speed past you on the highway can also result in nervousness and fear. All these are normal feelings and will subside before long.
Anxiety disorder, on the other hand, is where there is a problem. Anxiety disorder is the most common form of emotional disorder and can affect anyone at any age. It is characterized by excessive fear, nervousness, worry and apprehension.
Furthermore, this disorder falls under the category of mental health disorders and requires professional attention more often than not.
You must be able to differentiate between normal anxiety and a disorder as the condition worsens with time. Knowing the symptoms of anxiety will help you identify the syndrome before it progresses. Then, you can seek anxiety treatment in Toronto.
In the next paragraphs, we will discuss some signs to help you spot anxiety disorder. Furthermore, we will shed light on some of the best treatments for anxiety. But first, let us look at the various types of anxiety disorders that exist.
Types of Anxiety Disorders
The first step of anxiety treatment is to identify the reason you are so anxious all the time. This is the protocol that many anxiety treatment facilities in Toronto follow.
That being said, the types of anxiety can be classified based on situations or events that spike these feelings. Here are some of the various kinds of anxiety disorders.
Agoraphobia
People who have this type of anxiety are usually scared of places or events that make them feel powerless, trapped or embarrassed. Their being in such situations may cause panic attacks, so people with agoraphobia tend to avoid particular places.
Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD)
GAD causes people to experience anxiety or excessive worry about activities or events, even those that are already routine. In this case, the stress symptoms are much more significant than the reality of the situation.
Panic Attacks
This causes sudden and repeated outbursts of severe anxiety, fear or terror that reaches its peak in minutes.
Panic attacks cause one to worry about possible recurrence. It then makes the person try and avoid situations in which panic attacks previously occurred.
Selective Mutism
This is the inability of a person to talk in specific places or situations. Selective mutism mostly happens in children and can interfere with their everyday life. For instance, a child may refuse to speak while at school but talk when in other places.
Separation Anxiety Disorder
This form of anxiety occurs in children who get separated from their parents or guardians. In most cases, SAD is a normal part of child development and does not require anxiety treatment.
However, some children may experience some forms of this disorder, which alters their daily life.
Specific phobia
Specific phobia materializes as fear of particular objects, events or situations, which results in severe anxiety when one is exposed to such things.
Specific phobia is usually accompanied by a strong desire to avoid the object of such fear. For instance, claustrophobia is the fear of small spaces.
Do I Have Anxiety: The Symptoms You Need To Know
Now that you know what anxiety is, you must know how to spot it. Many symptoms characterize anxiety disorders, and what’s more, they grow worse with time. Therefore, you must be able to identify the signs of anxiety disorder as fast as possible.
This way, you can quickly take steps to get treatment for your anxiety before it worsens. Here are some of the common signs of anxiety that you should look out for.
- Excessive restlessness, nervousness or tenseness
- Irrational fears
- Rapid heartbeat
- Hyperventilation or rapid breathing
- Excessive sweating
- Trembling or tense muscles
- Lethargy and weakness
- Difficulty concentrating
- Insomnia
- Digestive problems such as constipation
- Fear of certain things, places or situations
- Obsessions about certain things
- Performing certain actions incessantly
Related article: Anxiety Treatment: Helpful Tips for Coping
Can Anxiety Be cured: The Best Treatment for Anxiety
The first step to treating your anxiety is to get a diagnosis. So, if you experience any combination of the symptoms above, you should see an anxiety treatment expert or a therapist immediately.
If the diagnosis ends up as an anxiety disorder, there is no need to panic. There are many anxiety treatment facilities in Toronto that can help you reduce and manage your symptoms. Treatments for anxiety include:
Medication
This is usually prescribed by a mental health specialist. Medication for anxiety disorders typically includes antidepressants and sedatives. However, we do not recommend that you self-medicate. See an expert!
Psychotherapy
More often than not, you may be referred to a psychologist. A psychologist can help you manage anxiety through counselling and a range of other options that do not involve medication.
During this process, you will learn how your emotions affect your behaviours. More importantly, they will guide you to understand and manage them.
Lifestyle changes
While undergoing sessions with anxiety treatment professionals is advisable, making changes to your lifestyle can aid the process. Here are some necessary changes you can make to the way you leave to reduce your likelihood of being too anxious.
- Maintain a healthy diet
- Get adequate rest and sleep
- Do not use alcohol or recreational drugs
- Quit smoking
- Carry regular exercise
- Cut down on your caffeine intake
- Learn to relax – Try yoga or medication
- Get together with friends
Seek out support groups
Finally, some people find it soothing to converse with others who are having similar symptoms and troubles. Therefore, in addition to your anxiety treatment, you may join support groups to help you share your concerns.
Furthermore, you can get advice from people who have been where you are and learn from their mistakes.
In Summary
It can be more than challenging to live with an anxiety disorder. The ever-present fear and worries can quickly wear you out. Thankfully anxiety treatment can help you drop that worry. We are glad you’ve taken the first step to getting better – learning about your condition.
Hopefully, we have been able to give you valuable insight into what anxiety is, the signs and how you can manage it.
Do you experience too much anxiety? Are you wondering where to get treatment for anxiety in Toronto? Addiction Rehab offers first-class and personalized treatment options for anxiety and associated symptoms. Please reach out to us. We can and will help you get better!
Related article: Anxiety Treatment: Here’s How You Can Regain Control
