Anxiety is the name given to the state of inner distress that a person cannot fully explain the cause of. Anxiety is the most common and widespread symptom among patients who apply to a psychiatrist. In the disease that can be called generalized or pervasive anxiety disorder, the person may express the anxiety they experience with terms such as fear, worry, horror, anxiety, or as a constant tension of being on the alert, an unknown and indistinguishable sense of danger or evil.
The rate of experiencing an anxiety disorder throughout a person's life is around % 25. In healthy people, the cause of fear and anxiety is clear. In the case of illness, unreasonable fear and anxiety are felt. In addition to these feelings, some patients may also have symptoms such as dizziness, dry mouth, cold covering of the body, startling, restlessness, and trembling. Sometimes it can be a combination of all of these. Patients with more intense physical complaints generally deny their feelings of anxiety, fear, and terror.
The disease progresses with a high rate of alcohol and drug use. People use these substances to reduce their anxiety at first, but later they affect the course of the disease worse.
Other stress-related diseases (such as gastritis, irritable colon, tension-type headaches) may also accompany this disease.
The rate of co-occurrence with other mental illnesses is high (such as obsessive-compulsive disorder, depression, social phobia, panic disorder). There is a possibility that it may turn into these illnesses in the future.
As a result of the person restricting his/her surroundings due to his/her concerns, family and professional problems may occur, the person may withdraw from social environments, and separations, divorces, and adult-child conflicts may occur.
There are various types of anxiety disorders:
– Panic disorder
– Generalized anxiety disorder
– Social phobia and other phobias
– Obsessive compulsive disorder
– Post-traumatic stress disorder
Even patients who are anxious, express the symptoms of anxiety they experience, and feel clearly distressed may not be able to fully reveal the underlying cause.
Treatment varies according to the subtypes of anxiety disorder that the doctor will diagnose. Medication should not be used unless it is absolutely necessary for treatment. In general, psychotherapy may provide better results.
