Anxiety

Defining Anxiety

Anxiety is an emotion that involves the feeling of fear, tension, worried thoughts, and physical changes that results in a state of unease (American Psychological Association, n.d.). People with adjustment problems, depression, and psychotic disorders may also encounter problems with anxiety (Nevid et al., 2019).

Anxiety and fear are often used interchangeably, but they are not the same. Fear is linked to an actual or perceived immediate threat, often triggering a fight or flight response. In contrast, anxiety relates to a looming danger that leads to feelings of apprehension and tension (Nevid et al., 2019).

Physical Features of Anxiety

• Nervousness or restlessness
• Shaking or quivering in the hands or body
• Sensation of pressure around the forehead
• Tightness in the stomach or chest area
• Excessive sweating or sweaty palms
• Heart racing or feeling like it’s pounding
• Feeling dizzy or faint
• Dryness in the mouth or throat
• Trouble speaking
• Breathlessness or rapid, shallow breathing
• Coldness in the fingers or limbs
• Stomach discomfort or queasiness
• Difficulty swallowing, as if there’s a “knot in the throat”

Behavioural Features of Anxiety

• Avoiding situations or trying to escape
• Exhibiting clingy or dependent behaviors
• Looking for reassurance from others
• Constantly checking to ensure nothing bad has occurred

Cognitive Features of Anxiety

• Feeling anxious about specific issues
• Experiencing a persistent sense of unease about the future
• Believing that something terrible is imminent without any clear reason
• Being overly focused on physical sensations
• Feeling like things are spiraling out of control
• Perceiving threats from people or situations that are usually harmless
• Fear of losing self-control
• Worrying about managing personal challenges
• Stressing over minor details
• Having disorganized or muddled thoughts
• Repeatedly thinking the same unsettling thought
• Feeling the need to escape crowded areas or fearing fainting
• Struggling to dismiss intrusive thoughts

Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD)

Generalized anxiety disorder is characterized by persistent feelings of anxiety that are not triggered by any specific object, situation, or activity but rather seem to be what has been labeled as “Free floating” thoughts and feelings. People with GAD are chronic worriers, and excessive uncontrollable worrying is considered the key feature of the disorder. 

Children with Generalized Anxiety Disorder are more likely to be worried about academics, athletics and the social aspects of school life (Nevid et al., 2019). Other related features 
include restlessness, feeling tense, becoming easily fatigued, and having difficulty concentrating (Nevid et al., 2019).

GAD tends to arise in the mid teenage years to the mid-20’s and tends to follow a lifetime course. The lifetime prevalence of GAD in Canada is estimated to be 8.7% (Nevid et al., 2019). The disorder is more commonly seen in adolescent girls and women and frequently occurs with other disorders, such as depressive disorders, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and other anxiety disorders (Nevid et al., 2019).

Treatment of Generalized Anxiety

Cognitive-behaviour therapists use a combination of techniques to treat generalized anxiety disorder, these include:

• Relaxation training
• Substitution of adaptive thoughts for intrusive, anxiety-inducing thoughts
• Decatastrophizing (avoiding tendencies to think the worst)

Studies have found that cognitive-behavioural approaches are superior to control conditions and yield effects that are equal to or better than alternative drug or psychological therapies (Nevid et al., 2019).