Acute Anxiety Disorder - Survive it!

 Let’s face it – the modern world is a very anxious place. The rise of psychological disorders has been one of the largest health crises of the 21st century, with a vast number of new and resurgent diseases dragging down brains across the globe. One of the most prevalent is anxiety disorders – mental conditions in which the body’s natural panic reflex kicks in under inappropriate circumstances, removing the sufferer’s ability to deal properly with the stresses of life. Arguably the worst of these disorders is acute anxiety disorder. The afflicted are seized by full-bore panic attacks when triggered, with quickening heartbeat, sweating, dizziness and multiple other physical indicators.

Acute anxiety disorder attacks can last from five to twenty minutes, but many sufferers can be seized by waves of attacks over the period of several hours, dropping in and out of the anxious state multiple times. The outward symptomatic display of these attacks can often lead to social stigma, which can in turn lead to additional attacks. As a result, an estimated thirty percent of acute anxiety sufferers are agoraphobic as well, avoiding the outside world for fear of public panic attacks.

The estimate for panic disorder sufferers is as high as 1.7 percent, but the disorder is not necessarily a lifelong condition. It typically begins to show in young adulthood, with a large percentage more women than men being diagnosed. The regularity of panic attacks varies greatly from patient to patient, with many going months and even years between attacks. Episodes can be triggered by a variety of factors, both psychological and physical. There are some hypotheses that substance abuse can be a major cause of acute anxiety disorder as well – new studies show that smoking cigarettes can play a major part in triggering attacks, as can long-term alcohol use.

Acute anxiety disorder can be successfully treated with psychiatric care and medication, as well as more organic methods. Cognitive behavioral therapy can be used to assist sufferers in dealing with the root causes of their panic attacks – by overcoming the fears and traumas that trigger anxiety attacks, the disorder can be mitigated. If medication is necessary, both antidepressants and anti-anxiety drugs can be prescribed. One treatment that has proven effective is the study and practice of diaphragmatic breathing techniques like the ones found in yoga or some meditation methods. By focusing the consciousness on the intake and exhalation of the breath, the mind is quieted and the anxiety symptoms fade. In addition, changes to diet and exercise habits can lessen the frequency and severity of attacks.

This disorder is not one that is well-understood, even after years of study, but medical science is moving closer to understanding the causes and treatments of acute anxiety disorder. One can only hope that a cure comes soon for all of those afflicted with this traumatic and embarrassing condition.