Samantha Lara
Ms. Tuxill
Speech & Communication
10-08-18
The Truth Behind Anxiety
Everybody becomes anxious at some point in their lives. We all know what it feels like to
be anxious, right? It’s the butterflies in your stomach before a first date, or the tension you feel
when your teacher calls you to answer a question you don’t know the answer to, or the way your
heart pounds if you’re in danger, or the pressure you feel if your the first one to present your
speech in front of the class. It gears you up to face a scary situation. It makes you want to know
all the answers to all the questions in the world and it keeps you on your toes if you’re making a
speech. In general, feeling anxious helps you cope.
But anxiety, it’s a completely different story. Later, you’ll know why. Anxiety breaks
down into six categories: generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder, obsessive-compulsive
disorder, social anxiety disorder, specific phobias, and post-traumatic stress disorder. Symptoms
vary according to the specific type of anxiety, but in most cases, people who suffer from them
often feel “on edge” or nervous, experience insomnia, and shortness of breath. It is said that
anxiety is more prevalent in developed countries and among women. Anxiety disorders are the
most common mental illness in the United States. According to the Anxiety and Depression
Association of America (ADAA), 40 million Americans over the age of 18 are affected by
anxiety — roughly 18 percent of the nation’s population. Genetics play a role in anxiety. If one
or both of your parents suffered from anxiety, there’s a higher chance that you’ll have it as well.
Also, half of those diagnosed with anxiety disorders also suffer from depression, and it makes it
very hard to recover when you have both. Thankfully, there are plenty of ways to recover from
this illness. You can try natural ways such as exercising, meditation, yoga, and many other things
that would help you relax. You can also distract yourself by having fun, spending time with your
friends and family, and having some ‘me’ time can help as well. But the most important thing to
keep in mind is to get help as early as possible.
Anxiety is something that a lot of people don’t really understand. Everyone with anxiety
has had at least one disappointing conversation in which the other person shows a
who-cares-looking-face or just telling them to ‘stop worrying about it’ when in reality it’s not
that easy. Why? Because according to someone, having anxiety is like constantly being pushed
underwater by wave after wave. Coming...
