What is Anxiety – Causes and Treatment

All humans have experience with feeling anxiety. This feeling can be triggered by big events such as job interviews or a wedding to small events such as an exam or blind date. No matter the cause, everyone at some point has experienced nervousness or anxiety.

Normal anxiety is actually beneficial. It motivates a person to take action (as in studying for that upcoming exam to calm worries of failure) and makes a person cautious and less reckless. However, normal anxiety comes and goes without affecting a persons life significantly. For about 19 million Americans with an anxiety disorder, it is quite a different story.

When Does Anxiety Become a Problem?

In someone with abnormally high levels of anxiety, feelings of dread, worry and fear become part of their everyday lives. These feelings can become more intense and irrational triggered for no reason at all or by some small insignificant event. For these people, anxiety negatively impacts their work or school life, family life as well as their personal habits.

To better discern between normal and chronic anxiety, consider a situation in which two different people are waiting upon a friend to arrive at a restaurant. The friend is half an hour late. A person without an anxiety disorder may assume that his or her friend became stuck in traffic and will arrive as soon as they can. However, for a person with chronic anxiety, simple worry about a friend quickly becomes serious and irrational:

Oh, no. Something happened to my friend. Has she been in a car accident? Should I call the police? Oh, how will her family react to her being in a car accident? Will the injuries be serious?

These are just a few examples f the thoughts that may run through an anxiety suffers mind. These thoughts will be continuous and become more intense even after the friend has arrived.

What Causes Anxiety?

Anxiety is a serious disorder that can cripple someone with constant worrisome thoughts. While there are several different types of anxiety, a person is generally diagnosed with an anxiety disorder after having intense feelings of fear, panic or uneasiness for six months or longer.

The cause of anxiety disorder is part of a great debate; however researchers do agree that a genetic predisposition to the disorder is a common link. Symptoms of anxiety usually begin to manifest in childhood and adolescence although adult onset is not uncommon. Furthermore, women are twice as likely to experience anxiety disorders than men and all ethnic groups are affected equally.

Many mental disorders are believed to be caused by a chemical imbalance in the brain. The same is true for anxiety. Serotonin and GABA are chemicals of great interest to researchers trying to better understand anxiety. However, researchers also believe that outside influences play a major role as well. Factors such as job loss, death in the family or living in a stressful environment can all bring on different levels of anxiety.

Treatment

Due to the physiological nature of anxiety, it can not yet be cured.

Anxiety can be managed however with medications and behavioral therapy. Additional methods for managing this disorder also include lifestyle changes including diet and exercise. The first and most important step in managing anxiety is to recognize that a problem exists.

A person who seeks treatment for anxiety has a great chance of living a life that is more normal and fulfilling.

Written by Funmi Salami on February 6th, 2010 with no comments.
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New 3-D Breast Enlargement Software Gaining Popularity

In the past, there was sometimes the chance of making a woman’s breasts too large or even too small with the traditional methods of planning plastic breast augmentation surgery. Cosmetic surgeons are looking to new virtual reality technology and fast digital imaging techniques to drastically improve satisfaction for patients who are interested in breast augmentation surgery.

Picking the right cup size, circumference and overall shape and feel of new breasts is a often a difficult decision. Cosmetic enhancement to a woman’s breasts is often a risky operation not because of the cosmetic surgeon’s skills but because of the fantastic expectations placed upon the surgeon by an unknowing patient. Some breast enhancement operations are later reversed because of poor decision-making regarding breast size.

Now there is new technology available for cosmetic surgeons who specialize in breast enhancement that helps take away a lot of the uncertainty surrounding choosing a breast shape. There is brand new virtual breast augmentation software available now. This cutting-edge breast augmentation software package is an affordable imaging solution that cosmetic surgeons can buy and use for their patients who are serious about breast augmentation surgery.

There are currently several certified New Jersey cosmetic surgeons who are now using this software. This new technology allows for precise measurements and allows the woman to see compare exact before and after surgery images before the actual surgery takes place. The amazing part of this software is that it uses digital photos, not just simple computer graphics. The woman stands in front of a moving digital camera which rotates around the woman and takes enough images to build a three dimensional model of the patient’s current body.

With computer technology being used by cosmetic surgeons to show before and after results on a computer screen a good portion of that uncertainty is sure to be eliminated. Breast enhancement is one of the most common cosmetic surgical procedures performed every year. As with any cosmetic surgery, there is always so some doubt and concern on the part of the client about whether or not the end result will live up to her expectations.

Written by John Miller on February 6th, 2010 with no comments.
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