Every person at least once in his life has experienced states when, for inexplicable reasons, there is discomfort and a premonition that something terrible will happen soon. Anxiety disorders are most often referred to as neurotic diseases, they are caused by the pathological condition of patients.
In this case, the clinical picture may differ significantly, but certain personality disorders are not observed. Anxiety affects people of all ages, including very young children. According to statistics, such disorders most often overtake young women aged 20 to 30 years. However, depending on the situation, absolutely everyone can experience inexplicable anxiety.
When these emotions become too strong or uncontrollable, it prevents the individual from doing normal activities and communicating with the outside world. There are a huge number of mental disorders, the symptoms of which include various levels of anxiety. It could be a phobia, a pro-traumatic condition, or panic attacks. If a person experiences too much anxiety, then thiscauses him to be in a nervous state almost constantly. This leads to mental and physical exhaustion. Therefore, it is worth considering in more detail the levels of anxiety and the features of this condition.
Basic definitions
The state of anxiety is a mental tension of a person that appears when he anticipates an indefinite or unconscious, but inevitably approaching danger. In this case, the internal resources of the body are activated. This means that mentally a person begins to prepare for the expected event.
Anxiety itself is an emotional reaction to the expectation of danger or something bad. As a rule, in such situations, a person imagines a threat more than he is really afraid of something that can really harm him. Based on this, it becomes obvious that this state is not always due to events occurring in life. It all depends on the subjective representation of the individual and the characteristics of his consciousness.
Based on this, different levels of anxiety can appear in different situations and have different symptoms. Some people behave restlessly all the time and everywhere. Others experience similar states only occasionally when the circumstances are appropriate.
Also, experts say that each person has their own personal characteristics, which is why all individuals are more or less prone to anxiety. Some people are more resistant to anxiety. However, in certain situations, theybegin to fear the threat much more. Because of this, certain reactions occur. If a person is prone to anxiety, then he shows anxiety to a lesser extent, but it accompanies him throughout his life.
Such a pathology cannot lead to serious mental disorders, but it entails a number of consequences, due to which it becomes more difficult for a person to exist, lead a habitual lifestyle, and even maintain himself in a normal physical form.
Reason for development
If we talk about the exact factors that contribute to the development of various levels of anxiety, then today they are unknown to science. This is due to the fact that this state of a person manifests itself without any reason. For some, troubles arise against the background of experienced psychological trauma. It is believed that genetics may also play a role. This means that if there are certain genes in the human brain, then a chemical imbalance occurs, which leads to the development of mental tension and constant anxiety. On the other hand, it could be some kind of phobia.
Initially, anxiety at a low level occurs as a conditioned reflex reaction to a stimulus. However, after a while, a person no longer needs such an incentive.
If we consider this pathology from a biological point of view, then in this case, doctors tend to believe that there are a number of specific anomalies that conduct nerve impulses to the brain. In addition, this problem may appear in those who experience problems with insufficient physical activity or malnutrition. If the human body lacks vitamins and microelements, then this reduces physical activity, which in turn leads to a weakening of other systems.
Some people experience a certain level of anxiety when they enter a new, unfamiliar environment. She seems dangerous to them, so the person automatically prepares for the worst.
Besides, mental states of this type can develop against the background of somatic diseases. For example, if a patient has problems with the endocrine system or a woman has a hormonal imbalance due to menopause, then this can cause a sudden feeling of anxiety. According to statistics, in some cases, such a condition became a harbinger of a heart attack. Anxiety appears with a sharp drop in sugar levels. Mental illness can also cause anxiety. For example, in schizophrenia, nervousness and alcoholism, situations are not uncommon when people begin to fear something that does not exist at all.
Genes
According to one of the popular theories, a high level of anxiety is laid down at the genetic level. This means that every person has a so-called biological make-up. Sometimes people get anxiety only because this function was built into the genetic code by default.
In this case, there is a certain chemical imbalance. Processes are also taking place in the brain, which begin to cause a stronganxiety. In this case, a person cannot explain what exactly he is afraid of. At the same time, he does not have a predisposition to mental illness and other pathologies. Accordingly, this theory can indeed be considered as one of the most likely explanations for the detection of the level of anxiety.
He alth
Physical activity can really cause the development of a wide variety of pathologies, including psychological ones. Many people do not understand how important being active is not only for the overall he alth of the body, but also for a favorable mental state.
Studies show that people who exercise, run, go to the gym, dance, etc. experience less stress and anxiety. Accordingly, they are less prone to anxiety, sleep better and experience less fear. In addition, due to good physical activity, a person can direct hormones in the right direction.
Psychology
Many experts, considering the definition of the level of anxiety, agree that anxiety appears due to the fact that certain thoughts and beliefs appear in a person’s head, which become basic for him. They affect the daily mood of the individual, as well as the development of anxiety.
For example, someone who, going on a date or an interview, begins to critically examine himself and assumes that he looks very bad or not ready for this meeting, begins to set himself up for a negative experience.
However, if you focus on your strengths, then in this case, the degree of anxiety is significantly reduced. This means that a person independently provokes such a state by thinking about completely unreasonable problems that do not exist in reality. When this feeling arises, it is enough to concentrate on the positive aspects and stop thinking about the possibility of a negative outcome.
Experience
Every person, having gone through a certain life path, can tell a huge number of stories that cause anxiety. Accordingly, if a person has a certain negative experience and on a subconscious level he has a fear that similar events may occur with him in the future, then this significantly changes the quality and level of his life.
Accordingly, the more a person achieves success, the more he begins to feel his own dignity and suppresses possible anxiety. Accordingly, we can say that this pathology develops against the background of low self-esteem, which, in turn, appears due to the large number of negative experiences that a person had to face in life.
Environment
Another theory is that a person's anxiety can be caused by something unknown and unfamiliar. Having visited a new company, moving to a new apartment, a person ceases to feel a sense of comfort. Accordingly, his body goes into danger mode. He is ready for any negative emotions.
In this case, it remains only to wait a little, when a person does not get used toenvironmental changes. As soon as the initially unfamiliar house becomes more than a new living space for him, he will stop worrying and begin to lead a normal life.
Varieties of anxiety
There are several types of anxiety disorder, but in medical practice, the adaptive and generalized form of the pathology is most common. If we talk about the first category, then in this case a person develops uncontrollable anxiety, which is sometimes combined with other negative emotions. This is due to adaptation to a certain stressful situation. If we are talking about generalized anxiety disorder, then in this case, the feeling of panic can persist permanently and disperse to various objects.
It is also worth considering several varieties of anxiety that have been the most studied and are most common today:
- Social. In this case, the person begins to experience a high level of anxiety if she is in a large crowd of people. This most often happens to children of primary school age when they first start attending educational institutions. That is why the level of anxiety of the child is often elevated. This also applies to adults who came to work in a large company. Based on this, a person consciously begins to avoid certain activities. For example, he doesn't get to know people around him and tends to avoid new ventures.
- Public anxiety. In this case, a high level of anxiety is fixed,when a person is forced to be at any mass event. For example, restlessness can be observed during exams, at public conferences, fireworks, and so on. The most common reason for this is that a person is sure that he will be in an awkward situation in front of a large number of people.
- Alarm that appears when selected. As you know, it is difficult for every person to make a serious decision in his life if he is not confident in himself. So he tries to avoid responsibility. In this case, the individual begins to experience a strong helplessness, which causes a certain level of personal anxiety. This brings great discomfort.
- Post-traumatic anxiety. In this case, we are talking about the fact that the person experienced a certain psychological trauma, which left a huge imprint. A person has unreasonable anxiety, because he expects danger at any second.
- Existential anxiety. By and large, in this case we are talking about the fact that a person begins to realize the fact that sooner or later he will die. At some point, this thought begins to reach a certain absurdity. In addition to waiting for his death, the most insignificant things begin to disturb a person. He may also fear that he will lose loved ones, or that his life will be wasted.
- Separate anxiety disorder. In this case, we are talking about a violation when a person has anxiety attacks and severe panic if he is too far from a certain person. The most common levels areanxiety among younger schoolchildren and children starting kindergarten when they are forced to leave their parents for a long time.
There are also other types of anxiety, such as obsessive-compulsive, irrational, and others. For some people, anxiety is a definite opportunity to control their lives. For example, very often this feeling is fixed in those who always strive for impeccability. Also, emotionally excitable, intolerant of mistakes and very concerned about their he alth people are predisposed to anxiety.
If we talk about the varieties of this condition and assess the level of anxiety of the pathology, then it can be open and closed. In the first case, a person begins to experience a negative state consciously. This means that it is able to regulate its activity. If a hidden anxiety disorder occurs, then in this case the activity occurs unconsciously. Outwardly, a person will be absolutely calm, sometimes even too much. In psychology, there is even a term that denotes this state - inadequate calmness.
Forms of pathology
If we talk about the levels of anxiety in adolescents, children and adults, then in this case it is necessary to take into account the characteristics of the character, the experiences themselves and how a person is aware of them, verbally or non-verbally expresses his concern, etc.
As a rule, in order to study the form of such anxiety, it is necessary to carry out individual or group psychological work. Most often it is required by children andteenagers. Therefore, many different methods have been developed to determine the level of anxiety.
If we talk about the forms of pathology, then in addition to the latent and open phases, there are several more types. It is worth considering them in more detail.
If we are talking about open anxiety, then it happens:
- Spicy. In this case, anxiety will be unregulated or poorly regulated. A person may be aware that he is experiencing negative feelings, due to which he will outwardly show symptoms. However, at the same time, the individual cannot cope with his illness on his own, so he is most of the time at a low or medium level of anxiety.
- Adjustable and compensated. Most often, such conditions are characteristic of children. In this case, they themselves are able to develop a method that will help to cope with anxiety. In this case, the child himself understands that this condition is difficult and unpleasant. This brings him a number of mental discomforts.
If we are talking about cultivated anxiety, then in this case a person changes his attitude towards his condition. He begins to perceive anxiety as something valuable and uses these emotions as his personal qualities that help him achieve what he wants.
Also, one of the varieties of cultivated anxiety is the so-called magical form of anxiety. This means that a teenager or a child begins to conjure evil forces, constantly replaying in his mind the most dangerous and unpleasant events in his life. He constantly talks aboutthem, however, this does not help to free himself from fears, but only further strengthens his fears.
Clinical picture
According to research on the level of anxiety, it was possible to establish that, like any other psychological condition, anxiety can be expressed in certain signs at different levels of perception.
If we talk about the physiological state of a person, then most often patients suffer from:
- High heart rate and breathing.
- Unstable blood pressure.
- Increased emotional and physical excitability.
- General weakness.
- Trembling in the limbs.
- Desensitization.
- Appearance of dry mouth and thirst.
- Sleep disorders.
- The appearance of nightmares.
- Daytime fatigue and fatigue.
- Soreness in the muscles.
- Pain in the stomach.
- Excessive sweating.
- Appetite problems.
- Stool disorders, nausea and vomiting.
- Headaches of a pulsating type.
- Disorders of the genitourinary system.
- Changes in the menstrual cycle in women.
If we are talking about the emotional-cognitive level, then in this case a person is constantly in mental stress. He is aware of his helplessness and insecurity. Afraid and worried. In addition, there is a decrease in the concentration of patients' attention. The person becomes irritable, intolerant. He cannot focus on specific tasks.
This often results in sick peoplebegin to avoid all social interactions. In this case, they are looking for any excuse to stop going to school, work, and so on. However, over time, anxiety will only intensify. In addition, the patient's self-esteem will decrease significantly.
If a person constantly focuses on their shortcomings, then this can lead to the development of self-loathing. As a result, it is much more difficult for such people to build interpersonal relationships, and physical contacts become completely impossible.
Moreover, the patient may feel lonely, which will negatively affect both professional activities and the possibility of building he althy family relationships. If we talk about how anxiety manifests itself at the level of behavior, then more and more people begin to nervously and senselessly walk around the room, swing in a chair, tap their fingers on the table, pull on their hair or other objects. Some develop a habit of biting their nails. It is also a symptom of a person's increased nervousness.
Diagnosis
To identify the development of this pathology, it is necessary to consult a psychiatrist. First of all, to make it easier for a specialist to diagnose the level of anxiety, you need to tell him about all the symptoms that a person suffers from. As a rule, they are observed for at least several weeks. For a specialist, the identification of an alarming condition does not cause difficulties. However, it is not always possible to determine a specific type of pathology.
ThisThis is explained by the fact that some forms of anxiety have exactly the same clinical signs, but they occur in different places and differ in duration.
Also, during the diagnosis of the level of anxiety, the doctor will pay attention to the presence of signs that characterize increased anxiety. For example, if a person has disturbed sleep, they experience anxiety and other symptoms.
It is necessary to take into account how long the patient has been suffering from this condition. In addition, you need to make sure that this is not a reaction to stress or any pathological condition associated with diseases of the internal organs.
Diagnosis includes several stages, as well as different methods for diagnosing the level of anxiety. First, the doctor interviews the patient and makes a rough assessment of his mental state. After that, a physical examination is carried out.
Kondash technique
In this case, it is worth noting some features of this test, which is most often used in pedagogy. First of all, it is worth saying that a person can independently assess and determine the presence of any deviations that can lead to anxiety. In addition, he independently assesses the situation.
The main advantage of the Kondash anxiety level scale is that it is possible to determine the areas of reality, as well as those objects that become the main ones for the student. In addition, this type of questionnaire shows the features of the developmentschoolchildren. Each form has instructions and a specific list of tasks. Therefore, each person can use this method of diagnosing the level of school anxiety. The survey is carried out both in a group and individually.
The list contains situations that a person has to meet throughout his life. Some of them are unpleasant for him and cause excitement and fear. Accordingly, in order to determine the level of anxiety of a person, it is necessary to ask him to read each sentence and rate it according to the level of unpleasantness of the situation on a scale from 0 to 4.
Taylor Anxiety Levels
In this case, you can also get all the necessary data about a person's condition on your own or in a group. A similar technique is also a questionnaire in which several expressions are listed. A person must read and evaluate their level according to their feelings. You can do it yourself.
Tailor's level of anxiety detection is widely used in both individual and group surveys. At the same time, it is possible to solve not only theoretical, but practical problems. In addition to the Taylor questionnaire, anxiety levels are determined by other similar tests.
Phillips Method
This questionnaire is also designed specifically for schoolchildren and children of primary and secondary school age. There are 58 sentences in the list of questions. They can be given to the child in writing or read orally. Each question must be answered with a “yes” or “no” only. In this case, you need to ask the childanswer as sincerely and truthfully as possible.
This is not a competition, so there are no right or wrong answers. After that, the results are processed and the level of anxiety is determined according to the Phillips method. It is carried out using a special test key. If the answers match him, then this is a very serious sign of increased anxiety.
Principles of treatment
In this case, an integrated approach is needed. This means that it is necessary to normalize not only the mental, but also the physical and emotional state of a person. It is also worth clarifying at what stage the pathology is. With a low and medium level of anxiety, the patient must independently analyze the situation that is happening to him. First of all, he must realize that he is experiencing a state that is not the norm. After that, you need to ask the patient to independently try to determine the cause of this pathology. The techniques described above or consultation with a psychotherapist can help with this.
After identifying a problem, you need to try to recognize its presence. This awareness helps to resolve more than half of the unstable state. You can also try learning relaxation techniques. Relaxation is the best way to get out of stressful situations, stop experiencing anxiety. You need to do deep breathing exercises and meditate.
It is necessary to ensure that a person gets enough sleep and regularly eats quality food. If the pathology was diagnosed ina small child, this may indicate that he has serious problems with self-esteem. Therefore, efforts must be made to strengthen it. Parents should praise and in every possible way show their child how much they love him.
In closing
There is nothing dangerous in the appearance of anxiety. This condition is typical for a person. As a rule, problems disappear on their own. If the patient experiences anxiety constantly, then he needs help. It is very important to correctly assess at what stage the anxiety is. In the most difficult situations, medication may be required. Especially if a person has serious problems with sleep. This can provoke serious he alth problems, so it is better not to postpone a visit to a specialized specialist.
