Introduction: Depression and anxiety are two of the most prominent and often discussed struggles in our current culture. Many people at one time or another will feel the effects of depression and anxiety in their own lives. Due to the varying intensities of these struggles, some people may just take time and move beyond them naturally, others will seek help for a short time, where others may seek more serious medical treatment. This is why it is crucial to understand the levels of depression and anxiety as well as how to help determine the severity of the case so as best to assist a patient. Defining Depression and Anxiety: Anxiety is defined as “a negative mood state characterized by bodily symptoms of physical tension, and apprehension …show more content…
The physical symptoms can range from muscle tension, increased heart rate, rapid and difficult breathing that leads to chest pains, sweating and dizziness. These same symptoms can be found after running a difficult race which is why it is tremendously important to assess the patient’s circumstances when assessing the physical symptoms. The more distinctive physical effects are things such as ulcers, fatigue, loss of appetite, a change in the patient’s blood pressure and increased muscle tension. The psychological symptoms include agitation, difficulty concentrating, lack of sleep, and the most pertinent: overwhelming sensitivity to problems, whether real or perceived, that leads to excessive worrying and possibly even panic attacks. It is clear that anxiety can severely effect a patient’s ability to be a productive member of society and enjoy life. Not all anxiety is negative. The Dalai Lama once said, "Once you 've been bitten by a snake, you are very cautious even of a coiled rope." This is a great example of the manner in which anxiety can serve a person to be careful, cautious, and considerate when moving through what can be perceived as dangerous terrain. Anxiety also provides fuel for humanity to take actions in planning and developing for the future. In this way, a counselor must understand what is a healthy sense of awareness of danger and future expectations and …show more content…
The World Health Organization estimates that there are over 350 million people in world who struggle with depression. It is also the leading cause of disability worldwide. Similar to anxiety, depression effects people of all races, ages, and genders however it has been shown that women are more likely to be effected than men. Depression is growing problem. Specifically in America, approximately 17% of adults will suffer through a season of depression at some time in their lives. This rate has been increasing since 1915 and the trend shows that it will continue to do
It is never pleasant to feel anxious or distressed for any reason. However, there are several people who are diagnosed with anxiety disorders as they are very prevalent today. Mental health professionals are helping people overcome hurdles such as panic attacks, severe worry, social anxiety and other specific phobias. I think that anxiety is an emotion that everyone experiences at one time or another in their life. Anxiety can have a negative effect on an individual if it interferes with one’s daily routine and keeps them from doing what they normally do.
The onset of Generalized anxiety disorder begins in childhood or adolescents, and It can have a lifetime prevalence of 3-5% with a higher risk in women. One major effect of Generalized Anxiety Disorder is excessive worry or anxiety lasting up to 6 months at a time, although individuals that have Generalized Anxiety Disorder don’t identify their worrying as excessive all of the time, but they will recount subjective distress because of a constant worry, or may have difficulty with control over the worrying, or even experience social impairment. Anxiety can be associated up to 6 symptoms which include inability to sleep, fatigued, lack of concentration, easily agitated, muscle tension, and sleep disturbances. Most of which can affect everyday lifestyle and greatly effect physical health, not only can they cause personal distress but may also cause distress in those around.
Anxiety is a monster that most people have to deal with on a daily basis. Even though anxiety is not actually a monster it still torments thousands of people every day, leaving them weak and scared. Anxiety defined means “distress or uneasiness of mind caused by fear of danger or misfortune” defined by Dictionary.com. In the epic poem of Beowulf, one could say that the townspeople had anxiety when it came to Grendel because they feared what he could do to them.
There are many characteristics associated with anxiety. Frequently, people with anxiety experience tightness in their chest, a racing or pounding heart, and a pit in their stomach. Anxiety causes some people to get a headache, to sweat, and even make them have the urge to urinate.
Depression is a mental disorder in which a patient might feel intense, prolonged, negative emotions (Beyond Blue, 2014). This can have severe impact on a person's mental and physical health, thus affecting a person's quality of life. Severe cases can even lead to suicide. It is estimated that one in six Australians will experience depression in their lifetime (Beyond Blue, 2014). The burden of disease gives an indication of of the loss of health and well being of Australians due to each disease (ABS, 2010). Depression and anxiety is the leading cause of burden among females, accounting for 10% of burden while it is the third leading cause for men, accounting for 4.8% (AIHW, 2003) (This was the most recent information found). Depression can affect all age groups but generally first starts to appear in adolescence and early adulthood (National Youth Mental Health Foundation, 2013).
Anxiety is defined as a diffuse, internal, loose floating tension that doesn’t have a real danger or an external object. There is also a significant difference from the notion of fear. Fear usually has an outer object (a real fear of a snake, height or an unreal fear, when the danger is just imagined). Anxiety does not have an external object or external danger but has an internal danger. Internal danger can be some intrapsychic conflict, impulse unacceptable to the ego, suppressed thoughts, etc.
If you have ever been tense before an exam, a date, or a job interview, you have some idea of what anxiety feels like. Increased heart rate, sweating, rapid breathing, a dry mouth, and a sense of dread are common components of anxiety. But episodes of modern anxiety are a normal part of the life for most people. But what anxiety is so intense and long lasting that it impairs a person’s daily functioning is called an anxiety disorder. It is a general term for several disorders that cause apprehension, nervousness, fear, and worrying. These disorders affect how we feel and behave, and they can manifest real physical symptoms. Mild anxiety is vague and unsettling, while severe anxiety can be extremely debilitating, having a serious impact on daily life.
Clinical depression is very common. Over nine million Americans are diagnosed with clinical depression at some point in their lives. Many more people suffer from clinical depression because they do not seek treatment. They may feel that depression is a personal weakness, or try to cope with their symptoms alone. On the other hand, some people are comfortable with admitting their symptoms and seeking help. Such a discrepancy may account for the differences in reported cases of depression between men and women, which indicate that more than twice the numbers of women than men are clinically depressed. According to the numbers of reported cases of depression, 25% of women and 10% of men will have one or more episodes of clinical depression during their lifetimes.
Anxiety is common mental illness in the US, which Kim Krisberg talks about in her article “Anxiety: A Normal Response That Can Feel Overwhelming. The cause of anxiety is brought up in Peter Crostas’ article “What Causes Anxiety?” Crosta also explains the treatments for anxiety in his article, “What Are Treatments For Anxiety?”
Anxiety can be distressing for the body because of how the body reacts. Anxiety can sometimes be helpful for the body, “Normal anxiety is part of the body’s natural defense system. It's an alert to a threat that is unknown, vague, or comes from your own internal fears. While you are in this state, your feelings can range from a vague sense of worry to physical sensations such as a pounding heartbeat” (Fairview). The body can actually become stronger and overcome anxiety which is what Fairview is trying to state. conversely, the body can become very ill because of anxiety. Someone who experiences anxiety can have dizziness, sickness, racing heartbeat, sleeplessness, and very strong emotions. Some teenagers can even become hospitalized from anxiety and the stress that they have to go through. Students conversely have it harder than others, “A teenager named Jake took three AP classes and his teachers did not understand the amount of work he had on his plate with a job, extracurricular activities and the other classes that he had. Jake’s biggest fear was failure and he kept failing, he became very sick and was hospitalized for four days” (The New York Times). Jake was so overwhelmed with his classes, jobs, and extracurricular activities that the expectations of his parents and his teachers affected his physical and mental health. Other people can experience anxiety, but not even know they are experiencing it. The body can also go through dry throat, tense muscles, and sweaty palms. Others that have experienced anxiety for a while can cause other worse health issues such as digestion problems, weakened immune systems, problems falling asleep, and cardiovascular troubles (Denizet-Lewis). The body can tell a person how much they are suffering anxiety by the side effects that they experience when anxiety is
Depression is well known for its mental or emotional symptoms. Symptoms for depression include: persistently sad or unhappy mood, loss of interest or pleasure in previously enjoyable activities, difficulty concentrating, remembering, making decisions, anxiety, feelings of guilt, worthlessness, helplessness, and thoughts of death or dying. “People who have endured a major depressive episode describe the experience as a descent into t...
“Anxiety is a multisystem response to a perceived threat or danger. It reflects a combination of biochemical changes in the body, the patient's personal history and memory, and the social situation. It is important to distinguish between anxiety as a feeling or experience, and an anxiety disorder as a psychiatric diagnosis. A person may feel anxious without having an anxiety disorder. In addition, a person facing a clear and present danger or a realistic fear is not usually considered to be in a state of anxiety. Anxiety frequently occurs as a symptom in other categories of psychiatric disturbance” (Frey 205).
There are three main types of anxiety disorders, one of them being Panic Disorder and Panic Attacks. In one of the electronic journals by the NIMH (2006), some quotes about this disorder said, “For me,a panic attack is almost a violent experience.I feel disconnected from reality.I feel like I'm losing control in a very extreme way. My heart pounds really hard,I feel like I can’t get my breath,and there’s an overwhelming feeling that things are crashing in on me.” and also, “In between attacks,there is this dread and anxiety that it’s going to happen again. I’m afraid to go back to places where I’ve had an attack. Unless I get help,there soon won’t be anyplace where I can go and feel safe from panic.”. A panic disorder is known as sudden attacks (panic attacks) of terror. Most of the time these attacks are accompanied with things such as, excessive sweating, a pounding heart, faintness and weakness. Panic disorder affects close to 6 million
Anxiety is a state of mental and/or physical panic. Mild anxiety is uncomfortable while severe anxiety can be disabling. Some people believe that anxiety is a bigger problem in society than expected. One example that demonstrates how serious of a problem anxiety is is discussed in the book, Anxiety Disorders by J. Paul Caldwell, MD, CCFP, the author asserts, “...it becomes extreme and exaggerated in its response, a destructive rather than helpful force, impairing performance and producing marked emotional distress. Excess anxiety robs the lives of those who suffer from it of peace, strains their relationships with family and friends, and causes significant suffering and unhappiness” (8). The fact that anxiety has such a significant impact on quality of life proves that it’s a bigger issue than society thinks it is. This piece of evidence presents important information because it describes just how manipulative and sinister anxiety can be. A question this raises is, “How much do victims of anxiety really suffer?” Anxiety is not credited for all the harm it does. The fact that it is a ...
One may get anxiety when they are about to give a speech, one may when they are in a crowded area, or maybe it could happen to one every morning when they wake up, or even when they are reminded of their childhood. Anxiety is when a….. It can really affect people’s lives and make