Severe Anxiety: Symptoms, Types, Causes, Treatment

severe anxiety can be overpowering (Photo by Joice Kelly on Unsplash)
severe anxiety can be overpowering (Photo by Joice Kelly on Unsplash)

While most people feel some anxiety, such as when confronted with a unique adventure or challenge, severe anxiety can be overpowering. Whenever the body's natural reactions to expected stress exceed healthy levels, it interferes with your ability to function and bring out typical day-to-day tasks.

A racing chest, changes in respiration, or headaches are some of the immediate physical symptoms. Long-term or recurring severe anxiety can indicate an anxiety attack and lead to health issues such as heart disease.


What Exactly Is Severe Anxiety?

The mind and body automatically perceive and respond to potential threats in order to stay safe. This is frequently beneficial and indicates that your body is functioning normally.

Anxiety is a way of mentally preparing for future stress or negative experiences. An anxiety disorder may be indicated by feelings such as constant worry, a persistent sense of threat, or impending dread.

High anxiety signs can become a long-term issue. They can disrupt daily functioning, have an impact on one's quality of life, and become unmanageable. Anxiety can even lead to suicidal ideation.


Types of severe anxiety

Anxiety isn't a formal diagnosis, but rather a measure of the severity of the symptoms as well as impact of the anxiety disorder (Photo by Taylor Deas-Melesh on Unsplash)
Anxiety isn't a formal diagnosis, but rather a measure of the severity of the symptoms as well as impact of the anxiety disorder (Photo by Taylor Deas-Melesh on Unsplash)

Anxiety isn't a formal diagnosis, but rather a measure of the severity of the symptoms as well as impact of the anxiety disorder. Anxiety disorders are classified into several types based on how symptoms manifest themselves.

Among the categories are:

  • Anxiety disorder associated with separation
  • Mutism on purpose
  • The most common type is the specific phobia.
  • Anxiety about social situations (social phobia)
  • Anxiety disorder
  • Agoraphobia (fear of public or crowded places) (fear of public or crowded places)

Anxiety disorders appear at various stages of a person's life, with the majority appearing during adolescence and childhood and their severity tends to fluctuate throughout the illness.


Severe anxiety symptoms -

Worrying

Worrying, like mild anxiety, can help you prepare in small doses, such as when preparing for a test or paying bills before interest charges kick in.

Avoidance

Severe anxiety frequently leads to avoidance, a type of behavior used to avoid unpleasant feelings. This can mean avoiding things physically, such as crowds, or declining meetings and events.

Physical Signs and Symptoms

Common physical manifestations of anxiety include:

  • Sweating
  • stomach ache
  • Breathing that is shallow
  • Shakiness
  • Headache
  • Jaw ache
  • A racing heartbeat

Severe anxiety causes

Severe anxiety can happen for a variety of reasons, all of which are unique to each person's experience. (by Kate Williams on Unsplash)
Severe anxiety can happen for a variety of reasons, all of which are unique to each person's experience. (by Kate Williams on Unsplash)

Severe anxiety can happen for a variety of reasons, all of which are unique to each person's experience. Anxiety can be caused by stressful childhood events, trauma, and difficult life experiences such as death and divorce.

Anxiety may be a symptom of a larger problem. Anxiety can be caused by, for instance, concerns about climate change.

Though it is difficult to predict who is most likely to develop an anxiety disorder, those who have a close relative who suffers from anxiety disorder are three to five significantly more likely to occur in one themselves.


Treatment -

Recognizing and effectively addressing anxiety-related feelings is an important step towards diagnosis. (Photo by Lesly Juarez on Unsplash)
Recognizing and effectively addressing anxiety-related feelings is an important step towards diagnosis. (Photo by Lesly Juarez on Unsplash)

Recognizing and effectively addressing anxiety-related feelings is an important step towards diagnosis. Working with a mental health practitioner can treat even severe levels of anxiety. Medication is sometimes prescribed in addition to psychotherapy.

Some commonly prescribed approaches are as follows:

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy.

Due to its high level of effectiveness, cognitive behavioral therapy is the most highly praised intervention for overcoming anxiety. CBT entails identifying negative thought patterns that contribute to anxiety and changing them in more adaptive ways.

Psycho-Education

Psycho-education is frequently used in conjunction with a formal interference such as CBT to provide data on the nature of anxiety. A therapist will explain how it affects one's health, functioning, and perspectives, as well as how it can be identified and reduced.

Exposure therapy

Sometimes, as with specific phobias, facing fear directly is the most effective method for overcoming anxiety. Exposure therapy involves gradually exposing a person to an anxiety-inducing stressor over time.

Mindfulness

Mindfulness is a research-backed practice that can help with severe anxiety. It can help people overcome racing thoughts or constant worry by focusing on the present moment.

Support groups

It is critical to have continuous support when dealing with severe anxiety. Supporting groups, in addition to close people, relatives, and coworkers, can be an effective way to communicate with others who are beginning to experience similar symptoms.


A Word from Sportskeeda

Depression and anxiety can be mild to moderate to severe. It is critical to consult only a mental health professional to obtain an accurate diagnosis and begin working on a treatment plan. Even serious anxiety can be reduced and managed with the right support.

Anxiety management is difficult. Just getting through the day can be exhausting if you suffer from severe anxiety. Recognize that you're not alone and that you have treatment options available to you.