The Damaging Effect of Anxiety on the Human Body

As you feel anxious your brain which exercises control over your body send alarm signals to the rest of your body which responds by an increased heart rate and breathing. This provides extra Oxygen to your body for the alarm situation. As the body goes into anxiety, it releases the stress hormone called adrenaline. This hormone acts on the body resulting in a rapid heart rate and breathing. Secondly, it diverts blood from the brain, intestines and skin to muscles and organs such as heart and lungs.

Few of the physical symptoms are:

• Palpitations.

• Breathlessness.

• Rapid heart rate.

• Feeling unwell.

• Pain in the chest or pit of the stomach.

• Headache.

• Dry mouth and increased sweating.

Different forms of anxiety disorders:

Different types of anxiety disorders include phobias, generalized anxiety, panic disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder and post traumatic stress disorder. Out of all these phobias are the commonest of all.

Phobias: In this state, a person is irrationally afraid of a person or a situation. A frightening response to a situation is part of everyone’s life but here the response is much higher than normal so much so that it almost paralyses the life of the individual.

Generalized Anxiety: In this situation fears overshadow the daily life of patients. These fears are more than usual and against variety of daily life activities. Sometimes these stimuli are so trivial that an ordinary person does not even notice them in their daily life.

Panic Disorder: These are also known as the panic attacks. When the sufferer comes across a stimulus he is engulfed in a state of panic. He suddenly develops palpitations, Rapid breathing, sweating and pale color. It becomes impossible to take a decision. Commonly the stimuli are simple and formed by usual activities that a person carries out frequently such as going to the market, driving to the office or church. According to the sufferer, everything suddenly becomes unfamiliar and threatening and he feels lost out.

The patient will suddenly feel that he is about to die or has gone crazy. He may start running or shouting or becomes numb usually creating a drama for the on lookers. Most of the sufferers think that they have a weak heart because of their rapid heartbeat and heaviness in the chest and choking sensations. They will consult many doctors about their heart but would not know the basic cause of their symptoms. Obsessive-Compulsive disorder: these individuals loose their control over their actions. The brain under obsession commands the physical part to do something repeatedly and the person cannot resist doing it. An example is that the brain thinks that the hands are dirty and makes the body to wash them repeatedly without purpose.

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder: This type was initially recognized in Vietnam War veterans. The patient is continuously plagued by a horrible experience in the past. The event is repeated again and again in the thoughts and dreams. Other untoward incidents, which may cause this disorder, include incest, rape, sexual abuse, child abuse and civil riots.

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