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Anxiety disorder is different from a physical disorder. Anxiety disorder: symptoms, treatment, types

What is an anxiety disorder? This is a question often asked by many. Let's take a closer look. The feeling of anxiety and fear not only causes human suffering, but also has strong adaptive significance. Fear helps us protect ourselves from emergency situations, and anxiety allows us to be fully prepared in the event of a perceived threat. Feeling anxious is considered a normal emotion. Everyone has experienced this at some point. However, if anxiety becomes constant and causes stress, affecting all aspects of a person’s life, most likely we are talking about a mental disorder.

Anxiety disorder according to the ICD has code F41. Represents restlessness and anxiety for no apparent reason. These emotions are not a consequence of events occurring around them and are caused by strong psycho-emotional stress.

Causes of Anxiety Disorders

What do doctors say about the factors contributing to the development of pathology? Why do such violations appear? Unfortunately, it has not yet been possible to establish the exact cause of the development of anxious personality disorder. However, this condition is not, like other types of mental problems, a consequence of weakness of willpower, poor upbringing, character defect, etc. Research on anxiety disorders continues today. Scientists have found that the following factors contribute to the development of the disease:

  1. Changes occurring in the brain.
  2. The influence of environmental factors on the human body.
  3. Failure in the functioning of interneuron connections involved in the occurrence of emotions.
  4. Prolonged stress. Can disrupt the transmission of information between parts of the brain.
  5. Diseases in the brain structures that are responsible for emotions and memory.
  6. Genetic predisposition to this type of disorder.
  7. Psychological trauma, stressful situations and other emotional shocks in the past.

Provoking diseases

Scientists also identify a number of diseases that can influence the development of anxiety disorder:

  1. Mitral valve prolapse. Occurs when one of the heart valves fails to close properly.
  2. Hyperthyroidism. Characterized by increased activity of the gland.
  3. Hypoglycemia, which is characterized by a decrease in blood sugar levels.
  4. Abuse or dependence on mental stimulants such as narcotics, amphetamines, caffeine, etc.
  5. Another manifestation of an anxiety disorder is panic attacks, which can also occur against the background of certain diseases and for physical reasons.

Symptoms

Signs of an anxiety disorder vary depending on the type of illness. Immediate consultation with a specialist requires the presence of at least one of the following symptoms:

  • Feelings of anxiety, panic and fear that occur regularly and for no reason.
  • Sleep disorder.
  • Sweaty and cold hands and feet.
  • Difficulty breathing, shortness of breath.
  • Feeling of dry mouth.
  • Tingling and numbness in the limbs.
  • Constant nausea.
  • Dizziness.
  • Increased muscle tone.
  • Increased heart rate and feeling of pressure in the chest.
  • Rapid breathing.
  • Decreased visual acuity.
  • Bilateral headache.
  • Diarrhea and bloating.
  • Difficulty swallowing.

Any manifestations of a mental disorder are invariably accompanied by a feeling of anxiety and obsessive negative thoughts that distort a person’s acceptance of reality.

Structure

The structure of an anxiety disorder is heterogeneous and is formed by several components, including consciousness, behavior and physiology. The disorder affects behavior, performance, and can cause insomnia and stuttering, as well as stereotypical behavior and hyperactivity.

As for the physiological symptoms of an anxiety disorder, quite often they are perceived as dangerous to human life and health, since patients see life as black and white, without halftones. They tend to invent non-existent facts, mistaking a headache for a brain tumor, chest pain for a heart attack, and rapid breathing for a sign of approaching death.

Types of Anxiety Disorders

In order to prescribe adequate therapy, it is necessary to determine the type of illness. Medical science identifies several variants of anxious personality disorder:

1. Phobias. They represent fears that are incommensurate with the real scale of the threat. Characterized by a state of panic when placed in certain situations. It is quite difficult to control phobias, even if the patient wants to get rid of them. The most common phobias associated with anxiety-phobic disorder are social and specific phobias. The latter are characterized by a feeling of fear of a specific object or phenomenon. There are some common types of phobias, for example, of animals, natural phenomena, specific situations, etc. Somewhat less common are fears of injuries, injections, the sight of blood, etc. So-called social phobias experience fear of negative evaluation from other people. Such a person constantly thinks that he looks stupid and is afraid to say something in public. As a rule, they lose social connections. This may also be considered a symptom of generalized anxiety disorder.

2. Post-traumatic stress disorder. This is a person’s reaction to certain situations that happened in the past, which were difficult to resist. A similar situation could be the death of a loved one or serious injury or other tragic circumstances. A patient with such a disorder is constantly under the yoke of intrusive memories. Sometimes this results in nightmares, hallucinations, delusions, and re-living what happened. Such people are characterized by emotional overexcitability, sleep disturbances, impaired concentration, sensitivity and a tendency to attacks of causeless anger.

3. Acute stress anxiety disorder. Its symptoms are similar to other types. The reason for its development is most often a situation that traumatizes the patient’s psyche. However, there are a number of significant differences between this disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder. An acute disorder caused by stress is characterized by an absence of attention to current events, the person perceives the situation as something unreal, thinks that he is dreaming, even his own body becomes alien to him. Such a state can subsequently transform into the so-called

4. As the name implies, the basis of this type are: The latter occur unexpectedly and quickly lead the patient into a state of fear. Anxiety-panic disorder can last from several minutes to an hour. Panic attacks are characterized by symptoms such as dizziness, shortness of breath, fainting, tremors, increased heart rate, nausea and indigestion, numbness in the limbs, chills and fever, tightness and pain in the chest, loss of control over the situation and fear of death.

5. Generalized anxiety disorder. It differs from panic attacks in its chronic form. The duration of this condition can be up to several months. Characteristic symptoms of this type of anxiety disorder are: inability to relax, concentrate, fatigue, constant feeling of fear, irritation and tension, fear of doing something wrong, difficult process of making any decision. The patient's self-confidence and self-esteem are significantly reduced. Such patients are dependent on the opinions of other people, experience a feeling of inferiority, and are also convinced of the impossibility of achieving changes for the better.

6. Obsessive compulsive disorder. The main characteristic feature of this form of anxiety disorders are ideas and thoughts that are repetitive, unwanted and inconsistent, as well as uncontrollable. They arise in the patient's mind, and it is quite difficult to get rid of them. Most often, compulsive disorders arise on the topic of germs and dirt, fear of illness or infectious contamination. Due to such obsessions, many rituals and habits appear in the patient’s life, for example, constant hand washing with soap, constant cleaning of the apartment, or round-the-clock prayers. Such rituals are a reaction to the emergence of obsessive ideas; their main purpose is to protect against anxiety. Most patients diagnosed with obsessive-compulsive disorder also suffer from depression.

Diagnostics

How to identify anxiety-phobic disorder and other types of this pathology? Anxiety is diagnosed quite simply. Each of us encounters a similar phenomenon at least once in our lives. The condition is accompanied by a feeling of impending troubles or threats. In the vast majority of cases, it does not last long and goes away on its own after all the circumstances are clarified. It is very important to be able to distinguish between a normal reaction to ongoing events and pathological signs.

Feature groups

All symptoms characteristic of an anxiety disorder can be roughly divided into several groups:

1. Feeling of tension and anxiety. This means constant worry about any one situation or the absence of a reason for such a state. As a rule, the intensity of the experience is completely out of proportion to the scale of the problem. It is impossible to obtain satisfaction from the situation under any circumstances. A person is constantly in a state of thoughtfulness, worrying about problems and some little things. In fact, a person is in constant anticipation of negative news, so he cannot relax even for a minute. The patients themselves describe this type of anxiety as deliberately illogical, but they are not able to cope with this condition on their own.

2. Sleep disturbance. Relaxation does not occur even at night, since the above symptoms do not go away. It is difficult for a person to fall asleep; this often requires not only great effort, but also medication support. Sleep is shallow and intermittent. In the morning there is a feeling of weakness and fatigue. During the day, exhaustion, loss of strength and fatigue appear. Sleep disturbance wears out the body as a whole, reducing the quality of overall well-being and health from a somatic point of view.

3. Autonomic symptoms of anxiety-depressive disorder. A change in the balance of certain hormones can cause a reaction not only from the human psyche. Quite often there are disturbances in the activity of the autonomic system. A state of anxiety quite often leads to symptoms such as shortness of breath, increased sweating, difficulty breathing, etc. In addition, dyspeptic symptoms, such as nausea and vomiting, pain in the gastrointestinal tract, constipation and diarrhea, appear quite often. It is also possible to experience headaches that are almost impossible to eliminate with standard painkillers. Another characteristic symptom is pain in the heart area, a feeling that the organ is not working properly.

Diagnostic criteria

To make an accurate diagnosis, it is necessary to observe the patient, keeping track of all the criteria listed below, for several months. It is not possible to eliminate them using standard methods; these signs are permanent and occur in any everyday everyday situations. ICD-10 identifies the following diagnostic criteria:

1. Persistent fear. Due to the anticipation of future failures, a person is unable to work and concentrate, as well as rest and relax. The feeling of excitement becomes so all-consuming that the patient can no longer perceive other important experiences, emotions and feelings. Anxiety begins to dominate the human mind.

2. Voltage. Constant fussiness arises as a desire to do something with persistent anxiety. At the same time, the person tries to find out the true cause of his condition and cannot sit still.

3. Autonomic signs are also very important in diagnosing anxiety. The most common symptoms in this case are dizziness, increased sweating and a feeling of dry mouth.

Treatment

Modern psychology is constantly searching for new, most effective methods of treating anxiety disorders. Various breathing techniques, yoga, and relaxation therapy also help in this process. Some patients manage to overcome the disease on their own, without the use of conservative treatment methods. The most effective and recognized by psychologists methods of treating anxiety disorders are the following:

    Self-help. This is the first thing a person can do if they are diagnosed with an anxiety disorder. To do this, you need to work on yourself and learn to keep the physiological manifestations of anxiety under control. This can be done by performing special breathing exercises or muscle relaxation complexes. Such techniques help normalize sleep, relieve anxiety and reduce pain in tense muscles. Exercises must be performed regularly, over a fairly long period. Deep, even breathing can also help relieve a panic attack. However, you should not allow hyperventilation. What else is used in the treatment of anxiety disorder?

    Working with a psychiatrist. It is also an effective way to get rid of anxiety disorder. Most often, this condition is transformed into the form of negative images, thoughts and fantasies, which can be difficult to exclude. The therapist helps the patient shift these thoughts into a more positive direction. The whole essence of psychotherapy for anxiety disorders comes down to teaching the patient a more positive way of thinking and feeling, a realistic perception of the surrounding reality. There is a so-called habituation method. It is based on the patient's repeated encounters with the objects of his fears and anxieties. This is how specific phobias are most often treated. Symptoms and treatment for anxiety disorders are often interrelated.

    Drug treatment. This technique is used only in the most severe cases. Therapy should not be limited to just taking medications. In addition, you should not take medications on a regular basis, as this can be addictive. They are intended only to relieve symptoms. Most often, drugs from the category of antidepressants are prescribed for the treatment of anxiety disorders: Maprotiline, Sertraline, Trazodone, etc. They are taken in a course and begin to act a few weeks after the start of treatment. In addition, drugs related to benzodiazepines are also used: “Diazepam”, “Noosepam”, “Lorazepam”, etc. These drugs have a calming effect that occurs approximately 15 minutes after administration. They provide good and quick relief from a panic attack. However, the negative side of these drugs is that they quickly become addictive and become dependent. Treatment for generalized anxiety disorder can be lengthy.

    Phytotherapy. There are a number of herbs that can relieve anxiety and have a relaxing and calming effect on the body. Such herbs include, for example, the well-known peppermint. Oat straw has antidepressant properties, protecting the nervous system from excessive overload. Chamomile, linden, lavender, lemon balm and passionflower also help cope with anxiety and accompanying symptoms such as headaches, upset stomach, etc. Hop cones will help relieve irritability and excessive nervous excitability.

Anxious personality disorder is a personality disorder in which the patient has a high degree of desire to avoid any social interactions, the patient experiences a feeling of inferiority, and has extreme sensitivity to the value judgments of others, especially negative ones.

Causes

The reasons that cause the development of an anxious personality disorder are not fully understood. A combination of social, genetic and psychological factors can lead to an anxiety disorder.

A large number of patients with a history of anxious personality disorder have a painful experience of prolonged rejection and criticism from relatives or others.

Symptoms of Anxious Personality Disorder

Characteristic symptoms of anxious personality disorder:

Increased sensitivity to criticism;

Maximum self-isolation from society;

Feelings of inferiority or inferiority;

Self-loathing;

Feeling of distrust of other people;

Extreme degree of shyness and modesty;

Avoidance of intimate relationships;

Tendency to addiction (psychological, chemical);

Problems with professional fulfillment;

Avoiding physical contact in any way;

High self-criticism.

Diagnostics

The diagnosis is made exclusively by a psychiatrist. Most often, making a diagnosis is not difficult, since we can talk about an anxious personality disorder if the patient has causeless anxiety for several weeks in a row.

To diagnose this condition, the method of psychological tests is widely used: the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, the Personal Anxiety Scale, the Spielberger-Hanin test, etc.

Types of disease

Anxious personality disorders are classified into:

Obsessive-compulsive disorders;

2. Anxiety-phobic disorders:

Panic disorder;

Obsessive-compulsive personality disorder.

Patient Actions

The patient needs qualified medical assistance.

Treatment of Anxious Personality Disorder

The main methods of treating anxiety personality disorder include - psychotherapeutic treatment and drug treatment.

Methods of psychotherapy are aimed at determining the causes of the development of an anxiety disorder in a patient, as well as teaching the patient how to overcome anxiety. Relaxation and meditation techniques can also help.

The patient should avoid drinking alcohol, caffeine, and smoking cigarettes, as this additionally stimulates the nervous system and increases the feeling of anxiety, if any. The effectiveness of psychotherapy largely depends on the patient’s desire to get out of a state of anxiety; the use of special techniques can reduce the patient’s sensitivity to provoking factors and stabilize the situation.

Drug treatment of anxiety personality disorder includes taking antidepressants, tranquilizers, and adrenergic blockers.

The action of antidepressants is aimed at reducing the patient’s feelings of anxiety and relieving vegetative disorders; the drugs are prescribed over a long course.

Tranquilizers relieve muscle tension, reduce the severity of anxiety, eliminate feelings of fear, and normalize sleep.

Beta blockers are used to relieve vegetative symptoms of the disease (rapid heartbeat, increased blood pressure).

Complications

If left untreated, this condition can worsen and lead to a significant decrease in the patient’s quality of life, and the patient may develop depression.

Prevention of anxiety personality disorder

A general system for the prevention of anxiety personality disorder has not currently been developed. For prevention purposes, you should adhere to the following recommendations: stop consuming caffeine-containing foods and energy drinks, consult a doctor about taking medications if they affect the nervous system.

Personality disorders (outdated “psychopathy”) are a special personality type or behavioral manifestations characterized by a significant deviation from sociocultural norms and having integral features:

  • influence on all areas of life;
  • stability and immutability of their manifestation over time;
  • as a result of their influence, persistent social maladaptation is formed.

Anxious (avoidant) personality disorder is a type of personality disorder characterized by a pronounced desire to avoid social interaction due to fear of extremely painful emotional experiences associated with the likelihood of being rejected (humiliated) by other people.

Symptoms of Anxious Personality Disorder

Symptoms of anxious personality disorder begin to become noticeable in late childhood or adolescence. It is from this period that the use of this diagnosis is legitimate. For younger ages, the concept of “character accentuation” is used.

People with anxious (avoidant) personality disorder are characterized by emotional hypersensitivity to negative evaluations and any criticism from others. They have a strong belief that their personality is unattractive and that they themselves are defective. As a result, 2 characteristic behavioral patterns are formed:

First behavioral pattern

The desire for complete and strict self-control combined with constant monitoring of the responses of people around to their actions.

A person with an anxiety disorder craves communication, but considers his personality unattractive, so he spends all his attention trying to create an image of himself that is pleasant or at least acceptable in the eyes of others. In parallel, he constantly tries to “count” the response to this image in order to understand whether he succeeded in achieving his goal. This process requires enormous mental energy expenditure, which makes it very difficult for him to directly respond to what is happening and actively participate in social interaction. As a result, a second characteristic behavioral pattern arises.

Second behavioral pattern

Stiffness, excessive shyness, withdrawal when communicating.

Such a person may be slow to answer questions, misunderstand the essence of what was said, and distortly interpret what is happening. Indeed, there is an impression of reduced ability to communicate, which is perceived as reinforcing the idea of ​​oneself as an inferior, unattractive person, thus completing the circle of negative self-perception.

As a result of this “vicious circle” of distorted conclusions, a desire arises to protect oneself from a traumatic situation. This is how the characteristic desire for this disorder is formed to avoid social contacts with a simultaneous hidden desire for them. People with avoidant disorder often say that they feel alienated from society, and that they feel like individualists and “loners.”

Diagnostic criteria

The first necessary condition for making a diagnosis is the appropriate age. There must be general diagnostic criteria for personality disorder. And finally, the presence of three or more specific symptoms of anxious personality disorder:

  • persistent general feeling of tension, anxiety, bad feelings;
  • confidence in one’s social inadequacy, the unattractiveness of one’s personality; devaluation of one's own importance in comparison with other people;
  • hypersensitivity to criticism addressed to oneself, fear of being rejected in situations of social interaction;
  • reluctance to enter into relationships without guarantees of being liked;
  • limited lifestyle due to the need for physical security;
  • avoidance of social or professional activities that involve significant interpersonal contacts due to fear of criticism, disapproval, or rejection.

Reasons

Today there is no clear opinion regarding the causes of this disorder. It is believed that the formation of anxious (avoidant) personality disorder is influenced by genetic, psychological and social factors. Features of temperament that have a hereditary basis, as well as accentuation of character, are undoubtedly a predisposing factor.

A situation of chronic stress in childhood in the form of constant criticism and rejection from parents with age can develop into this personality disorder as a way of psychological protection from emotionally painful situations of rejection.

Treatment

Psychotherapy takes a leading place in the treatment of anxiety personality disorder. Drug treatment is additional and is not used in all cases and only for special indications.

Cognitive and behavioral psychotherapy, as well as their combination, are very effective, giving quick and significant results. During individual psychotherapy, the psychotherapist identifies maladaptive attitudes and behavioral stereotypes; helps create new, more adaptive patterns of thinking and behavior and, on their basis, learn the desired social skills.

At later stages, it is effective to include group psychotherapy to train and consolidate new communication skills.

One of the indicators of successful psychotherapy is the transformation of the patient’s thinking, replacing his exaggerated negative ideas about himself with more positive ones.

The Alliance mental health center employs experienced psychotherapists who have effective methods for diagnosing and treating anxiety personality disorder. After just a few therapy sessions, patients note a significant improvement in social interaction skills, self-esteem and quality of life.

In people with an anxious personality disorder, the outward avoidance of communication hides a strong desire for comfortable, secure relationships and social contacts. The constant struggle between the desire for intimacy and the fear of rejection leads to isolation, impoverishment of life experience, and social maladjustment. Thanks to modern methods of psychotherapy, these problems are solved in the shortest possible time and the basis is created for further personal growth and social development.

Anxiety disorder (generalized anxiety disorder) is a long-term process of mental deviation caused by an unreasonable nervous state and attacks of permanent anxiety.

A subject susceptible to the pathology of the disorder is not able to adequately assess the situation created around him and control his emotional experiences.

Unlike a phobia, which involves an irrational fear of a specific object, anxiety in generalized anxiety disorder extends to all aspects of life and does not relate to a specific action or event.

With further development, the pathology takes on a persistent chronic form, which negatively affects the mental health of the person affected by it and does not allow him to carry out his usual life activities, turning it into a painful and painful process.

Normal anxiety and GAD

Anxiety and fear constitute one of the foundations of normal human life. The ability to experience such states indicates the presence in an individual of the main instinct that nature has endowed him with - the instinct of self-preservation.

GAD differs significantly from “ordinary” anxiety in the following characteristics that characterize it:

  • unnecessary excess;
  • a form of stable and stable state;
  • obsession syndrome;
  • debilitating symptoms that exhaust a person, both physically and psychologically.

Normal alarm:

In contrast to generalized anxiety, with “ordinary” anxiety:

  • experiences do not interfere with daily life and do not interfere with the work process;
  • the individual is able to control his emotional background and attacks of emotional excitement;
  • the experienced states of anxiety do not cause overstrain of mental activity;
  • anxiety does not cover all areas of life, but is caused by a specific circumstance or subject;
  • depending on the complexity of the situation, the nature of the anxious state does not take the form of protractedness, and the anxiety passes in a short period of time.

Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD):

  • Nervous conditions interfere with daily life, negatively affect work and affect relationships with other people;
  • the individual is not able to control emotions and the attacks of anxiety and panic that engulf him;
  • uncontrollable fear is caused by many external factors and is not limited to a specific one;
  • an individual susceptible to disorder limits himself in choosing a possible course of events, setting himself up for one of the worst outcomes;
  • the anxious state does not leave the subject even for a short period of time and becomes his constant companion.
    GAD can take an advanced form, and symptoms may appear for at least six months.

    • Symptoms

    The range of symptoms of an anxiety disorder may vary throughout the day. In this case, it is appropriate to talk about the intensity of attacks when anxiety grips a person in the morning, and about its decrease in the evening.

    Or symptoms may appear within 24 hours without improvement. It is very difficult and problematic to notice the disorder, and stress and nervousness that have become part of everyday life, to which a person does not focus attention and which is an important indicator of the onset of the disease, only aggravate the situation of the sick person. Symptoms of mental disorders are divided into emotional, behavioral and physical.

    Emotional Signs

    • an incessant feeling of concern that does not have a clear background and does not leave the individual with a feeling of anxiety;
    • the feeling of anxiety that arises is uncontrollable and takes over all a person’s thoughts, leaving no opportunity to pay attention to other things;
    • obsessive thoughts about the subject of permanent anxiety;
    • overcome by anxiety, he is unable to switch to anything else, he feels obliged to monitor the situation causing psychological discomfort;
    • negative emotions gradually intensify, and the subject is forced to be in an atmosphere of constant emotional tension;
    • excessive irritability and outbursts of inappropriate manifestations in relation to everyday things.

    Behavioral symptoms

    • fear of being left alone with your fears;
    • inability to relax and bring oneself into a state of peace and tranquility even in a comfortable environment;
    • reluctance to do previously important things due to feelings of fatigue and weakness in the body;
    • rapid physical fatigue not associated with vigorous activity;
    • desire to escape from problematic situations that cause anxiety;
    • excessive fussiness.

    Physical signs:

    • pain sensations concentrated throughout the body;
    • insomnia or conditions of chronic lack of sleep;
    • stiffness in muscles and joints;
    • episodes of dizziness and headaches;
    • attacks of suffocation;
    • nausea and intestinal upset leading to diarrhea;
    • manifestations of tachycardia;
    • frequent urge to urinate.

    Diagnostics

    Generalized anxiety disorder, according to the International Classification of Diseases, is diagnosed when the following situations are present.

    The duration of all symptoms characterizing the pathology should vary from several weeks to a month.

    Symptoms should include the following:

    • excessive suspiciousness and a tendency to notice only negative aspects (fears for the future, difficulties in concentration);
    • motor tension (body cramps, tremors, staggering sensations when walking);
    • hyperactivity of the autonomic nervous system (excessive sweating, hypotension, chills, dry mouth, red spots on the face).

    GAD in children

    Children, just like adults, are at risk for developing a diagnosis of generalized anxiety disorder. But the child is not able to determine the line between ordinary states of anxiety and the symptoms of the beginning of the process of disorder in his psyche.

    Photo. Generalized anxiety disorder in a child

    To prevent disorder and identify deviations, in case of uncharacteristic behavior for a child or his excessive concern for something, loved ones should pay attention to the following symptoms:

    • unusual states of fear and apprehension for future situations;
    • deliberate underestimation of one's own self-esteem, excessive perfectionism, fear of condemnation from others;
    • feeling of guilt for any reason that has nothing to do with them;
    • need for frequent reassurances that everything will be fine;
    • restless sleep or difficulty falling asleep.

    Self help

    Self-treatment involves following two tips:

    • Tip 1. Try to reframe your view of worry.
      Determine the exact cause of your worries and specify it. Think about whether the anxious state has a good reason, and whether you can influence the situation or change the course of events with your fears.
    • Tip 2: Change your lifestyle
      1. Treatment of the disorder involves changes in diet. Get into the healthy habit of eating fresh vegetables and fruits every day. The vitamins they contain will strengthen the body and compensate for the lack of nutrients.
      2. Reduce the amount of coffee you drink to a minimum. The caffeine in its composition can cause insomnia and panic attacks. Reduce your intake of sugar, which raises blood glucose levels to the extreme and then drops sharply. This can lead to loss of strength and moral exhaustion.
      3. Be physically active and force your body to do any activity, be it cleaning the house or running in the morning.
      4. To achieve maximum results, self-treatment includes complete abandonment of habits that are harmful to the body. Alcohol and nicotine, which create false impressions of their ability to calm the nervous system, are inherently the most powerful catalysts for anxiety.
      5. A full and healthy sleep is 7-9 hours a day.

    Cognitive behavioral psychotherapy

    If self-treatment of generalized anxiety disorder has not completely eliminated the symptoms of the pathology, then for the final restoration of mental activity and normal state, you will need to turn to cognitive behavioral psychotherapy. Therapy methods are based on changing existing negative beliefs and replacing them with positive and joyful emotions.

    Treatment of the disorder consists of introducing real concepts and new values ​​into the patient’s psyche, allowing him to take a sober and realistic look at the world around him.

    A person suffering from generalized anxiety disorder imagines himself being involved in situations with a negative connotation. Before going somewhere, an individual imagines that when he crosses the road at a traffic light, the bus driver will lose control and he will fall under the wheels.

    Cognitive behavioral therapy asks the following questions: What is the likelihood that a subject will be hit by a bus? Have there been cases of such situations and what is this fear supported?

    Perhaps this is just fantasy? What do fantasies have to do with the real, living world? This therapy helps the patient choose a new behavior model in which he can adapt to situations that cause anxiety and eliminate the symptoms of the disease.

    CBT methods:

    1. Exposure method. Using this technique invites a person not to avoid situations that frighten him, but to interact with them. Treatment involves facing your fears and overcoming them.
    2. The method of “Imaginary representations”. The patient is deliberately returned to a moment that has already happened in his life, which left a negative experience, and, relying on the help of highly qualified psychotherapists and using his imagination, he is offered to replay the situation that happened until it no longer causes discomfort.
    3. The third method of treating a mental disorder involves restructuring consciousness regarding negative feelings and sensations. The method teaches you to treat troubles with restraint and not to focus too much attention on bad thoughts, explaining that they are an integral part of the life of any person.

    Cognitive behavioral psychotherapy will help eliminate the signs of an anxiety disorder and return the person to their normal life. Treatment may also include hypnosis, individual and group psychotherapy. Be healthy!