Anxiety

Many people have anxiety disorders without having a trauma history.

However, most people who have experienced a high level of trauma will also have a high level of anxiety. It is naturally engrained with trauma survivors to expect more trauma and abuse as that has become a natural state of existence for them. For example, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is an anxiety disorder than develops after one or more intensely traumatic incidents. The terrifying experience of being abused and assaulted leads the victim to naturally have a high anxiety level about the past, the present, and the future.

How does one distinguish typical anxiety disorders from trauma-based anxiety?

Fear and anxiety are highly related, though not exactly the same.

Mania and anxiety have overlapping features, but again, they are not the same.

According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM), anxiety disorders can present in a number of different ways:

Panic attacks are acute and sudden, unpredictable experiences of panic with symptoms such as intense fear, terror, impending doom, chest pain, dizziness, choking, tingling, hot and cold flashes, sweating, fainting, trembling, heart palpitations, etc. These attacks last for several minutes to a few hours. Of course, as the attacks occur more often, people naturally begin to have increased apprehension and fear about another attack happening. This often leads to increased fear of being left alone, or being out in public, knowing that the possibility of another attack in eminently on the horizon.

Generalized anxiety is categorized by more persistent feelings that last for an extended amount of time, i.e.: for a month or more. Some of the symptoms experienced include jitteriness, tension, muscle aches, inability to relax, fidgeting, restlessness, heart pounding, dry mouth, light-headedness, tingling in hands or feet, upset stomach, high resting pulse rate, continual worry, constant expectation of something terrible happening, impatience, irritability, difficulties with concentration, insomnia, interrupted sleep, etc.

A phobia – an excessive, unreasonable, and extensive fear of a specific object, activity, or situation – is more connected to a specific target. The number of phobias people have, and the intensity of their avoiding of those target areas, and the degree to which these behaviors affect their lives, will vary from person to person.

Agoraphobia is the fear of being alone or in a public place where escape or help might not be readily available should there be a sudden onslaught of difficulties. Because of these extreme fears, normal activities can become very constricted and enormously limited unless a trusted person is accompanying them at all times. Places such as crowded stores, busy streets, elevators, tunnels, buses, shopping malls, or movie theaters become places of terror with this disorder.

Social Anxiety Disorder (Social Phobia or SAD) is the intense, debilitating fear of social interactions, self humiliation, embarrassment, and the scrutiny of others. There can be considerable distress due to these issues as they frequent hinder and impede a regular lifestyle. Some examples of SAD include the excessive fears of and extreme resistance to eating in public, using public bathrooms, going to school, speaking in public, writing in front of others, etc.

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is another form of an anxiety disorder. In these situations, the obsessions are intrusive thoughts, ideas, images, or impulses that seem to invade the person even with efforts to repress or ignore them. These thoughts seem to not be coming from the persons themselves. Compulsions are repetitive, rule-bound behaviors that seem to have a purpose, yet are totally excessive and unrealistic in nature. Resisting the compulsions will lead to increased anxiety and tension that appears to alleviate only with the actual completing of the behavior.

All panic and anxiety symptoms should be addressed by a medical doctor, as there could be a number of other complications involved with and / or causing these difficulties. Often there are a variety of medications that can be used effectively to help manage these issues.

If you suffer from any form of anxiety, please note that AbuseConsultants.com does not prescribe any kind of medications, and strongly encourages you to seek appropriate medical assistance at your very earliest convenience.

If you would like to process any of these issues, please consider a clinical consultation.