Anxiety and its main types

The state of unpleasant thoughts, depressive behavior, uneasiness, and low self-esteem is termed anxiety and it is the thing we have all experienced in life. The combination of these states is generally referred to as anxiety disorder clinically.  The emotions and feelings are the background key things that make use keep going ahead in our life and our success and inner peace depend on our thoughts. As it is rightly said that what you think, starts happening. If your mind is being overwhelmed with fear, depression, nervousness, low morale and apprehension, don’t hope for something good to happen with your life as your emotional system is opposing goodness. Hence, it is very important to tackle your emotional behavior in order to succeed in every field of life. Anxiety is the thing that destroys the inspirational motivation of your life.

Types of anxiety:

In order to get your anxiety problem fully treated, it’s critical to know the specific type of anxiety you are suffering from. The treatment options, treatment period and prognosis vary for different types of anxiety. Below are the main types of anxiety:

Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD): GAD is a kind of anxiety characterized by excessive tension and worries. The patients with this type get severely depressed without any key factor to stimulate that tension.

Social phobias: The fear of being judged and looked upon by others in routine life activities is known as social phobia. This unnecessarily excessive fear leads to ridiculous acts that further increase the phobia of the patient to social matters.

Specific phobias: The overwhelming fear of certain things and situations is regarded as specific phobias like some persons are highly afraid of height, water, snakes and other objects.

Panic disorders: The sudden and repeated feelings of intense fear are known as panic disorder and it is manifested in the affected person by choking, chest pain, sweating, palpitations and heart attack in extreme cases.

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD): This type of anxiety is followed by severe emotional trauma like the death of a beloved one, some kind of assault or sight of a terrifying disaster. The horrible memories get stored in such people for longer times and such patients become emotionally numb on recalling those moments.

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD): In this type, people become habitual of certain routine works and keep performing those typical rituals over and over again. There are some fears in the mind of patients that force him to perform such repeated actions. For example, a person may start washing his hands very frequently owing to fear of germs.

In this article, we will be describing all the basics, physical and spiritual, that you need to understand and to manage the anxiety.

States of anxiety:

Anxiety can exist in one of the following states in the patients:

• Acute anxiety
• Chronic anxiety

Acute anxiety: The anxiety that is sudden in onset and lasts for a short time is termed as acute in type. This type is encountered frequently in life during different stress conditions. If acute anxiety is left untreated, it can progress to the chronic state.

Chronic Anxiety: The anxiety disorder that lasts for longer periods ranging from weeks to years and converting into phobias and other severe forms in the long run.

Treatment options for anxiety:

The treatment option is adapted according to the severity of anxiety in the patient. In severe cases, sudden administration of drugs is required and in mild cases, psychological therapy is all that is needed to cure the patient. Hence following are two main therapy approaches to cure anxiety:

• Pharmacotherapy (Treating with drugs)
• Psychotherapy (Spiritual healing)

Drugs used to cure anxiety:

A number of drugs are available to relieve the anxiety and these drugs that treat anxiety are said to be anxiolytic drugs. Some of the main drugs used are:

Benzodiazepines:

The benzodiazepines are used extensively in anxiety and these are preferred on many other drugs due to increased efficacy and safety of these drugs. These drugs act mainly on the GABA receptors in the brain and increase the chloride ion conduction resulting in states of hyperpolarization. The most commonly used benzodiazepines are alprazolam, diazepam, flurazepam, midazolam, and oxazepam. The main adverse effects of these drugs are confusion and drowsiness.

Antidepressants:

The antidepressants are the first line of drugs in treating anxiety and these are especially important in persons with alcohol dependence.  SSRIs (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors) such as escitalopram are the most commonly used drugs in the antidepressant group. SNRIs (selective norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors) such as venlafaxine are also used. The antidepressants exert their effects after about four weeks and these have a low potential for dependence as compared to benzodiazepines.

Buspirone:

This drug is used in the treatment of chronic anxiety and it acts by modulating the serotonin receptors. The frequency of adverse effects is low with buspirone and the adverse effect that occur are mild in nature making it safe to use.

Duration and Efficacy of anxiety drugs:

The above-mentioned drugs usually take about 8-10 weeks if the medications work at their supposed optimum levels. The duration of these medications is increased in case of noncompliance or partial compliance of the patient to these drugs. It is recommended for the patients to use these drugs for longer periods of time to avoid any kind of anxiety attack. The efficacy of certain groups of drugs has been approved and tested and these drugs have shown very effective results regarding the management of anxiety during clinical trials.

Psychotherapy to combat anxiety:

As mentioned earlier, the drugs to combat anxiety are needed to be used for prolonged periods. Since every drug has got some side effects, so it is not favorable to keep the patient using these medications for the whole life. The psychotherapy is the thing that is done in an attempt to help medications work at their best and eliminate the anxiety sooner. Psychotherapy has provided amazing results in recent clinical trials in terms of alleviating the symptoms of anxiety.

Cognitive-behavioral therapy:

Cognitive therapy is the kind of psychotherapy that is used most extensively in the management of anxiety. In cognitive therapy, the patient is taught about remodeling his thoughts. He is provided various useful tips to act upon during the anxiety states. The main focus is on breaking the problem into small segments and dealing with those small problems one by one. In this way, the patient is relieved to some extent and he can avoid severe anxiety. He is advised to think about calm and good things in times of anxiety and he gets out of the anxiety hall without much trouble. His behavior is modified to some extent in cognitive therapy and his actions are changed in response to the anxiety attacks. All these things combined together, help the individual to escape the complications of anxiety, leading to a happy life.

Importance of relaxing techniques:

The anxiety affects human behaviors too much extent and these are the behaviors that elicit anxiety syndrome. If the person knows the right actions to perform in response to anxiety attacks, he can escape many symptoms of anxiety and in this way, his anxiety gets abolished gradually. Deep breathing, relaxation, and imaginations are the primary tools to use in an attempt to reduce anxiety. Having rapid breaths and less oxygenation of the blood is a usual phenomenon in anxiety, hence taking slow and deep breaths combats this sign and you feel better. Imaging good things and going into a fantasy world that is ruled by you is another great tool to get help in getting rid of anxiety.

Islamic view of anxiety:

“Indeed, mankind was created anxious- (Quran. 70:9)”

This verse from the Quran has quite a deeper meaning and shows the inevitable chances of our having anxiety at some stage of life. We face mild forms of anxiety for shorter periods of time on a daily basis and that is a routine. But the real issue is connected with the consistent fear of getting things wrong and then having a panic attack about it. In Islam anxiety is thought to be associated with two main factors:

• Faulty definition of Success; Setting the world as the ultimate target
• Getting lost in useless fuss; Having a weak linkage with the creator

The definition of success varies from person to person according to his/her age, profession and surroundings. It is also affected by the general values of society and family teachings. Making a huge profit is the success of a businessman while getting good grades is the ultimate goal of a student. However in our every wish, every planning and every definition of success; we tend to ignore the most certain factor of death. What about death? Where does it stand in our planning and worldly affairs?  We are all familiar with the ultimate truth of death and cannot avoid it any cost. This world is like a platform where we spend some time and then get onto the permanent destination of life after death; the life of eternity. So, if a person takes this fact into the count and then pays a deep visit to his/her conscience, things will get much clearer. It will definitely change the frame of thinking and our approach to handling worldly day to day matters. When we affirm this reality that everything is temporary, it gives a soothing effect in times of sorrow and despair without disrupting the moments of joy. It will free us of all the hustle and bustles and busy life where we are running after materialistic things like wild without taking care of our inner self.

We do have been created by the almighty creator and that creator has most the right on our bodies and souls. Can you think of abandoning your boss for long and still get paid by him? Don’t you fear the anger of your employer? Is it possible to stay happy and relaxed while disobeying the person you work for? The answer is a clear NO! This is the case of an employer who has limited authority and what about the ultimate owner and creator? Does He have no rights on us? How can we expect to stay satisfied after forgetting Him? Humans have an inbuilt conscience and all of us, irrespective of race and religion, can hear that inner voice. When we do wrong to some other fellow, we feel regret and shame whether we share it or not. This is the same case, when we lose our relationship with our creator, our conscience gets disturbed and we keep on falling into whirls of anxiety and stress.    

Islam offers a universal solution to anxiety and mental complexity:

After having a general idea about the core reasons for all the mental fuss and anxiety, let’s move forward to get cured the Islamic way. Islam offers proven, effective and universal solutions all our problems including mental issues like anxiety. Medical sciences have agreed upon the reality that mental issues cannot be healed by pills or injections and it needs another approach, which targets our emotional brain. Anxiety is an issue of tangled thoughts and involuntary thought processes that cannot be vanished by some medication. It has to be treated on higher levels of thinking and deeper layers of conscience. Here are a few major Islamic solutions to get over anxiety, attain peace of mind, untangle feeling of despair and feel energetic to live a productive life:

1. Prayer and remembrance:

Allah says in the Quran:  “Verily in the remembrance of Allah do hearts find rest” (13:28)

Humans have been created weak in their nature and we always need some sort of help and hope from the One in routine chores. When we lose contact with God, we are left on our own by our wrong choice. We try to tackle everything by ourselves and in the midst of this struggle, we start losing our mind to anxiety and depression. The best possible solution is to re-establish the bond with the Almighty Creator who has power over everything. He can turn the tables in our favor and relieves our emotional agony. The wisest thing a man can do is to remember God and talk to Him for everything like a good friend. We should pour our hearts and all the emotional burden to God and ask him to give us peace of mind as He has promised in the Holy Quran. There is no need to make special arrangements to talk to him. We should be doing it during daily chores and keep on saying His names and asking Him for help and support. Be assured that you have the most powerful force on your side and you don’t need to worry at all. As Allah says Surat Al Baqarah 186: If my servant asks about me informed them. Indeed, I am close; I answer the prayer of the one who calls out. Whether good or bad; He will make the best way out. This is the only guaranteed way to get rid of anxiety and fill life with comfort and joy.

2. Go with the flow and trust His plans:

Quran says that: “But they plan and Allah plans and Allah is the best of planners” (8:30)

We know the fact that human knowledge is weak and we don’t really everything that is not self-evident. Sometimes, we cannot even be assured of what we see with our open eyes and hear with our own ears. At some point in life, each of us must have had some kind of realization that opens our eyes. We come to know the fact that special thing we wanted was not in our favor and its loss was, in fact, a blessing in disguise. That speaks for our weak comprehension of life events and we can’t be sure about what’s the reality and what best is for our own sake in the coming time. However, Allah is the master planner of the whole universe. He created and planned each and every particle of this universe into a meaningful fate. The same is true for humans who are not sure of their decisions but God makes no mistakes. Either we like it or not, He is the only pass to peace and we must trust His planning in every situation without getting anxious.

3. Have patience in testing time:

“I entrust my affairs unto God. Truly, Allah is aware of His servants” (40:44)

This world is a testing place and we have an exam to do for entering the better world full of peace and serenity. It all depends on the mindset when facing a hard time. If a person has thought of never facing a bad time and always be at comfort, it can easily be labeled as childish behavior. This place is not a heaven but a testing site for that promised heaven. So there will be hard times and it depends on us that how do we act in those times. Do we just give up and lose hope and keep doing illicit drugs? Or we have a belief in God and have patience and work for better times. Allah says in His book: “Indeed, after hardship, there is ease” (94:6). This is such a comforting promise and we must believe it by heart.

4. Stay positive and develop a habit of conscious thinking:

Conscious thinking and being mindful is the best approach for a healthy mind and positive thoughts. Be aware of your surroundings and matters and nothing will take over your brain. When we decide to stay positive in every circumstance; nothing can negate it. It will just require a strong will and power of prayers to look at things from a positive side. When you get up in the morning, pray to God and talk to yourself to maintain a positive outlook and tackle things calmly. When you have a firm belief that God is on your side and you can do anything within your limits; there can never be any anxiety. “Allah is sufficient for us and He is an excellent trustee” (3:173)

Conclusion:

From the above discussion, it is inferred that anxiety is a very common situation faced by all of us during some time but it can be managed in many different ways. It is just the fear of present due to regrets of past or an unstable spiritual level. In the rat race of this world, we are falling this pit of mental agony that can be avoided fairly. Medicine is an important aide that can help control symptoms but the ultimate cure lies in the spiritual teachings of Islam. This is a disorder of soul and thoughts and has to be healed at higher conscious levels with the help of Almighty. There is no guaranteed solution to this prevailing ailment except the soulful haven of Islam that will give meaning to life removing any risk of anxiety and other mental issues. Since anxiety exerts severely negative effects on all of the body parts, so it is necessary to treat it as soon as possible to prevent its severe outcomes and lead a happily content life. We need to get back to our creator, seek His help and follow His words to live happily here and the hereafter.