What exactly is anxiety disorder?

Question

I mean, I know what clinical anxiety is, I don't exactly mean that literally. I just mean, what is it in the sense of why is it an actual disorder? I want people to help me understand this, because it seems to be that almost everyone I know or meet says they suffer from anxiety, and they either smoke weed for it - which actually makes it worse - or they use meds.

What exactly is clinical anxiety? Why is it that so many people have it? What do you personally think it is? And what does it feel like on a regular basis? And if you have it, what do YOU do to manage it?

RavVid · Accepted Answer

Clinical I think is just that it can be observed in a clinical setting. You might have anxiety at work but as soon as you leave you are all good. For that I think you would need to feel anxious most of the time.

I think it is a disorder in the sense it impairs how you function in life. You could feel anxious about what might happen after you step out the front door. So anxious you have everything delivered. That would impair how you function.

I did have anxiety a lot when younger. You know what though? The worse case you can think of almost never happens but my mind would go to the worse case. It is worse when you are reacting to the problem emotionally because you are all set up then to cycle round the worse case. I found saying STOP helpful when I caught my mind cycling onto the prob.

We can wear a broken record track in our brains where go round and round an skip back to go round and round. Saying STOP to yourself helps disrupt this pattern. Can testify this works.

More nowadays I am saying I'm not thinking or talking about this today. That gets me past the emotional reaction and logical reaction kicks in. A friend does have good reason to be anxious so I say this too her. It seems to help. She used to get drunk to get relief from her mind.

All this is a non professional take. I do think for a lot of us, it is these broken record tracks that cause anxiety. I might be sacked, how will I pay the mortgage, I'll lose everything. I might be sacked etc

Genuinely it is a more uncertain time than ever before. If you can't do anything about it than it is a waste thinking of it.

Cheers

Datboi65 · Accepted Answer

*For legal reasons, this is not medical advice. If you think you have anxiety disorder, do NOT self-diagnose and seek professional help*

When it comes to clinical anxiety, it's an umbrella term that encompasses a range of diagnoses. These are, but are not limited to:

1) Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) (feeling anxious most of the time)

2) Panic Disorder (having panic attacks that can be triggered by certain situations)

3) Agrophobia (scared of not being able to escape)

4) Selective mutism (inability to speak in certain situations)

5) Separation Anxiety Disorder (separation from home or people the individual has an attachment to)

6) Social Anxiety Disorder (also referred to as social phobia)

7) Specific phobias (acrophobia, claustrophobia and so on...)

Each one of these has its own clinical criteria that you can find in the DSM-V guildlines, but I'm not gonna bore you with the details. When most people talk about having clinical anxiety, they are probably referring to GAD as it is the most common. Worrying all the time about things that other people wouldn't deem so important and constantly being on edge is what most patients would describe it as.

If you believe you are diagnosed with anxiety, then listen to your psychologist/psychiatrist on what to do. The first line of action is usually non-pharmachological therapy in the form of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), where your mind is rehabilitated to learn how to think differently without inducing anxiety. If that doesn't work, then your psychiatrist will prescribe medications that you have to take to curb your anxiety.

PeachyPie93 · Accepted Answer

I have always had mild anxiety since I was younger, if I was in a crowded places I used to get panic attacks where it felt like literally everyone was looking and thinking bad stuff about me and I would have to leave stores and stand out side alone to calm down. Then as I got older and isolated very very much even being ignored by my boyfriend, plus being under stress of lots of things going wrong in life I kind of lost my sanity and was very suicidal and jumpy. I broke up and had to go back to my moms house. I was always thinking I need to do something right now or I have to die. I kept wanting to go out and didn't want to stay inside and my mom couldn't handle my behaviour. It felt like I literally couldn't stop thinking or shut off the thoughts of doom. I tried drugs to get it to stop, I just wanted to stop thinking, yet I couldn't, the drugs didn't help at all. So I told my mom I need help or I really am gonna off myself. So she forced me to see a nurse and the lady sorted everything out and I got pills which turned off my emotions and finally I had peace of mind, the self critic and hateful thoughts finally just stopped..
For me it was like a constant influx of negativity, too many feelings and emotions all coming at me at once every time I was awake, I seriously couldn't handle it. Now I am doing much better 2 years later and I only take a pill if I feel super sad or anxious which isn't very often at all.

Apple1996 · Accepted Answer

Having lots of worry or stress. My anxiety has always been bad (when I was younger it was more of a social anxiety/shyness thing) but after having kids it's increased like 1000x worse. I also have ocd and ptsd which trigger the anxiety as well. But I've learned just to embrace it tho. I'd rather be stressed over everything to keep my kids safe rather than be too chill and something goes wrong. It just shows that I care too much about protecting my kids which isn't such a bad thing

Maybe_Maybe_not · Answer

Attempting to complete your description people suffering from anxiety will use meds, drugs, sex, food, books, video games, TV shows, social media, and a very long list of various compensations, hoping to kill the unpleasant feeling using any pleasurable activity.

This is usually discussed in therapy, A HELL OF A LOT. And of course taught to therapists during their training.

Although I feel VERY MUCH inclined to say that anxiety is subjective, contextual to perceptions, actual and perceived life story of a person. As such it seems impossible, and even detrimental, to me to talk about anxiety when it is not in relation to a specific person, in relation to specific events, in relation to specific perceptions.

AMS700CX4u2 · Answer

Being so frightened of the outcome of a particular action that you won't try that action. Closely associated with failure to launch. Socially paralyzing. Stops social growth.

Makeushiver · Answer

Anxiety is usually considered "free-floating". It has similar physiological reactions that fear generates but fear usually has an object at which the emotion is directed whereas anxiety is often without any specific target. There is a philosopher named Martin Heidegger who wrote a lot about anxiety

Dongie · Answer

It's what you feel after talking with this girl textwise for an hour and come away feeling like you started WWIII but all the time you're just trying to figure out what it is that she is fucking talking about.

nolabels · Answer

I have extremely severe anxiety, so much so that I've become mute.

I'm too anxious to go into detail right now.

Prescription meds suck, and mindfulness does not help at my level of anxiety.

I've resorted to alcohol over the last few weeks.
It's wonderful for the time being.

Agape93 · Answer

It's a disorder because it's severe and consistent enough to cause real issues in life. Like for me when my anxiety attacks happen, it feels like when you lean too far back in a chair and you're about to fall. Except that feeling doesn't subside, it gets worse. Your heart races. You start to sweat, your mind races with panic on something unknown. It can be like this for minutes or hours or days, and can be caused by something or absolutely nothing and hit at random.

noohair · Answer

Everyone has some anxiety. The disorder is not being able to manage the anxiety.  Dr, Tracey Marks

msc545 · Answer

Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) is a mental health condition characterized by excessive, uncontrollable worry about a variety of everyday issues, even when there is little or no reason to worry. The anxiety in GAD is persistent, lasting for at least six months, and can interfere with daily activities, work, or relationships.

paledreams · Answer

Fearing the worst lol is often me "trying to avoid horror before it happens" 🤣🤣😂😈

ProbablyClueless · Answer

Anxiety disorder is an excess of cortisol in the bloodstream.

Jmmmfi4 · Answer

BASICALLY ITS LIKE UNCONTROLLABLE WORRYING ABOUT EVERYTHING

OddBeMe · Answer

As far as I understand it, anxiety and depression are inexorably linked. It’s more a symptom than the issue.

seyfturk · Answer

Actually this is opa

What exactly is anxiety disorder?

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What is anxiety exactly?

What exactly is anxiety disorder?

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