Most people feel occasional anxiety on a regular basis, but if you are reading this you likely are wondering how to tell if you have an anxiety disorder. Anxiety disorders go above and beyond normal levels of anxiety and feature different symptoms.
What is anxiety?
Anxiety is just a part of the body’s natural reaction to danger. It’s an important step in the fight-or-flight response triggered when a person feels threatened or pressured. In certain circumstances, this anxiety can actually be a good thing – it’s what inspires us to study before an exam or get dressed up before a social outing.
When these feelings of anxiety are especially intense or long-lasting, this is no longer regular anxiety,
but instead an anxiety disorder.
How to know if you have anxiety
If you have any of the following symptoms, you may have an anxiety disorder:
- Feelings of nervousness, restlessness, or tension
- A sense of impending doom
- Increased heart rate or breathing
- Sweating
- Trembling
- Fatigue or loss of energy
- Trouble concentrating
- Trouble sleeping
- Gastrointestinal problems
- Types of anxiety disorders
- Generalized Anxiety Disorder
- Panic Disorder
- Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder
- Social Anxiety Disorder
- Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
- Separation Anxiety Disorder
The causes of anxiety disorders
What causes a person to develop an anxiety disorder is not as easy to pinpoint as an illness like the common cold. Anxiety disorders are the result of a complicated mix of factors both biological and environmental.
Examples of medical conditions or issues sometimes linked to anxiety include:
- Heart disease
- Diabetes
- Hyperthyroidism)
- COPD
- Asthma
- Drug abuse
- Drug withdrawal
- Chronic pain
- Irritable bowel syndrome
How to treat your anxiety symptoms
Lifestyle changes
Supporting your physical health can go a long way when it comes to your mental health as well. For instance, you should aim to get at least 30 minutes of exercise, 3 to 5 times a week.
You should also try to get a consistent sleep schedule. You should aim for somewhere around 8 hours of sleep a night. If getting to sleep is difficult, you could try adapting a consistent sleep schedule or spending less time in front of electronic devices.
During times of stress and anxiety, you may turn to substances like caffeine or alcohol for comfort, but these substances will only worsen your symptoms in time.
Ketamine Treatment for Anxiety Relief
Exactly how ketamine treats anxiety disorders is still being researched, much like what leads to the development of anxiety. The current understanding is that ketamine binds to receptors in the brain that increase the amount of a neurotransmitter – glutamate – is released. This will then set off a chain of reactions within the brain that affects thinking and emotional regulation.
To put this in layman’s terms, the brain reacts to ketamine in a way that triggers hormones that help create more positive emotions. This can occur within minutes after a person receives their infusion, but some people may need several treatments before they experience the highest level of benefits.
Contact us today at Midwest Ketafusion to schedule a free consultation and find out if this treatment is right for you.