Anxiety

Anxiety or a Anxiety can be forms of anxiety. The state of anxiety can therefore be described as follows: A deep-seated feeling of dull cramping within the abdomen and around the lungs and heart. It weakens the limbs, the feeling of impotence arises and can lead to shortness of breath and even fear of death. Accompanied by nausea, sweating, tremors and racing heart, anxiety is part of a state of fear. Often the person concerned can no longer think clearly and panics.

What are anxiety?

The state of anxiety can therefore be described as follows: A deep-seated feeling of dull cramping within the abdomen and around the lungs and heart.

First of all, anxiety expresses fear in the form of oppressive and restrictive feelings. Tension can take the form of cramps in the abdomen, around the heart, or in the chest.

A weakness in the limbs or feelings of fainting, shortness of breath or fear of death can also be experienced.

Anxiety can manifest itself in sweats or a racing heart, nausea or tremors. Those who experience the feeling of oppression often cannot think clearly and panic or experience symptoms of suffocation.

causes

The cause of anxiety can be caused by many influences, most of which are psychological in nature. An anxiety usually arises from fears that can no longer be controlled. Originally, fear was the body's protective mechanism against lurking danger.

An increased output of adrenaline enables the body to react to dangers without further ado and to flee if necessary. Today fears and the associated preliminary stage of anxiety arise, often at the beginning of thought leadership, inner value attitudes or external distress. The cause can be, for example, fear of tight spaces (claustrophobia) or fear of flying or heights.

Often, however, the anxiety lies in the amalgamation of several fears, everyday worries and fears that are compressed and bundled together in a large ball of volume. The subsequent panic attacks within an oppression lead to the inevitable fear phobia, a disease that can be cured after it has been recognized. But anxiety can also occur in the context of heart diseases such as angina pectoris and then urgently needs medical help.

There are various other physical and psychological causes that can trigger anxiety. Therapies help with psychological reasons for anxiety; medical help is necessary for symptoms of anxiety caused by organic causes.

Possible illnesses that could be behind the symptom oppression include angina pectoris, coronary artery disease, anxiety disorders, pulmonary embolism, heart attack, heart failure or atherosclerosis. However, there are also countless backgrounds that make a diagnosis quite difficult.

Anxiety and diffuse states of anxiety are increasing more and more, more and more people are suffering from stress, everyday worries and fears. In our society there are many influences of a psychological nature, mental structures and personal values ​​or external influences that give rise to uncontrolled fears. Claustrophobia, fear of heights or flying, and panic attacks are among them. The range of causes behind the symptom of anxiety is not clear. The processes that reveal the symptom of anxiety are creeping processes that are not immediately noticed.

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➔ Medication against feelings of anxiety and anxiety

Anxiety disorders

Anxiety disorders are basically psychosomatic illnesses. The anxiety is a common side effect. The causes are not fully understood. Various factors and influences interact or in combination trigger anxiety disorders and anxiety.

Various symptoms often arise which, even after a thorough examination, do not immediately indicate anxiety disorders. Since people who suffer from anxiety disorders often no longer know how to deal with the phenomenon of anxiety at all, recognizing it is not very easy either. Especially not when the fears show up as physical symptoms.

Diseases with this symptom

• Exam anxiety
• fear of flying
• Claustrophobia
• Dental phobia
• Fear of heights
• Angina pectoris

• Anxiety disorder
• Burnout syndrome
• Coronary heart disease
• Affective disorders
• trauma
• Personality disorder

• eating disorder
• Dysthymia
• Pulmonary embolism
• Borderline syndrome
• Bipolar disorder
• mania

Diagnosis & course

Anxiety is usually felt on the chest, but is mostly caused by psychological stress. In this respect, in addition to the examination, the doctor should also ask questions about stressful situations or conflicts.

The heart and lungs are checked to rule out physical causes. Tension can worsen the symptoms, because a tense, anxious person literally writhes and creates additional muscle tension.

In addition to massages, physiotherapy, a light sports program and relaxation techniques of all kinds, a psychotherapist can also be called in, depending on the severity of the anxiety. He clears up the basic evil, because all other measures work on the symptoms, but rarely eliminate the cause of the anxiety.

Complications

Anxiety occurs as a result of anxiety disorders, phobias, and emotional distress and can lead to numerous health complications. For example, anxiety primarily leads to symptoms such as tremors, nausea and sweating, right up to palpitations and shortness of breath. Muscle tension, chest pain and typical diseases of the gastrointestinal tract are additional symptoms.

Permanent anxiety, often triggered by stress and fears in everyday life, if left untreated, leads to mental illnesses such as depression and burnout, and beyond that to further phobias. In extreme cases, the anxiety grows over time into a fear of death. There are feelings of suffocation, strong feelings of fear and other complications. Since the psychological and physical well-being drops sharply when feelings of anxiety are felt, a multitude of secondary symptoms and illnesses can occur over time. The physical consequences of constant anxiety are heart attacks, circulatory collapse, pleurisy, pulmonary embolism and other cardiovascular and pulmonary diseases.

Likewise coronary heart diseases and inflammation in the area of ​​the pleura. The limbs are also heavily stressed by feelings of oppression; it comes to weaknesses up to the fainting. In the further course of the symptoms, further mild complaints up to a psychosis can occur. Early therapy, which can vary from simple nutrition to drug treatment depending on the cause, is essential for feelings of anxiety.

When should you go to the doctor?

Anxiety has many faces. Common to all states of anxiety is a feeling of fear. This feeling of fear spans a scale from diffuse to panic. It starts with a dull feeling in the stomach, which spreads further in the body as the anxiety increases. The anxiety also affects the heart and lung function. Extreme anxiety turns into fear of death. Even before this peak of anxiety, fear can lead to fainting.

Anxiety is always a symptom that has various physical or psychological causes. The main physical diseases that should be mentioned here are angina pectoris and other heart diseases. However, psychological causes of anxiety are more common than physical illnesses. In addition to claustrophobia, fear of heights or fear of flying as situation-related triggers of anxiety, it is above all psychosomatic and mental illnesses that express themselves as feelings of anxiety. Anxiety caused by everyday problems and stress can develop into anxiety disorders that require treatment.

Diagnosis is often difficult. In addition to the general practitioner, cardiologists, pulmonologists, neurologists, psychologists, psychotherapists and psychiatrists can be used for diagnosis and therapy. Once the trigger for the anxiety has been found, there is a very good chance of resolving the problem, especially with psychological causes.

Doctors & therapists in your area

Treatment & Therapy

An anxiety can be relieved by calm breathing and body movement as well as by spartan distractions. Autogenic training can also be very helpful and preventative. As a rule, this oppressive state subsides after a short time. Nevertheless, if in doubt, a doctor should always be consulted.

If anxiety is one of the symptoms and various other symptoms have already become known, then it stands to reason that medical treatment should be supplemented with psychotherapeutic treatment. Because only profound work inside the psyche can help against anxiety disorders and anxiety. The cure lies only in becoming aware of the symptoms. There are various therapeutic approaches that can offer valuable help with the anxiety caused by underlying anxiety disorders. It is very certain that it will be a longer therapy process. Cognitive therapy is often used as psychotherapy for anxiety.

Drugs that aim for immediate success in acute cases are also used to treat anxiety disorders. Drug therapies use antidepressants and benzodiazepines, but in the long term there is a risk that they can lead to dependency.

Recognizing the diseases whose symptoms are anxiety is often not easy because the person concerned does not seem to see any reason for such anxiety. With psychological treatment, however, anxiety can be treated well, so that the person affected can counteract it before the anxiety breaks out. If all medical causes such as angina pectoris are excluded, the disease is based on a mostly psychosomatic source.

Outlook & forecast

The prospects for anxiety are usually linked to the severity of the symptom. In most cases, the patients feel a feeling of tightness and fear and can no longer lead an ordinary everyday life. The anxiety significantly reduces the quality of life. Depression and other mental health problems often occur. These must be handled by.

Although anxiety is a psychological problem, it is not uncommon for physical discomfort as well. These include shortness of breath, chest cramps or a racing heart. The anxiety often leads to fainting or fear of death, and in some cases it can lead to a heart attack.

If left untreated, the anxiety can lead to severe circulation problems and heart problems. Stress only increases anxiety. Treatment usually takes place through discussions with a psychologist and relaxation techniques. In most cases, however, it takes several months before the anxiety can be completely contained.

You can find your medication here

➔ Medication against feelings of anxiety and anxiety

prevention

Autogenic training and other relaxation methods help with anxiety disorders and anxiety. Herbs such as valerian, St. John's wort or lemon balm, acupuncture, homeopathy, Bach flowers or Schüssler salts have a supporting effect. As with the prevention of anxiety in the illnesses listed above, lifestyle is an important factor. This includes a healthy, balanced diet with low levels of saturated fatty acids and regular exercise. Both measures also help to reduce obesity and generally to feel better. Consistency in the way of life counteracts the anxiety.

You can do that yourself

In many cases, anxiety can be relieved by physical activity and calm breathing. Exercise in the fresh air reduces the feeling of tightness and distracts from the discomfort. Acutely, a warm bath with lavender oil and similar herbal remedies can help release blockages and relax the body and mind. A massage also often resolves feelings of oppression. Home remedies that are just as effective include milk, valerian, hops, and catnip.

Those affected should also keep a diary to find out what is causing the anxiety and which measures actually reduce the feelings of tightness. A change in the environment is often enough to resolve psychological blockages and reduce anxiety in the long term. In principle, the cause of the anxiety must first be determined before effective self-help is possible, which is why a therapist must always be called in for the first clarification.

Autogenic training can reduce feelings of anxiety in the long term and thus also increase general well-being. Long-term complaints should be discussed with your family doctor or a psychiatrist, depending on the suspected cause and the severity of the anxiety.