Under The Skin Of Anxiety Essay

Introduction

In this report we want to get deeper under the skin of ‘anxiety’, one of our most unwelcomed emotional states, and understand the role that it plays in our lives―for better and for worse. Being anxious is an important part of what it means to be human. We are often anxious about those aspects of our lives that we care most about: our health; our ability to clothe and feed ourselves and our family; and our ability to be connected and valued by others. Anxiety helps us to get up in the morning and motivates us to step out of our comfort zone.

Anxiety can also be exhilarating. Putting ourselves into situations that make us anxious are useful at many time .Our most important moments in life are usually not achieved without

Anxiety is “A future-oriented mood state associated with preparation for possible, upcoming negative events” from fear which “is an alarm response to present or imminent danger, real or perceived” (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders)

Anxiety disorders such as panic, phobias and obsessive behaviours may be triggered by traumatic memories, irrational hatred of specific objects, proximity to particular situations or physical locations, or a persistent worry that something bad will happen in the future. A defining characteristic of anxiety disorders is that psychological symptoms, such as irritability, difficulties concentrating and depression, become persistent and intrusive. Many people also experience physical symptoms, like heart palpitations, sweating, tensions and pain, heavy and rapid breathing, dizziness, fainting, indigestion, stomach aches, sickness and diarrhea; in acute cases, people have described how it felt as though they were dying. The lives of those with the most severe forms of anxiety can become completely dominated by their condition, meaning they find it difficult to relax or achieve regular patterns of sleep, becoming stuck in circular patterns of thought that impair their ability to maintain preferred lifestyles, hold down a job or sustain personal