Frequently asked questions about anxiety disorders
What is anxiety?
Anxiety is an increase in stress levels to a condition of fear. A normal response to a stressful situation is to feel stressed, tense or under pressure, however when someone has an anxiety disorder the source of anxiety may not be so obvious. For those with an anxiety disorder, anxiety is an intense experience which is triggered by fear or a sense of threat to one’s self, security or self-image.
How do anxiety disorders differ?
Anxiety disorders share a number of common symptoms, including a feeling of fear, agitation or anger, sweating, hyperventilation, nausea, dizziness, shortness of breath and avoidance of situations that create a feeling of anxiety.
Different anxiety disorders have different characteristics. Those with a generalised anxiety disorder will be consumed by their thoughts; being around other people will cause symptoms for those with social anxiety disorder; and people with a phobia will respond to a specific fear, such as flying or spiders.
Can anxiety disorders be genetic?
The chance of developing anxiety disorder is increased if there is a genetic predisposition. However, if you don’t have anxiety disorder in your family it doesn’t mean that it won’t develop.
Are anxiety disorders life-threatening?
The symptoms of panic attack and anxiety can be so acute, they make someone with anxiety disorder feel like they are dying. It’s important to remember that the physical effects of a panic attack cannot kill you. However, the mental distress caused by anxiety disorder can be a risk factor for suicide. If you feel disabled by fear and despair, it’s important to open the door to discussion and to ask for professional help.
Is there a cure for anxiety?
Anxiety disorders can be cured. Successful treatment needs to be holistic and take into account many factors including genetics, personality and life events. Research shows that cognitive behavioural therapy, in particular, successfully reduces the recurrence of anxiety and provides skills that can be used in daily life.
How do we treat anxiety disorder?
Wesley Hospital Ashfield and Wesley Hospital Kogarah’s highly regarded treatments for anxiety disorder are holistic, combining therapy and medication. Psychological therapies, including cognitive behavioural therapy, are provided in our in-patient programs. As skills-based treatments, all aspects of life that could have contributed to the development of the anxiety disorder are considered, and ways to manage the symptoms are provided. During our in-patient programs, additional sessions with a clinical psychologist are available on request.
Our day patient programs for the treatment of anxiety also use cognitive behavioural therapy. Our qualified psychologists work with you to develop life skills enabling:
- symptoms of anxiety to be monitored and
- the behavioural or thought patterns contributing to anxiety to be identified.
We work with you to develop skills to cope more effectively with stress, and aims to increase family support and to build support networks.
