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Anxiety disorders are a common mental illness affecting one in five South Africans.
Characterized by overwhelming anxiety and fear, anxiety disorders can prevent you from functioning in your normal life.
Anxiety Disorder, Specific Phobias and Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD).
Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are also closely related to anxiety disorders.
"GAD includes symptoms that interfere with daily life and lasts for more than six months," says Felicity Pienaar, occupational therapist at Akeso Clinic in Nelspruit.
People with OCD suffer from obsessive behavior and may be afraid of making mistakes or failing to meet standards
They develop compulsive behavior that may be cognitive ( for example, needing to repeat themselves over and over again (it will be okay) or physical (for example, washing hands repeatedly with tening objects). It becomes a disorder when these "rituals" give them life
PTSD is a debilitating condition that follows a traumatic event.
People with PTSD may experience flashbacks, nightmares, numbness, depression, and irritability.
Panic disorder is characterized by sudden attacks of panic and fear, and attacks are usually triggered by fear-causing events or thoughts
Panic disorder causes physical symptoms such as rapid heartbeat .
Overcoming Avoidance Behavior
Trying to avoid certain situations, thoughts, or feelings often leads to experiencing more things that you try to avoid, as the patient ends up constantly focus on this one thing.
Instead, Pienaar advises the following:
1. Recognize the cost of avoidance. Take note of the time and mental energy spent trying to avoid something.
2. Learn to tolerate unpleasant thoughts and feelings about situations.
3. Use distraction techniques (cognitive distraction such as counting down by three or seven, singing your favorite song or reciting your favorite poem) or progressive muscle relaxation.
4. Aerobic exercise releases happy hormones called endorphins. They act as natural painkillers and improve our ability to sleep, which is very important for reducing stress.
5. Avoid stimulants such as caffeine and nicotine. We believe that it will calm our nerves, but the physical effect on our body is the opposite.
6. Eat a balanced diet. Avoid processed and high-sugar foods because these foods cause fluctuations in blood sugar, which affects the mood. This is followed by a "crash", which can cause jolts and tension that aggravates anxiety.
7. Sleep enough. After a good night's sleep, it becomes easier to deal with our problems.
How friends and family can help
Find out about the type of anxiety your loved one is struggling with
Seek professional help, be open to them listen, but do not try to be their therapist.
Accept their anxiety by baduring them that you do not see it as a weakness or a defect.
Do not fall into the trap of comfort. If a loved one repeatedly claims what he's afraid of ("Are you sure it's not a cancer?"), They probably need the help of a Psychotherapist
to deal with some of the things that they avoid or reject completely because of anxiety.
Encourage exercise, meditation / mindfulness and breathing exercises. Avoid activities that involve alcohol
Do not give up hope – anxiety is treatable if your loved one is willing to work
Seek professional badistance [19659002] A combination of medications, prescribed by According to Pienaar, a psychiatrist and psychologist with a psychologist are often the most effective treatments.
Join a support group.
Contact www.akeso.co.za or the South African group on depression and anxiety. (SADAG) to find a group in your area at 011 262 6396, or visit www.sadag.org
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