Symptoms of anxiety
Anxiety is strong feelings of fear or anxiety, which are often felt in the body. Anxiety can feel different for different people.Here are examples of symptoms you may experience in anxiety:
- You may feel your heart beating faster or faster than usual.
- You may have difficulty breathing or feel dizzy.
- It can feel like a lump in the stomach or a weight over the chest.
- You may start sweating or feel hot or cold inside.
- You may become dry in the mouth, need to urinate or have a bad stomach.
- You may feel tingling or numbness in your hands or feet.
- You may feel shaky, shaky or weak in the muscles.
Sometimes the anxiety starts weak and then gets stronger and stronger. Sometimes it comes quickly. Anxiety can sometimes feel so strong that you think you will faint, lose control or even die. But you do not die of anxiety. The reaction is not dangerous, and the anxiety goes away on its own.
Long-term consequences of anxiety
The biggest risk of living with anxiety for a long time is that you begin to avoid situations and places that risk giving or increasing your anxiety. When you start avoiding things that you think can cause you anxiety, you are prevented from living the life you really want. It makes the anxiety worse and takes up more space in your life.Prolonged anxiety can make you more sensitive to stress, feel restless, impatient and easily irritated. You may also have difficulty sleeping . If you use alcohol or drugs to relieve your anxiety, there is a risk that you will develop an addiction . Therefore, it is important that you learn to manage your anxiety in other ways.
Panic attack - when the anxiety comes suddenly
Severe anxiety that comes suddenly is called a panic attack. A panic attack is felt very clearly in the body. You may feel dizzy, and you may feel dizzy. When it feels so strong in the body, you may think that you are ill, for example that you have had a heart defect. You may feel feelings of unreality or fear of dying.A panic attack often comes unexpectedly, when you are not prepared. It is not uncommon to have a panic attack, for example, when you are resting or relaxing. Getting a panic attack feels very scary. But it is not dangerous, and the panic attack goes away on its own.
If you have recurrent panic attacks for a long period of time and are afraid of having these attacks, you may have what is called panic syndrome . There are treatments that help with panic disorder.
What is anxiety and what causes it?
Anxiety is reactions from the nervous system that cannot be controlled. It is uncomfortable and frightening to have anxiety, but it is not dangerous. Usually the anxiety goes away on its own in a few minutes. Most people experience anxiety from time to time. Some have strong anxiety that comes back often, or lasts a long time. The more you avoid your anxiety, the more it can affect you.Why do I get anxiety?
Anxiety is not a sign that something is wrong with you. It's a natural reaction to something scaring you.The symptoms you experience are due to the brain sending signals to the body. The body prepares to deal with the situation by increasing the amount of stress hormones in the blood. The muscles become tense and you get a faster pulse and breathing.
The purpose of anxiety is really survival. Anxiety gives you extra energy, so you could run fast and defend yourself or escape a threat. It is the extra energy that you experience as anxiety.
The brain cannot distinguish between real threat and fear
Sometimes a thought may be enough for anxiety to come. It does not matter if the threat is real or not. Your brain cannot distinguish between a fear based on thoughts and a real threat. The body's reactions are the same.You may also experience anxiety from certain situations, perhaps because they remind you of something that has scared you earlier in life.
When and where should I seek care?
Contact a healthcare center if one or more of the following apply to you:- You have begun to avoid places or situations for fear of getting anxious.
- You have had recurrent panic attacks for at least a month.
- You have phobias , obsessions or obsessions that affect your everyday life.
- You alleviate your anxiety with alcohol, drugs or by harming yourself .
When you book an appointment, you can ask for a sufficiently long visit time so that you have time to tell us how you are feeling.
You can also seek care at a psychiatric outpatient clinic. If you work or study, you can often contact the occupational health service or the student health service.
If you are the guardian of someone under the age of 18, you can read more here .
You can always call and get medical advice on telephone number 1177 .
If you need to talk to someone
You can call a helpline or hotline . Here is someone who listens and who can give advice and support. You can call anonymously.If it's in a hurry
Seek care at a psychiatric emergency room if you have thoughts of taking your life , or feel so bad that you feel you can not take it anymore.Do you know someone who has thoughts or plans to take his life ? Then help the person to get in touch with the care. In case of immediate danger to life, call 112.
What can I do myself?
You can learn to deal with anxiety, but it can take some time. Although anxiety is harmless, it can prevent you from living the way you want to.There are several things you can do that can help you in the moment. There are also things that you can do to feel better in the long run, and so that you can more easily deal with anxiety.
All people are different. One piece of advice that works for one person may not work for another. Try it out and feel for what works for you. Have you had anxiety before and noticed that something special helped? Try to do the same thing again.
The most important thing is that you try to live your life the way you want, while practicing dealing with anxiety in the moment.
Tips on how to deal with anxiety at the moment
Many people who have anxiety want to get rid of the unpleasant feelings quickly. But if you stay in the anxiety, you will notice that it decreases after a while.When you get anxiety, you can try doing the following:
- Sit on a chair and press your feet into the floor or ground and feel how it feels.
- Describe for yourself what is happening right now. Allow your thoughts to be as they are.
- Breathe calmly. Put one hand on your stomach and feel your breathing.
- Focus on something else for a while, such as taking a walk, reading a book, solving crossword puzzles, sudoku, or talking to someone.
- Do relaxation exercises or something else that makes you calm down.
Then continue with what you were going to do before you got anxiety.
Tips on how to deal with anxiety in the long run
- Do what is important to you even when you have anxiety.
- Challenge yourself to keep doing what you enjoy, despite the fear of anxiety. It increases your confidence in yourself and reduces your anxiety in the long run.
- Try to rest and get enough sleep . If you have difficulty sleeping, it is good if you can still try to take small rest breaks.
- Try to eat well so that you get the nutrition you need.
- Move, for example by exercising, walking or dancing. Preferably for a while every day. Exercise increases your well-being, and makes it easier to relax and sleep well.
- Do things that you think are nice and relaxing. Listen to music, stay in nature, do something that interests you or hang out with people you enjoy.
- Think about how you could reduce stress if you often feel stressed. Can you lower the demands on yourself or change your situation in any way?
Finding a way to relax can help you feel better. There are many apps and exercises online. For example, you could try doing one of these breathing and relaxation exercises . There are also exercises in conscious presence or mindfulness.
Alcohol and drugs make anxiety stronger
Do not try to reduce anxiety with alcohol or other drugs . It may feel like it is helping for the moment, but it makes the anxiety worse in the long run.Try to quit or reduce if you smoke , snuff , drink a lot of coffee or energy drinks. Nicotine and caffeine can increase anxiety and make it harder for you to sleep well.
Learn more about anxiety and get help from others
A good way to gain perspective and feel better is to learn more about anxiety and mental illness. For example, you can read books, watch movies or listen to podcasts.You can contact the Anxiety Association or any other association or organization and get support, tips and advice from people with their own experience.
You can contact a helpline if you want to talk or chat with someone anonymously.
Treatment for anxiety
Treatment methods that work well if you have anxiety disorders are:- Advice and support for healthy habits
- psychotherapy
- Possible drug treatment, if the anxiety has been going on for a long time.
Advice and support for healthy habits
Part of the treatment consists of giving you information about what anxiety is and what you can do yourself to start feeling better.For example, you can get advice and support regarding sleep , eating habits , physical activity and alcohol habits .
By changing your daily habits, you can increase your resilience to stress and anxiety. Even small changes can make a big difference.
psychotherapy
Psychotherapy can help you who have anxiety. The form of therapy that is mainly recommended when you have problems with anxiety is cognitive behavioral therapy, CBT.In therapy, you get help to approach and allow unpleasant feelings. This is done step by step in a method called exposure. Exposure means that you approach things that you usually avoid. You will also learn to find new approaches to your anxiety.
What works for one person may not work for another. Therefore, it is important that you get help that is tailored to what you need. The person you meet can help you seek more specialized help if you agree together that it is needed.
It is important that it feels good with the psychologist, counselor or doctor you meet. Ask to talk to someone else, if the person you meet does not feel comfortable talking to.
Possible drug treatment
You who have major problems with anxiety for a long time may have the help of medication as part of your treatment. Ask to first try such drugs that do not cause addiction.For example, there may be antidepressant drugs that belong to the SSRI or SNRI drug groups . It is important to know that it may take several weeks for these medicines to take effect. During these weeks, you may even feel worse.
There are also other drugs that can help with anxiety and worry, without causing addiction. An example is drugs that contain the active substance hydroxizine.
Talk to your doctor if you have any questions about medicines for anxiety.
If you are close to someone with anxiety
It can feel difficult to know what to do to support someone who has anxiety. Sometimes you may need to be a support by listening. Sometimes you may need to encourage someone who is feeling unwell to seek professional help.No matter how you try to support the person who is feeling bad, try to accept that there is a limit to how much you can help someone else. Do not take it personally if you feel that your suggestions are not well received. The most important thing is that those who feel bad know and feel that you care about them.
How should I help someone who has anxiety?
A good way to find strength is to learn more about anxiety and mental illness. For example, you can read books, watch movies or listen to podcasts.You can help by reminding yourself that it is not dangerous to have anxiety, even if it feels that way. Encourage the person to learn more about what anxiety is and what you can do to feel better.
Seek support for your own part
To be able to be a good support, you need to take care of yourself. As a close relative, you can apply for family support and get help from the municipality's social services. The support that is available varies, but it is common that you can get some form of call support.There are relatives' associations that can provide advice and support, such as the Swedish Anxiety Association , ÅSS. There are also other associations that provide support online .
As a young person, you may need adult support
If you are young and have a parent who is anxious, you may need support on your own. Talk to an adult and get help, for example from a friend, relative or school counselor. Tell us about what happens to you when your parent is unwell.You can sometimes get support that can help relieve you, if you feel that you have to take on too much responsibility at home.
Different kinds of anxiety
Panic disorder
If you have recurrent panic attacks for at least a month and are afraid of having these attacks, it can be called panic disorder .phobias
If you are so afraid of certain things or situations that you avoid them or have strong anxiety in the situation, it can be called specific phobia .Generalized anxiety disorder
You may have what is called generalized anxiety disorder or GAD if you have a constant worry or anxiety that affects your daily life.OCD
You may have obsessive-compulsive disorder if you feel very strongly that you need to think a certain way or do certain things in order not to get anxious.Anxiety after a scary event
You who have been through a particularly frightening event can sometimes develop post-traumatic stress disorder, PTSD .Anxiety and physical illness
You may experience severe anxiety if you have had a serious physical illness or are living with long-term pain .You may also develop strong anxiety and fear of suffering from a serious illness. It is called disease anxiety or health anxiety.
