We provide Psychiatric and Psychological Services
Anxiety Disorders
We all feel some anxiety at some time or other. Anxiety may serve
as an alerting signal, warning us of external /internal threats and
consequently acting as a prompt to take appropriate action.
When anxiety is very severe and present even when there is no
threat of any kind, then it interferes with our functioning and can
become an illness. In this circumstance, anxiety becomes a disorder
characterised by an unpleasant emotion with feelings of fear, threat
and impending danger and can be associated with numerous bodily
symptoms like breathlessness, trembling, tightness in throat, dry
mouth, racing heart and nausea/vomiting.
There are varieties of anxiety disorders like panic attacks,
phobias (unhealthy fear of something), agoraphobia (fear of open
spaces), social anxiety, post-traumatic disorder and obsessive
compulsive disorder. Anxiety can often be associated with a depressive
episode.
Anxiety disorders are very common and if unrecognised and untreated, can cause severe disability.
Treatment
- Self help: learning techniques like relaxation, distraction and education
- Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)
- Medication.
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