Anxiety disorders carry an array of symptoms including feelings of panic, hyperventilation, excessive sweating, blushing, accelerated breathing, rapid heart rate and increased blood pressure. There are other symptoms however, that specifically affect the anxiety sufferer’s thinking and perception that might be termed “anxiety symptom phenomena”.
Catastrophic Thinking
People experiencing anxiety disorders, may find their selves experiencing repeated concerning thoughts about the possibilities of tragic events happening to them. This may include thoughts about having violence perpetrated upon them or that they might suddenly snap and perpetrate violence upon others. They may also have chronic worries about developing life threatening or debilitating illnesses or about being involved in accidents that would cause them serious injury. Fear of failure can also plague the thoughts of anxiety sufferers as well as fear of extreme embarrassment or of looking foolish to others.
While these type thoughts affect the general population to an extent, they affect people with anxiety disorders to an exaggerated extent or what we might term “catastrophic thinking”. All anxiety disorders have potential for this type thinking to evolve in people experiencing them but more commonly among those who suffer Panic Disorder, Social Phobia and Generalized Anxiety Disorder.
Depersonalization
This symptom-phenomena, comes under the heading of an “unreality symptom” that is relatively common to chronic anxiety sufferers. It is a sensation that is experienced, that causes a person to feel less-real or that he has become unreal to self and others. While this sounds similar to delusional thinking that can occur in people with actual psychosis, it is actually a feeling and not a belief by the anxiety sufferer that he has become unreal. It is related to anxiety which is a neurosis and does not indicate the development of a psychotic disorder, although it is extremely unpleasant to those who experience it. Some anxiety information sources state that this phenomena is part of the “fight or flight response”, the anxiety mechanism that causes focus in thinking to divert from one’s self, so that any potential danger can be located and responded-to.
Following is the link to an article by Thomas A. Richards, Ph.D., Psychologist in regard to the fear of “going crazy” that some anxiety sufferers experience.
What you Fear most cannot Happen
De-realization
This symptom-phenomena, is similar to depersonalization but this aspect of unreality symptom causes a sensation or feeling that one’s surroundings have become unreal. The anxiety sufferer feels as if what he sees or experiences around him is not actually taking place but is a dream-like experience. This symptom is also very concerning and may also cause difficulty in concentrating or what might be termed “brain fog”. As with depersonalization, this too is likely a mechanism related to the fight or flight response that keeps the mind from being distracted by things that are not a danger, so that any potential dangers can be better focused on and reacted to.
The link following is from the “Freedom From Fear” organization, an education resource for anxiety sufferers, established in 1984 and staffed by mental health professionals.
Anxiety/Panic will not make you go Crazy
Anxiety Disorder Treatments
In addition to medications such as anti-anxiety drugs and SSRI antidepressants, anxiety sufferers can learn about their disorders and learn to cope with them through “Cognitive Behavioral Therapy” (CBT) techniques. One aspect of CBT is teaching people with anxiety disorders about symptoms, what causes them and how to cope with and overcome them. One important aspect of the therapy is also learning not to fear the symptoms and realizing that they are not harmful or dangerous and will not cause insanity or death. Some anxiety sufferers may feel that have experienced a "nervous breakdown" however, this is not a true medical or mental health term and a more specific diagnosis can be made, with specific treatments available that can treat all types of anxiety conditions.
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