Women and Anxiety Attacks

Women and anxiety is an important health issue from both the standpoint of physical health and mental health. Women today are juggling so many things in their lives, it is easy for anxiety to become a problem and impact the women's happiness, ability to function and even become a mental disorder if not addressed and managed.

Anxiety is, quite simply, worry. It is the feelings of fear, trepidation, concern, sometimes panic, often without a realistic basis. Anxiety becomes a problem when a woman begins to panic over the slightest anxious moment. An example of anxiety on the level of a disorder would be: if a loved one is only five or ten minutes late arriving home, the woman is certain they are dead on the side of the road somewhere and begins to call the police and hospitals.

Most women experience anxiety at times. In fact, it is perfectly normal to experience some anxiety and not all anxiety is bad. It is productive anxiety when a woman is somewhat anxious about having enough money to pay the household bills because that will prevent impulse spending on things that are not needed.

More women than men have anxiety at levels that are unhealthy. Men seem to deal with anxiety differently than women. Men act on their anxieties while women tend to hold them inside, internalizing them.

Many women with anxiety are unable to sleep well. They go to bed only to have their minds dwell on the "what ifs" and worst case scenarios. This can actually become a habit, resulting in impacts to the woman's overall health.

Of course, women go through periods of anxiety in life that are perfectly normal. If a loved one is in the hospital, critically ill and it is very uncertain whether that loved one will survive, experiencing serious anxiety is perfectly normal for any woman. Concern should be shown, however, when a woman has a loved one with a tiny cut and suddenly becomes panicked the loved one will die because of the minor injury. At this point, anxiety becomes a mental disorder and professional help should be sought.

Agoraphobia, a form of anxiety mental disorder that is actually considered a phobia, occurs in women at a much greater rate than men. A woman with this disorder only feels safe inside her home, or perhaps even only in certain parts of the home. Her fear becomes so intense, she may feel she is about to die from panic if she attempts to go outside the bounds of the space in which she feels safe and comfortable. She becomes unable to venture outside the front door and lives the life of a hermit until help is sought.

There are many other examples of anxiety disorders that affect women. These include post-traumatic stress disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, social anxiety disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder and certain phobias. It is not uncommon for a woman with one anxiety disorder to experience other anxiety disorders in conjunction with the primary problem. Frequently, people with agoraphobia may develop symptoms of compulsive-obsessive disorder as a secondary problem.

Treatment for anxiety is safe and effective. It usually involves therapy and may involve prescription medications. Cognitive-behavioral therapy has proven to be effective in many cases and involves learning to deal with problems in new and different ways to prevent anxiety.

Chronic anxiety takes a toll on a woman's body, mind, spirit and her overall outlook on life. Depression is often a result of experiencing chronic anxiety. Because women often tend to place the rest of the family first, frequently action is not taken to address the anxiety issues on a timely basis.

Once a woman has learned to manage anxiety, life can be much more productive and the joy in life returns. Techniques for managing anxiety include guided visual imagery, meditation, exercise, stress-reduction techniques including massage therapy, and many others.

Only a qualified medical practitioner can determine is a woman who is feeling anxiety has an anxiety disorder. However, a woman may be the only one who knows that she is having problems with anxiety. Any woman who feels anxious frequently and can't identify a valid, reasonable cause for her feelings should contact her health care provider and discuss the problem. Additional treatment from a therapist, psychiatrist or other professional may be appropriate.

When a woman fails to seek help for chronic anxiety, physical symptoms may results. Lack of sleep can cause suppressed immune system response. Frequent headaches, irritability, nausea, heart palpitations from panic, and other physical manifestations can make life very difficult.

If you or a woman you love exhibits symptoms of anxiety, it is good to know that help is available. Talking to a physician, psychologies or psychiatrist can lead to a safe and effective treatment plan that will help manage anxiety and make life much better.