Anxiety Case

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Anxiety

Anxiety is a normal human emotion that is experienced by everyone occasionally. However, it becomes a disorder when its occurrence and consequences become harmful to a person. Anxiety disorder is a serious mental illness, meaning that it affects people at the mental level. Persons suffering from this disorder face continuous worries and fears, which can end up becoming crippling. The essay that follows will discuss the mental and behavioural aspects that are associated with anxiety and go forth to look at the various theoretical perspectives that can be used to understand the disorder.

Behavioural aspects of Anxiety

Anxiety is said to cause a faulty activation of the fight or flight mechanism even in the absence of any fear-causing stimuli. Whenever anxiety hits, behaviours are automatically affected, and the body is readied for a fight or a flight response. Anxiety can also cause a marked change in the way one lives his/her daily life. The behavioural aspect of anxiety can only be recorded when one shows or acts out his/her emotions or fears. It is virtually impossible to claim that one’s behaviour has been affected by anxiety, not unless they act it out or show it in their actions. For instance, we cannot say that one suffers from a panic disorder when they do not behave in a manner to exhibit panic.

Behavioural aspects of anxiety can be exhibited via behaviours that include moping behaviour, agoraphobia, compulsions, nervous tics, and false coping tools. It is also worth noting that the behavioural aspects can also be exhibited in thought behaviours that include negative self-talk, feeling as though one is going mad, sleep disturbances, among others.

Mental processes associated with Anxiety

The brain is the source or the originator of anxiety. Anxiety