The term which grew remarkably along with the pandemic. The COVID-19 pandemic has brought a great deal of Acute Anxiety to the public. The constant fear and agitation that we went through. As a community, the fear of getting contaminated by the disease was at peak.
The pandemic is just one example. Anxiety is something every human being faces, on a daily basis. In today’s fast-paced lifestyle, feeling anxious is inevitable. We humans live so many lives in a day, that we almost forget how our mind would perceive peace of mind with Xanax.
We keep Prioritizing unnecessary things in life. And forget to actually think about our own comfort.
Also, there have been various studies to understand the reasons behind it. Let us look into it with more depth.
Introducing of Anxiety
Scientifically speaking, anxiety is a type of mental health condition. It means, if you have anxiety you may get worried more than the normal amount of worry. Every person has different dimensions of worry.
Also, the way everyone’s body exhibits worry is different as well. Anxiety happens when an individual may respond to certain situations with fear and worry.
In some cases, it also involves some physical signs such as extreme sweating, rapid heart beat. Although, it is normal to have some amount of anxiety in a person. The normal anxiety involves the stress one feel when they have to:
- Tackle a work-related problem
- Make an important decision
- Take a test
- Go to an interview
However, anxiety also helps a person notice the danger in any specific situation. It focuses our attention on the problem.
So that the individual could easily solve it. On the other hand, disorder happens when it goes beyond this. If it goes above the regular nervousness and the slight fear one feels from time to time. Acute anxiety happens when:
- It starts to interfere with the ability of a person to perform or function.
- The person starts to overreact when something triggers their emotions.
- There are failed attempts to control the responses to situations.
- The person is constantly worried.
- In some cases, the person might starts to think negatively about everything
- If a person feels that their uneasiness just does not stop. And it keeps increasing.
Moreover, Acute anxiety can make it difficult for a person to go through the day. Fortunately enough, there are various techniques that can help a person get over it.
What Are The Symptoms Of Acute Anxiety?
There can be several reasons behind the feeling of anxiety. However, there are several symptoms that are determined to contribute into an increased anxiety:
- Feeling nervous, restless or tense
- Having the urge to avoid things that trigger anxiety
- Experiencing gastrointestinal (GI) problems
- Trouble concentrating or thinking about anything other than the present worry
- Trembling
- Having an increased heart rate
- Having a sense of impending danger, panic or doom
- Breathing rapidly (hyperventilation)
- Sweating
- Feeling weak or tired
- Having trouble sleeping
- Having difficulty controlling worry
Is Anxiety Acute Or Chronic?
Acute means when the conditions are sudden and severe. The best example for this would be an asthma attack. Whereas chronic happens when any syndrome has been long-developing. There are instances where both these conditions are found as well.
Now, if we talk about anxiety in that sense. There are cases when anxiety could be acute as well as chronic. Regardless of the type, there are five types of anxiety disorders that affect people. And they are:
- Generalised Anxiety Disorder
This type of anxiety is largely characterized by chronic anxiety. Furthermore, it shows excessive worry and tension in a person. Even when there is nothing to worry about as such. It is a little different from the occasional worrying. People who have GAD (Generalized Anxiety Disorder) tend to experience anxiety for months.
The symptoms of GAD involve:
- Heavy fatigue
- Being annoyed
- Feeling restless
- Difficulty in concentrating
- Having constant aching. Such as stomach ache, muscle ache, headache
- Constant feelings of worry
- Sleeping issues. Such as staying asleep or difficulty in falling asleep
- Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
OCD is a disorder which involves the feelings of having unwanted thoughts, recurrent and repetitive behaviors. Such as cleaning, checking, hand washing, counting, etc.
These activities are performed in the hope of preventing any sort of obsessive thoughts. Or making them go away for Mental health Services. However, these only provide temporary relief. And not doing these activities can increase their anxiety.
There certain symptoms of OCD, that include:
- Firstly, fear of contamination or dirt
- Needing things orderly and symmetrical
- Unwanted thoughts, including aggression, or sexual or religious subjects
- Doubting and having difficulty tolerating uncertainty
- Lastly, aggressive or horrific thoughts about losing control and harming yourself or others
- Panic Disorder
If we talk about this type. It is an anxiety disorder that involves repeated and unexpected series of intense fear. That is further accompanied by physical symptoms. Such as shortness of breath, rapid heart rate, chest pains, discomfort in abdomen, etc.
People who suffer from panic disorder, may experience constantly unexpected panic attacks. Talking about panic attacks. They bring sudden intense fear with discomfort. With a sense of losing control even when there is no trigger. On the other hand, not everyone who experiences a panic attack, develops a panic disorder.
Panic attacks mostly involve:
- Pounding rapid heart beat
- Excessive sweating
- Trembling sensation
- Feeling out of control
- Chest pain
If a person suffers from panic disorder, they might worry about the next attack. They tend to actively try to prevent any future attacks. Thus, by avoiding situations, places, or behaviours they associate with panic attacks. If we talk about their occurrence. They can occur several times a day. As well as rarely as a few times a year.
- Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
PTSD, also known as the Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. It is an anxiety disorder that can develop after any exposure to a terrifying event. Or an incident which gave any sort of threatening or physical harm.
Such as traumatic events that include violent assaults, human caused or natural disasters. As well as severe accidents.
This disorder can cause a great level of problem in one’s social relationships. As well as work and in personal relationships. They can also interfere with one’s ability to do the normal everyday tasks.
It is further divided into four types:
- Intrusive memories
- Avoidance
- Negative changes in thoughts and behavior
- Changes in physical and emotional reactions
PTSD symptoms are generally grouped into four types: intrusive memories, avoidance, negative changes in thinking and mood, and changes in physical and emotional reactions. Also, symptoms can vary over time or vary from person to person.
Although, the symptoms can vary from time to time. And person to person. There are some common symptoms that can be visible in every person. And they are:
- Irritability
- Self-destructive behavior
- Social-isolation
- Fear
- Loss of interest in daily activities
- Loneliness
- Insomnia
- Emotional Detachment
- Severe anxiety
- Self-doubting thoughts
- Trouble in concentrating
There are various instances where people connect this type of anxiety with grief and loss. As well as with violence and traumatic past experiences. Quick diagnosis and treatment is much needed in such situations.
- Social Phobia (or Social Anxiety Disorder)
Social Anxiety Disorder, or in layman’s language we say social phobia. It comes under anxiety disorder that involves an excessive amount of social conscious thoughts. As well as an overwhelming amount of anxiety. Even in everyday social situations.
One can limit this type to fear of speaking in public. Both in formal as well as informal settings. As well as eating or drinking in front of others. Some kids experience stage frights in school. Although some get over it, and for some, it takes a lot of effort. However, this type of anxiety has the potential to develop early depression and severe anxiety.
How To Manage Acute Anxiety Symptoms After Quitting Drinking Alcohol?
Well, alcohol can cause new signs and symptoms of anxiety. As well as can worsen the pre-existing anxiety. Various individuals use alcohol to cope up with anxiety. However, it is completely unhealthy. They might think alcohol would help in reducing the symptoms. But it actually degrades it.
Alcohol can be a temporary and an unhealthy way to relieve anxiety with Ativan. What it does is it makes an individual forget about the underlying stress. It does not erase the triggers of stress. Whether the anxiety is related to financial stress, past-trauma, or an untreated psychological disorder.
Alcohol is a merely temporary solution. Individuals who depend upon alcohol to treat anxiety and depression. They are more prone to develop alcohol dependence as well. This is a myth that alcohol can treat the symptoms of anxiety. The fact is that the symptoms of anxiety will still be there, even if you start to take alcohol. Properly addressing the symptoms and obtaining proper treatment for anxiety would be the only way to treat acute anxiety.
Furthermore, consuming alcohol can affect the ability of a person to respond to stress. An individual must respond to stress in a healthy and effective way. But alcohol hinders that ability of a person. The alcohol effects in the area of the brain that regulates negative emotions in a person. Nevertheless, studies have shown that the alcohol users have abnormalities in the amygdala functioning of their brains.
How to Stop Acute Anxiety Attacks?
Although, treating anxiety symptoms is a slow and gradual process. Nobody gets over it. They just learn skills to overcome it. However, there are some techniques that doctors say can help in reducing anxiety. Some of them are precisely easy. And are proven to reduce anxiety in that particular time. Some of them are:
- Just breathe in, breathe out!
- Talk to your close ones or to someone who would understand
- Eat your favorite food
- Take a bath
- Get away from social media
- Spend some time with yourself
- Keep yourself hydrated
- Practice positive self-affirmations
- Go for a walk
- Write about it
- Do not befriend alcohol
- Listen to music that would help you calm down
What Is The Treatment For Acute Anxiety?
There is no quick fix for acute anxiety. Though, it might look like a struggle at first. As the time passes, you just learn to live with it. Many people master the art of pretending. However, these techniques will definitely get you through from that one tough moment.
Medications:
If we talk about the medications, there are several medicines that are extremely helpful in relieving anxiety symptoms. It depends upon the type of anxiety disorder the individual is facing at that moment. In case, a person has a mild anxiety, then they will be advised to attend some therapy sessions. And that will be helpful enough for them.
Furthermore, there are several types of medicines that help an individual relieve symptoms of anxiety. Some of them include:
- Certain antidepressants that reduce the symptoms of anxiety disorders.
- In severe circumstances, your doctor could prescribe you benzodiazepines. Such as Xanax, Ativan, Valium, or Farmapram.
- These are also known as anxiolytics or anti-anxiety medicines. These help in treating symptoms of anxiety. Antidepressants reduce anxiety by increasing the concentration of chemicals (neurotransmitters) that the brain uses to communicate. These neurotransmitters include serotonin, norepinephrine, and dopamine.
Furthermore, by reducing the anxiety by increasing the concentration of the chemical. The chemicals who are neurotransmitters, through which the brain communicates.
Psychotherapy:
Another name for this method is “talk-therapy”. It includes psychological counselling. By working with a therapist to reduce the anxiety symptoms. Therefore, it can be highly effective. Among all the types of therapies, CBT is the most effective. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy(CBT) focuses on teaching the patient some specific skills that would help in improving the symptoms. Then gradually returning to the activities that an individual avoids due to anxiety.
It includes exposure therapy. In this, a person gradually recognizes the situation or object that triggers their anxiety. It triggers the anxiety so that the individual can build confidence in managing that particular situation. Along with all the Symptoms of Anxiety they have.
Conclusion of It
Making one’s anxiety disappear is not an overnight task. Additionally, One can only learn to live with it and cope with it. Through the techniques which experts have stated. Furthermore, expecting medicines and therapies to work in the initial stage is not intelligent as well. Make sure to investigate the symptoms thoroughly. And working through it for a better well being and a healthy lifestyle.