Do fear and anxiety happen without a reason? Yes, and in this case you need to contact a psychiatrist or psychotherapist, because a large share Most likely, a person suffers from causeless fear and anxiety because he has anxiety neurosis. This is a mental disorder that occurs after severe short-term stress or prolonged emotional overstrain. There are two main signs: constant severe anxiety and vegetative disorders of the body - palpitations, a feeling of shortness of breath, dizziness, nausea, upset stool. A provoking or background factor can be attractions and desires that in real life are not fully realized and not realized: homosexual or sadistic tendencies, suppressed aggression, adrenaline needs. Over time, the cause of the initial fear is forgotten or repressed, and fear and anxiety acquire independent meaning.
Neurosis differs from psychosis in that neurosis always has a real cause, it is the response of an unbalanced psyche to a traumatic event. Psychosis proceeds according to its own endogenous laws; real life has little influence on the course of the disease. Another important difference is criticism. Neurosis is always recognized by a person, causing painful painful experiences and the desire to free himself from it. Psychosis changes a person’s personality so much that reality becomes unimportant for him, his whole life takes place in a world of painful experiences.
Success in treating mental illness and borderline disorders is often a matter of time. The result is always better if treatment is started earlier.
In order for anxiety neurosis to develop, in which feelings of fear and anxiety arise for no apparent reason, two factors must converge at one point:
Psychological defense suffers if a person has a deep conflict, there is no way to get what he wants. Anxiety neurosis most often affects women between 18 and 40 years old, and this is understandable. A woman is always vulnerable because she is too dependent on society’s assessment. The most successful woman will always have a weak spot for which ill-wishers can “bite” her. Problematic children, free leisure, insufficient career growth, divorces and new novels, appearance - everything can serve as an impetus for the development of anxious neurosis.
The rapid development of society, distortions and flaws in the moral side of life lead to the fact that the postulates perceived in childhood lose their relevance, and many people lose their moral core, without which a happy life is impossible.
In recent years, the importance of biological factors has been proven. It has become known that after severe stress, the brain forms new neurons that go from the prefrontal cortex to the amygdala. At histological examination It was discovered that new neurons contain a peptide that increases anxiety. New neurons restructure the work of all neural networks, and human behavior will change. Added to this is a change in the level of neurotransmitters or chemical substances, with the help of which nerve impulses are transmitted.
The discovery of the morphological substrate of emotions partly explains the fact that the reaction to stress is delayed in time - the formation of stable anxiety and fear requires some period.
In men, the background factor in the development of anxiety neurosis is considered to be a functional deficiency of neurotransmitters or an insufficient amount or poor quality substances that transport nerve impulses. Endocrine disorders can play a bad role when the functioning of the adrenal glands, pituitary gland and hypothalamus - the main suppliers of hormones of the human body - is disrupted. Failure in the functioning of these systems also leads to feelings of fear, anxiety, and decreased mood.
The international classifier does not have a category describing anxiety neurosis; instead, the section “Generalized anxiety disorder” is used, designated as F41.1. This section may be supplemented by F40.0 (Agoraphobia or fear of open space) and F43.22 (Mixed anxiety and depressive reaction due to adjustment disorder).
The first and main sign is anxiety, which is constantly present, exhausting, and changes the entire habitual way of life. Such anxiety must be constantly monitored, and this is not always possible. You need to think about illness if deep anxiety lasts for at least six months.
Anxiety consists of the following components:
To assess the level of anxiety, you can use the Zang scale, which is intended for self-diagnosis.
The severity of anxiety is sometimes so strong that the phenomena of derealization and depersonalization are added. These are conditions in which the environment loses its colors and seems unreal, and one’s actions cannot be controlled. Fortunately, they are short-lived and pass quickly.
Autonomic somatic manifestations are as follows:
In all cases of initial treatment, a clinical examination is carried out to distinguish neurotic or reversible disorders from somatic or bodily diseases. In a properly equipped hospital this may take 2-3 days. This is necessary because some serious chronic diseases can begin under the guise of neurosis.
It is not always used; if necessary, it is used in a short course, only at the peak of experiences. Medicines can temporarily relieve anxiety and normalize sleep, but the leading role in the treatment of neuroses belongs to psychotherapy.
Treatment begins with herbal preparations of complex action, to which it is impossible to become accustomed. The preferred drugs are those that simultaneously improve sleep, reduce irritability and alleviate anxiety. These are Persen-Forte, Novopassit and Nervoflux, they have a balanced composition and are completely harmless. They contain herbal sedatives in different proportions: valerian, passionflower, motherwort, lemon balm, mint, lavender, hops, bitter orange.
A psychiatrist can prescribe medications from the following groups:
The doctor always prescribes these psychotropic drugs for neurosis with caution. Benzodiazepines are given in a short course, and they quickly become addictive. A pronounced effect from antidepressants should be expected no earlier than 4 weeks, and the duration of the entire course of drug correction usually does not exceed 3 months. Further drug treatment is not advisable; it will not give a good improvement.
If in the background drug treatment the condition does not improve significantly, this indicates that the person has a mental disorder deeper than neurosis.
In case of malfunction internal organs medications that affect heart rate (beta blockers) and digestive system(antispasmodics).
It is always useful, especially techniques aimed at removing the muscle “shell”. Improving the condition of the muscles, getting rid of muscle tension improves the state of mind through the biofeedback mechanism. Physiotherapeutic methods are good at eliminating vegetative manifestations.
Massage, all water procedures, electrosleep, darsonval, electrophoresis, low-frequency pulsed currents, sulfide baths, paraffin baths are useful.
The leading method of treating anxiety neurosis, in which personal problems are consistently worked through, which ultimately contributes to the acquisition of new experience and a revision of a person’s entire value system.
Good results are obtained from the use of cognitive behavioral therapy, which uses confrontation and desensitization techniques. In collaboration with a psychotherapist, the patient voices his deepest fears, dismantles them “piece by piece,” while being completely safe. In the process of training, destructive patterns of thinking and beliefs that are devoid of logic fade away.
Traditional hypnosis or its modern modifications are often used. In a state of controlled relaxation, a person gets the opportunity to fully reveal his fears, immerse himself in them and overcome them.
In large medical institutions They use a variant of group psychotherapy called sociotherapy. This method is more about communication based on interests, obtaining joint impressions. The patient council can organize visits to concerts and exhibitions, excursions, during which personal fears and concerns are worked out.
Group psychotherapy allows you to communicate with people who have similar problems. During the discussion, patients reveal more than during direct communication with the doctor.
Methods that combine communication with a specialist and working with the body are successfully used. This is rebirthing or connected breathing, when there is no pause between inhalation and exhalation. Special breathing allows you to “bring to the surface” suppressed experiences.
The Hakomi Method reveals to the patient the meaning of his favorite poses and movements. Using strong emotions and appealing to the spontaneity that every person has, the specialist guides the patient to awareness of the problems.
The normal treatment period for anxiety neurosis is at least six months, during which time you can completely get rid of it.
In the 21st century, people are exposed to many constant stress factors. Attack by negative media news, interpersonal problems, global military conflicts, are easily taken out of peace of mind. Poor nutrition and the environment, adding to psychological difficulties, can cause a state of depression, depression, an unreasonable feeling of fear, and severe anxiety.
Psychology and psychiatry describe the increasingly frequent phenomenon of panic attacks. An unconscious defensive reaction is provoked by prolonged stressful situations, an oppressive feeling of being under control, defenselessness in society. Psychotherapist Walter Cannon described a specific state of the body: “fight or flight” in 1932.
The term implies the inclusion of protective mechanisms that have been present in genes since the appearance of the species Homo sapiens. An explainable phenomenon shows that panic attacks occur for no reason, without real threats, and provoke flight and a defensive attack.
The feeling of panic is caused by constant overexcitation of the sympathetic, nervous system which is controlled spinal cord. The peripheral system is responsible for the physiology of the body, which is not controlled by the human will.
The condition is caused by constantly growing negative experiences, severe stressful situations of a physical and neuro-emotional nature. On an unconscious level human brain begins to perceive the body as a source of danger, and is constantly in the mode of waiting for a threat.
At this stage of the reactionary struggle, there is an increased production of the hormone adrenaline, cortisol, by the adrenal glands. They provoke unmotivated aggression, self-aggression, nervousness, and rudeness. The period does not last long, followed by a depressed state of boredom, indifference, and lethargy.
The causes of panic attacks are diverse, often present in a complex, rarely represented by a single factor. Prerequisites for a possible disorder of the nervous system can be observed already with childhood 7-8 years, become more noticeable by age 18.
A person who begins to perceive himself as an individual falls under a complex of unfavorable influences that traumatize the psyche. In young people and older people, symptoms and panic attacks are similar.
A feeling of sudden fear can arise against the background of relative emotional health, during a period when the stressor has ceased to act. The feeling of anxiety appears unexpectedly and tends to intensify negative symptoms in the body and mind of a person.
Before prescribing therapy, the doctor must exclude diseases: diabetes mellitus, cervical osteochondrosis, the presence of cancer. Prescribe a comprehensive biochemical blood test, check the balance of microelements and vitamins.
It is forbidden to take pills without eliminating the cause. Anxiolytics, antidepressants, tranquilizers will help for a short period of time, constant use will provoke dependence. Often after withdrawal there is an increased feeling of panic, constant anxiety, and unjustified fear of death.
A balanced diet is a primary factor in the treatment of depression and panic attacks. Constant availability eating the proper combination of proteins, fats, and complex carbohydrates can prevent most sudden anxiety states caused by hunger.
Psychotherapist Evgeniy Batrak regards panic attack syndrome as a borderline condition. On at this stage the disease has not manifested itself in full force, but the symptoms signaling disturbances in the functioning of the nervous system are already clearly pronounced.
The state of an unbalanced nervous system returns to normal quite slowly. It is necessary to treat yourself with patience, to maintain a systematic autogenic calming training and daily routine.
A mistake in helping people experiencing attacks of sudden fear and panic is the immediate use of medications that block emotions. This causes exhaustion of the nervous system, emotional insensitivity, and dependence on the therapy received. Emotional lability and anxiety require the exclusion of a negative irritating factor.
For two months you can exclude viewing all potentially dangerous things, avoid situations that provoke causeless excitement and panic. Maintain a strict work and rest schedule, eat a balanced diet to avoid a lack of microelements necessary for a healthy nervous system.
According to the US National Institute of Mental Health, there are several types of anxiety disorders. One of the most common is generalized anxiety disorder. He is characterized by constant excessive anxiety, tension and fear, which do not depend on external factors and may be accompanied by physical symptoms such as a nervous stomach, shortness of breath and rapid heartbeat.
Anjan Chatterjee/Flickr.comAnxiety disorder is different from stress. - This is a typical reaction of the body to external pressure or threat. This is fine. Anxiety, on the other hand, is an abnormal reaction when fear is triggered by ordinary things like social interactions, paying bills, or going to work.
During an anxiety attack, parts of the brain responsible for the fight-or-flight response are activated, and you cannot stop it at will. This condition prevents you from making decisions even on the simplest issues and creates many problems.
But how to determine whether there is an anxiety disorder, or whether a person is susceptible to other mental illnesses, for example?
Anxiety is often mistaken for something else. For example, a person comes to a place where he doesn’t know anyone, he has little experience communicating with people, and even more so in a noisy company. He begins to feel embarrassed, and anxiety takes over him so much that he can no longer utter a word, let alone get to know someone and start a conversation himself.
After leaving the party, which turned into real torture for him, he may think that he behaved withdrawn due to depression. But if he cared about all these people and he would happily talk to them, laugh and dance, but he simply couldn’t because of , then he doesn’t have any depression.
After all, he had a desire to have fun and communicate, but social anxiety did not allow him to do this. It was because of her that he sat through the entire party in the corner of the room, hiding behind a glass.
Of course, one can be a consequence of the other. For example, if a person becomes depressed and because of this breaks off all social ties. When depressive states leave him, he will, as it were, “forget how” to communicate with people. A long absence of social interactions can cause anxiety when they resume.
Yes, you don't want the attacks to recur, but you shouldn't hate yourself for it. You can only hope that the people around you will be sympathetic to your distress and provide you with the space to recover.
Sometimes we think that other people can solve our anxiety problem. For example, what is accompanied good friend You can safely go to a noisy festival: friendly support will help you avoid an anxiety attack.
Unfortunately, this is not always the case. Moreover, your friend may not support you when an anxiety attack begins, but leave you to your own devices or send you to a quiet and calm place and continue to communicate and have fun with everyone.
In such a situation, you may feel that you were betrayed and abandoned, that you were not helped. In fact, your friend is not to blame for your panic attacks (especially if he doesn’t know about them), and if you accuse him of betrayal, it will simply ruin yours.
Blaming someone is always easier than taking responsibility for your actions. And when you have an anxiety attack, it’s very difficult, so you simply shift responsibility for your feelings onto other people.
Yes, sometimes people can get to you. For example, you or a friend, communication with whom causes more frustration than pleasure. You can and should get rid of such sources of constant stress, but it is better to do this at the moment when anxiety leaves you.
Think as often as possible about how you can help yourself. The more you invest in your well-being and sense of calm, the easier it will be to cope with an anxiety attack the next time it happens.
How do you deal with anxiety and worry?
How to get rid of anxiety? This is a very exciting and very popular question among people of different generations. A particularly common request is that people have a feeling of anxiety for no reason and they don’t know how to get rid of it. Fear that cannot be explained, tension, anxiety, causeless worry - many people experience it from time to time. Unreasonable anxiety can be interpreted as a consequence of chronic fatigue, constant stress, recent or progressive diseases.
A person is often confused because he is overtaken for no reason; he does not understand how to get rid of the feeling of anxiety, but prolonged experience can lead to serious personality disorders.
Feelings of anxiety are not always a pathological mental state. A person may experience anxiety quite often in his life. The state of pathological causelessness occurs independently of external stimuli and is not caused by real problems, but appears on its own.
A feeling of anxiety can overwhelm a person when he gives complete freedom to his emotions, which in most cases paints extremely scary pictures. In an anxious state, a person feels his own helplessness, emotional and physical exhaustion, due to which his health may deteriorate and he will get sick.
Most people know an unpleasant feeling, the symptoms of which include: heavy sweating, obsessive thoughts, a feeling of abstract danger that seems to be stalking and lurking around every corner. Approximately 97% of adults experience periodic bouts of anxiety and inner restlessness. Sometimes a feeling of real anxiety provides some benefit, forcing a person to act in a certain way, mobilize his strength and predict possible events.
The state of anxiety is characterized by difficult-to-define sensations that have a negative connotation, accompanied by the expectation of trouble, a feeling of uncertainty and insecurity. The feeling of anxiety is quite exhausting, taking away strength and energy, devouring optimism and joy, preventing you from having a positive attitude towards life and enjoying it.
How to get rid of the feeling of anxiety and worry inside? Psychology will help you figure it out using certain methods.
Method of speaking affirmations. An affirmation is a short optimistic statement that does not contain a single word with a “not” in it. Affirmations, on the one hand, direct a person’s thinking in a positive direction, and on the other hand, they calm well. Each affirmation must be repeated for 21 days; after this time, the affirmation can become established as a useful habit. The method of affirmations is a means of getting rid of feelings of anxiety and restlessness within; it helps even more if a person clearly understands the cause of his anxiety and, starting from it, can create an affirmation.
According to the observations of psychologists, even when a person does not believe in the power of statements, then after regular repetition, his brain begins to perceive incoming information and adapt to it, thus forcing him to act in a certain way.
The person himself does not understand how it happened that the spoken statement is transformed into a life principle and changes the attitude towards the situation. Thanks to this technique, you can redirect your attention and wait for the feeling of anxiety to decrease. The affirmation technique will be more effective in overcoming feelings of anxiety and worry if it is combined with breathing techniques.
You can focus your attention on something positive, such as reading educational literature or watching motivational videos. You can daydream or occupy your thoughts with an interesting activity, mentally create a barrier to the penetration of disturbing thoughts into your head.
The next method to decide how to get rid of constant feeling anxiety is quality rest. Many people are concerned about their financial condition, but do not think at all that they need to rest and relax from time to time. The lack of quality rest leads to a person’s physical and mental health deteriorating. Due to the daily hustle and bustle, tension and stress accumulate, which lead to an inexplicable feeling of anxiety.
You just need to set aside one day a week for relaxation, visit the sauna, go out into nature, meet friends, go to the theater and so on. If you can’t go somewhere outside the city, then you can play your favorite sport, take a walk before bed, get a good night’s sleep, and eat right. Such actions will improve your well-being.
How to get rid of anxiety? Psychology in this regard believes that first you need to establish the source of anxiety. Often, feelings of restlessness and anxiety arise because a person is simultaneously bombarded with many small things that need to be done on time. If you consider all these things separately and plan your daily list of activities, then everything will appear much simpler than it seems. Many problems from a different perspective will seem even insignificant. Therefore, using this method will make a person calmer and more balanced.
Without unnecessary delay, you need to get rid of small but unpleasant problems. The main thing is not to let them accumulate. It is necessary to develop the habit of timely resolution of urgent matters, for example, such household things as rent, a visit to the doctor, submitting a thesis, etc.
In order to understand how to get rid of the constant feeling of anxiety and worry inside, you need to want to change something in your life. If there is a problem that seems unsolvable for a long time, you can try to look at it from a different point of view. There are sources of anxiety and feelings of anxiety that cannot leave a person alone for some time. For example, it is impossible to simultaneously solve financial problems, buy a car, get a friend out of trouble, and settle family problems. But if you look at things a little differently, then you will be more able to cope with stress.
We need to do everything possible to improve the situation. Sometimes even talking to other people can help reduce anxiety and clarify the situation. For example, a financial advisor can help you cope with financial problems, a psychologist will help in family matters.
Between thinking about the main problems, you need to set aside time for distracting activities (walking, playing sports, watching a movie). The main thing is not to forget that the problems that need to be solved remain in the first place, and you should keep your distractions under control so that they do not provoke difficulties with time pressure.
Another method for determining how to get rid of constant feelings of anxiety and worry is mental training. Many have proven that meditation helps calm the mind and overcome feelings of anxiety. Regular practice improves mental health. For those who are just starting to practice, it is advisable to enroll in courses in order to correctly master the technique.
During meditation, you can think about an exciting problem. To do this, you need to focus on it, spend about five or ten minutes thinking about it, but not think about it again during the day.
People who share their anxious thoughts and feelings with others feel much better than those who keep everything to themselves. Sometimes the people with whom you are discussing a problem can offer ideas on how to deal with it. Of course, first of all, the problem should be discussed with the closest people, with a loved one, parents, and other relatives. And not if these people are the source of that very anxiety and concern.
If there are no people around you whom you can trust, then you can use the services of a psychologist. A psychologist is the most unbiased listener who will also help you sort out the problem.
To get rid of the feeling of anxiety and restlessness inside, you need to generally change your lifestyle, in particular your diet. There are a number of products evoking feelings worries and anxiety. The first of these is sugar. A sharp rise in blood sugar causes anxiety.
It is advisable to reduce your coffee consumption to one cup per day or stop drinking altogether. Caffeine is a very strong stimulant for the nervous system, so drinking coffee in the morning sometimes does not cause wakefulness as much as a feeling of anxiety.
To reduce anxiety, you need to limit your alcohol consumption or stop drinking it altogether. Many people mistakenly assume that alcohol helps relieve anxiety. However, alcohol after short-term relaxation causes a feeling of anxiety, and problems with the digestive and cardiovascular systems can be added to this.
The food must contain foods that contain elements that cause good mood: blueberries, acai berries, bananas, nuts, dark chocolate and other foods high in antioxidants, potassium and magnesium. It is important that your diet contains plenty of fruits, vegetables, whole grains and lean meats.
Exercise can help reduce feelings of anxiety. People who regularly exercise are much less likely to experience feelings of anxiety and restlessness. Physical activity improves blood circulation, increasing the level of endorphins (hormones that bring joy).
Each person can choose a suitable workout for themselves. Cardio exercise can include cycling, running, brisk walking or swimming. You need to maintain muscle tone by doing exercises with dumbbells. Strengthening exercises include yoga, fitness and Pilates.
Changing your room or work environment can also help reduce anxiety and restlessness. Very often, anxiety develops under the influence of the environment, precisely the place in which a person spends the most time. The room should create a mood. To do this, you need to get rid of the clutter, arrange books, throw out trash, put all things in their place and try to maintain order all the time.
To refresh the room, you can make small repairs: hang wallpaper, rearrange furniture, buy new bed linen.
You can get rid of feelings of anxiety and restlessness through travel, opening yourself up to new experiences and expanding your mind. Not even here we're talking about about large-scale travel, you can simply go outside the city on the weekend, or even go to the other end of the city. New experiences, smells and sounds stimulate brain processes and change your mood for the better.
In order to get rid of the haunting feeling of anxiety, you can try using sedative medications. It is best if these products are of natural origin. The following have calming properties: chamomile flowers, valerian, kava-kava root. If these remedies do not help cope with feelings of restlessness and anxiety, then you need to consult a doctor about stronger medications.
If a person regularly feels a feeling of anxiety and fear, if these feelings, due to too strong a duration, become a habitual state and prevent the person from being a full-fledged individual, then in this case it is important not to delay, but to consult a specialist.
Symptoms for which you should consult a doctor: seizure, feeling of fear, rapid breathing, dizziness, pressure surges. Your doctor may prescribe a course of medication. But the effect will be faster if, along with medications, a person undergoes a course of psychotherapy. Treatment alone medicines is not appropriate because, unlike clients on two treatments, they are more likely to relapse.
The following methods tell you how to get rid of constant feelings of anxiety and fear.
To get rid of feelings of anxiety and fear, you need to make a lot of effort. As you know, fear and anxiety arise at a certain time and the reason for this is some very impressive event. Since a person was not born with fear, but it appeared later, it means that one can get rid of it.
The most the right way There will be a visit to a psychologist. It will help you find the root of feelings of anxiety and fear, and help you figure out what triggered these feelings. A specialist will help a person understand and “process” his experiences and develop an effective strategy of behavior.
If visiting a psychologist is problematic, then you can use other methods.
It is very important to learn to correctly assess the reality of an event. To do this, you need to stop for a second, collect your thoughts, and ask yourself questions: “How much does this situation really threaten my health and life now?”, “Could there be something worse in life than this?”, “Are there people in the world?” who could survive this? and the like. It has been proven that by answering such questions to himself, a person who initially considered the situation catastrophic becomes self-confident and comes to understand that everything is not as scary as he thought.
Anxiety or fear must be dealt with immediately, not allowed to develop, and not allow unnecessary, obsessive thoughts into your head that will “swallow” your consciousness until a person goes crazy. To prevent this, you can use breathing techniques: take deep breaths through your nose and long exhales through your mouth. The brain is saturated with oxygen, the blood vessels dilate and consciousness returns.
Techniques in which a person opens up to his fear and goes towards it are very effective. A person who is determined to get rid of fear and anxiety goes towards it, even despite strong feelings of anxiety and anxiety. At the moment of the most intense experience, a person overcomes himself and relaxes; this fear will not disturb him again. This method is effective, but it is best to use it under the supervision of a psychologist who will accompany the individual, since, depending on the type of nervous system, each person reacts individually to shocking events. The main thing is to prevent the opposite effect. A person who does not have enough internal psychological resources may become even more influenced by fear and begin to experience unimaginable anxiety.
Exercise helps reduce feelings of anxiety. With the help of a drawing, you can free yourself from fear by depicting it on a piece of paper, and then tear it into pieces or burn it. Thus, fear spills out, the feeling of anxiety goes away and the person feels free.
