Is my Anxiety Normal or do I have an Anxiety Disorder?

Suddenly your heart is racing, palms are sweaty, and stomach is churning. Your muscles are tense and your senses alert. Your mind is flooded with worries and fears that something bad will happen. This is anxiety and we have all had it!

When faced with a threatening event such as a physical attack or a natural disaster, most people feel anxiety or fear. Our bodies give us a surge of adrenaline and our instincts take over. This gives us the strength we need to get out of the situation and survive.

Anxiety is our body’s response to stress and danger, but in today’s world, most of the ‘dangers’ we face day to day are not ones we can fight with our fists or run away from easily. These modern ‘dangers’ are many and can be anything from a heavy workload at your job to family conflicts, aggressive drivers or money troubles.

How much anxiety is normal?

Some anxiety from time to time is normal and healthy; it can help motivate us and help get us out of tough situations. But when anxiety lasts for weeks or months, develops into a constant sense of dread or begins to affect your everyday life, you may have an Anxiety Disorder.

What is Anxiety Disorder?

Anxiety disorders refer to a group of mental disorders characterized by feelings of anxiety and fear, including generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), panic disorder, phobias, social anxiety disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

A very common myth is that anxiety disorders are the same thing as problems with stress. Anxiety and stress problems can have a lot in common. The difference is that in an anxiety disorder, the symptoms are extreme and don’t go away once the stress is over.

You may have an anxiety disorder if you experience these symptoms:

It is normal to get nervous or worried about important life events such as sitting for an exam, being diagnosed with an illness, attending an interview, having a baby, or deciding to get married or divorced. For a brief period, you might even find it hard to cope with the situation but once the situation is passed, the feelings of worry stop. But, individuals with anxiety disorder feel different about the situations. Their feelings of anxiety are very strong and may last for a long time.

The good news is that anxiety disorders can be treated very well with homeopathy. Homeopathy addresses the root cause of any illness with ‘mind-body’ approach. Based on individual personality traits and anxiety symptoms, homeopathic remedies are prescribed to the patients. For example, remedy Aconite is prescribed when an individual experiences dry skin, dry mouth, and fast heartbeat due to trauma connected to past life. Remedy Arsenicum album is suggested when a person experiences anxiety due to fear of loneliness, darkness, or being imperfect. 

Therefore, if you or your loved ones are suffering from anxiety disorder, do not consider it as a taboo and ignore. Offer help to them by asking ‘How can I help?’ and seek medical help.