Главная страница Случайная страница
КАТЕГОРИИ:
АвтомобилиАстрономияБиологияГеографияДом и садДругие языкиДругоеИнформатикаИсторияКультураЛитератураЛогикаМатематикаМедицинаМеталлургияМеханикаОбразованиеОхрана трудаПедагогикаПолитикаПравоПсихологияРелигияРиторикаСоциологияСпортСтроительствоТехнологияТуризмФизикаФилософияФинансыХимияЧерчениеЭкологияЭкономикаЭлектроника
Anxiety vs. Anxiety Disorders
|
|
Up until this point, we have been focusing on anxiety in general. And it is probably fairly clear by now that anxiety is not inherently problematic. It serves an important function and is necessary for day-to-day life. So, if we all have fear and anxiety (whether we want them or not), when do these emotions become a problem? In other words, when does the normal experience of anxiety and fear become a disorder? In a nutshell, anxiety becomes an anxiety disorder when the anxiety that you are experiencing is greater than what you might expect in a given situation, and when it begins to interfere with some aspect of your life.
For example, if your anxiety prevents you from forming desired relationships with people or meeting your responsibilities at work or school, this may be a sign that normal anxiety has shifted to a disorder of anxiety. In addition, if you find that you are engaging in unhealthy behaviors in an attempt to avoid or reduce your anxiety (such as drinking or using drugs), there is a good chance that you have a problem with anxiety. Here are some questions you may want to ask yourself to see if you may have a problem with anxiety.
Exercise 1.3 Do you have a problem with anxiety?
| Yes | No | |
| 1. Do you avoid activities for fear that they may bring up symptoms of anxiety (for example, exercise, going to public places, watching certain television shows)? | ||
| 2. Do you tend to use alcohol or drugs to reduce your anxiety? | ||
| 3. Do you engage in any other unhealthy behavior to get relief from anxiety (for example, deliberate self-harm or binge eating)? | ||
| 4. Do you find that anxiety interferes with meeting your responsibilities at work? | ||
| 5. Do you have a hard time leaving your home because it is the only place where you really feel safe? | ||
| 6. Do you avoid watching certain television shows or movies because they bring up strong feelings of anxiety? | ||
| 7. Do you feel comfortable doing certain activities or going into certain situations only if you have taken steps to reduce your anxiety first (for example, taking medication or making sure you have a friend with you)? | ||
| 8. In some situations, do you experience anxiety that is stronger than what most people experience or what you’d normally expect in that situation? | ||
| 9. Do you worry so much that you have difficulty getting things accomplished or staying on task? | ||
| 10. Does your anxiety prevent you from getting sleep at night? |
Keep in mind that this is not an exhaustive list, and there are many ways anxiety can interfere with someone’s life. In addition, simply checking “yes” on one of these items does not mean that you have an anxiety disorder. However, the list does provide some very common examples of ways in which anxiety can interfere with a person’s life, and if you answered yes to any of these questions, it may be important to learn some skills for coping with anxiety so that it doesn’t cause more problems in your life. And reading this workbook is an excellent place to start. Now let’s turn our attention to the specific disorders of anxiety that people can have.