Anxiety is an emotional response that prepares you for imminent danger. The feeling of being afraid is a normal reaction of your body. This allows your body to respond better to a (possibly) dangerous situation, for example by running away. This feeling is functional and necessary for survival. If you don't feel scared when you find yourself teetering on the brink of a precipice, you probably aren't stepping back. This poses a danger, and you may fall. So, fear is a very useful emotion.
However, there is a difference between real fear (fear) and imagined fear. If you are staggering on the edge of a mountain, the fear of falling is real. This real fear is also called fearfulness. When you fear that you will encounter a lion in your bedroom, it is unreal and imagined. This is called fear of dan, because fear is the anticipation (looking ahead) of a threat in the future. But the difference is sometimes quite difficult to make.
Fear is more associated with peaks. When perceiving danger, the body is put on a high state of alert. This means that our body is preparing to fight or flee. Blood pressure, heart rate and blood sugar rise. More blood goes to the muscles, lungs and brain. Breathing is faster, so that the body gets more oxygen. Digestion is put on the back burner. There is also less pain felt at that time.
Anxiety is accompanied by a tense feeling. You set yourself for possible danger in the future. This can be done by being very careful or by avoiding certain situations. The feeling of fear already occurs before the dreaded situation arises. You look ahead and foresee serious threats and negative consequences. By avoiding situations or things the fear is maintained and even confirmed. Avoidance often gives a sense of relief and gives the impression that there was actually something to be afraid of. Avoidance also prevents you from having experiences that contradict your fear.
Anxiety can also be accompanied by a variety of physical symptoms, such as trembling, sweating, palpitations, abdominal pain and nausea. During a panic attack, these symptoms become very severe for a while. Many people inside also hyperventilate. The anxiety peaks and can be accompanied by the thought that something really bad is going to happen, such as having a heart attack. Panic attacks can make a big impression and lead to fear of another panic attack. During a panic attack, the intense feelings of fear always go away on their own (and fairly quickly). Avoiding situations that trigger fear and escaping them when the panic arises keeps you from experiencing it. It can perpetuate the belief that something very bad is going to happen in the event of an attack.
Anxiety often goes hand in hand with other psychological complaints, such as depression, een low self-esteem or sleeping problems. In this case, it is wise to investigate with a therapist where the core of your complaints is.
Angst gaat vaak samen met andere psychische klachten, zoals In dit geval is het verstandig om met een therapeut te onderzoeken waar de kern van jouw klachten zit.
As with most mental complaints, the cause of anxiety is not unequivocal. There may be a bad experience in the past that creates the fear that a similar experience will happen again. Anxiety can manifest itself in many areas of your life: social, work or study, intimate relationships, your daily activities, etc.
Not everyone is equally sensitive to (persistent) feelings of anxiety. Character differences play a role in this, but early attachment also seems to be important. Children who do not or insufficiently experience in their early years that the world is safe and that their emotions are listened to can suffer from fears as a child and later in life. For some, this manifests itself more in the worry that things will always go wrong, for others, the fear will mainly manifest itself in relationships with others; think, for example, of separation anxiety.
When the fear is so great that it no longer fits the situation and you suffer greatly from it or it greatly hinders you in your daily life, it may be wise to discuss this with a psychologist. Together with the therapist you can investigate what exactly your fears are about, where they come from and whether your beliefs are correct. In this way you can overcome your fear.
Depending on who you are and what your needs are, different treatments can be used to help you cope with the anxiety. For example, with exposure you are consciously exposed to your fear through exercises, whether that is an object, a situation or the fear itself. You then learn that what you fear will not come true and there is really no reason to be so fearful. This is something that your nervous system often takes some time to learn. With cognitive therapy you learn to critically examine and question your thoughts and beliefs that are associated with the fear. With body-oriented exercises you can learn to allow and tolerate your fear.
When you receive insured care (care that falls under the basic insurance), one of the conditions is that a DSM disorder is diagnosed. The DSM-5 is the manual for the classification of mental disorders. The DSM-5 includes several classifications related to anxiety. Most psychologists at Psycholoog.nl provide uninsured care and do not work with these disorders.
- Generalized Anxiety Disorder
Generalized (generalized) anxiety means that a person is afraid almost constantly. It is also known as the 'worrying disorder'. People constantly have a premonition of fear. The fear is accompanied by restlessness and a feeling of tension. - Social Anxiety Disorder or Social Phobia
People here have a clear fear of social situations, because they are afraid of the critical judgment of others. Therefore, these situations are avoided as much as possible. A well-known form of social phobia is stage fright. The fear associated with stage fright, however, is often limited only to public speaking. Other social situations are then not avoided. - Panic Disorder
A panic disorder is characterized by repeated panic attacks at unexpected moments and the fear of these attacks. Sometimes there is also hyperventilation. During a panic attack, people often fear that they will faint or even die. - Agoraphobia
Agoraphobia is an excessive fear of outdoor situations. Agoraphobia is also called agoraphobia, fear of space or street fear, but other situations are also avoided. People feel afraid in situations where they cannot easily escape or get help. - Specific Phobias
A specific or singular phobia means that people are afraid of one particular object or situation. The fear or apprehension is exaggerated compared to the real danger and leads to limitations in daily life. Examples are; a spider phobia, claustrophobia or fear of heights. - Separation Anxiety Disorder
The person is afraid of being separated from home or from an important person. It is also possible that someone is constantly afraid of losing the other or that something will happen to the other, such as an illness or an accident. - Selective mutism
This is an anxiety disorder that occurs almost exclusively in children. The child does not talk in situations where it is expected, such as at school. In other situations, for example at home, the child speaks normally.
Note: The DSM-5 is not a diagnostic tool. It tells nothing about the why of the complaints; it is just a system for categorizing complaints. Do you want to know more about the DSM-5? Then click here.