Do you live in your own private hell - a self-imposed prison of fear? Frozen, unable to live your life fully because your feelings of apprehension and fear control you? Fear and anxiety are familiar feelings that most of us experience from time to time. It's our body's response to worry, apprehension and threatening situations. It's an alarm bell that goes off whenever we perceive danger and prompts us to take appropriate actions. This is a good thing. But what happens when a person's alarm never shuts off? When the Big Bad Wolf is always at the door? This type of chronic anxiety is highly destructive and left unchecked can be hazardous to your health.
Root causes of anxiety disorders:
Although there are no clear-cut answers as to why some people develop an anxiety disorder, studies show evidence that anxiety disorders can run in families. Findings suggest that a genetic factor combined with life experiences may play a role. For others, a traumatic event such as rape, or the death of a loved one can trigger one type of disorder or another. Long term exposure to negative life experiences such as abuse and poverty can also make a person more susceptible to one of these crippling disorders. Whatever the reason, excessive apprehension and fear can take it's toll, often leading to other problems such as low self-esteem, depression and panic attacks.
Does your Wolf have a name?
There are several types of anxiety disorders, each with it's own set of unique symptoms.
Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD): Persistent nervousness, worrying and the feeling that something bad is going to happen.
Panic Disorder: Repeated unexpected panic attacks that occur without warning.
Phobias: An overwhelming and irrational fear that in reality presents little to no danger.
Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD): Excessive and time consuming impulses or compulsions such as hand washing, cleaning, counting, checking and repeating actions.
Separation Anxiety: Excessive anxiety occurring in children concerning separation from home or fear being lost to their families.
Social Anxiety / Social Phobia: The fear of social situations where the individual may be judged negatively.
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD): Recurrent, intrusive memories of a traumatic event in which the person witnessed with intense fear, horror or helplessness.
Keeping the Wolves at bay:
So what can you do if anxiety symptoms are interfering with your daily activities and making your life a living hell? You can start by seeking professional help. There are a variety of effective treatments available including psychotherapy, cognitive-behavioral therapies, hypnosis and medication. Or you may want to join a support group where you can share your fears and frustrations with your peers. There are numerous online communities dedicated to the support of those suffering from any type of anxiety disorder. Whatever path you choose, if you want free yourself from fear and start living your life again, you need to face that wolf once and for all.
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