Anxiety is the body’s momentary feeling of stress when it perceives you may be in danger. An anxiety disorder is a mental health condition where these feelings go above and behind a natural response to urgency and affect your daily life.
Most people will experience anxiety regularly, and up to 40 million adults in the United States experience an anxiety disorder every year.
Fortunately, anxiety disorders can be treated with medications and lifestyle changes alike. No one treatment will work for everyone, but anyone can find a treatment that works for them and their symptoms.
Here is a helpful guide explaining some tips and tricks that can help with everyday anxiety symptoms.
How to Relieve Anxiety
Exercise
Mental health and physical health are closely intertwined. Make sure to support your physical health with at least 30 minutes of exercise 3 to 5 times a week.
Focus on Sleep
Everyone should aim to get around 8 hours of sleep a night. If you struggle to get to sleep or stay asleep because of your anxiety, try adapting a consistent sleep schedule or spending less time in front of screens.
Avoid Caffeine and Alcohol
Caffeine and alcohol are easy to turn to during stressful times, but these substances can actually make your anxiety worse with time.
Treatment
There’s no shame in seeking treatment for anxiety, and with new options like ketamine infusion, your chances of finding relief are looking better than ever.
Different Types of Anxiety Disorder
- Generalized Anxiety Disorder
- Panic Disorder
- Social Phobia/Social Anxiety Disorder
- Agoraphobia
- Selective Mutism
- Separation Anxiety Disorder
- Substance-Induced Anxiety Disorder
Anxiety Symptoms
- Feelings of nervousness
- Feelings of restlessness
- A sense of impending doom or urgency
- Increased heart rate
- Rapid breathing (hyperventilation)
- Sweating
- Trembling
- Weakness
- Fatigue
- Trouble concentrating
- Trouble sleeping
- Gastrointestinal distress
- Avoidance of anxiety triggers
Anxiety Causes
What leads to the development of an anxiety disorder is not as clear as, for example, how a person develops the flu. It can be triggered by several factors like inherited genetic traits or traumatic experiences throughout your life.
In some cases, anxiety disorders can be a result of underlying health issues, but anxiety symptoms may also signal an underlying medical illness.
Examples of conditions or medical problems linked to anxiety include some of the following:
- Heart disease
- Diabetes
- Thyroid problems (like hyperthyroidism)
- Respiratory disorders, such as COPD or Asthma
- Drug abuse or withdrawal
- Chronic pain
- Irritable bowel syndrome
Ketamine Treatment for Anxiety Relief
Exactly how Ketamine treats anxiety disorders is still being researched, much like what leads to the development of anxiety. The current understanding is that Ketamine binds to receptors in the brain that increase the amount of a neurotransmitter – glutamate – is released. This will then set off a chain of reactions within the brain that affects thinking and emotional regulation.
To put this in simpler terms, the brain reacts to Ketamine in a way that triggers hormones that help create more positive emotions. This can occur within minutes after a person receives their infusion, but some people may need several treatments before they experience the highest level of benefits. Contact us today to learn more about this innovative new treatment.