Extreme anxiety may result from negative experiences and continue even though the worries are over small matters or overblown. Anxiety happens occasionally when dealing with everyday stress, but extreme anxiety develops into a disorder. It may become generalized anxiety disorder, which is characterized by constant worry. Some people are overcome by anxiety or panic attacks. Extreme anxiety may bring on phobias about objects and situations or stem from post-traumatic stress disorder because of a terrifying experience in the past.
Diagnosis
Doctors conduct evaluations of people concerned about extreme anxiety to find out if underlying physical problems are the cause. Intense anxiety often results in physical symptoms including heart palpitations, chest pain, dizziness, numbness, tingling sensations or nausea. If anxiety disorder is diagnosed, the patient is referred to a mental health professional such as a psychiatrist, psychologist, social worker or counselor, according to the National Institute of Mental Health.
Psychotherapy
Cognitive-behavior therapy is a standard type of psychotherapy to help anxiety patients. This involves changing thinking patterns that cause fears and learning methods to manage reactions to anxiety-provoking events. Exposure therapy helps people with phobias become desensitized to feared situations through gradual exposure to those situations. Patients learn to recognize and cope with anxious thoughts. People who suffer extreme anxiety from post-traumatic stress disorder learn to change their patterns of behavior and thought, according to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. They learn relaxation methods that may include breathing exercises to use when anxious situations arise.
Medication
Medication is often combined with psychotherapy. Some patients begin taking medication first to get their symptoms under control so they are in a better position to start therapy. Antidepressant drugs help relieve anxiety symptoms for some patients. Anti-anxiety medication is prescribed in other cases, particularly for people with generalized anxiety disorder and panic disorder, according to the National Institute of Mental Health. Beta-blockers normally used on heart patients work for anxiety conditions that bring about physical symptoms, such as fear of speaking in public, social phobias or the effects of panic attacks.
Exercise
Exercise provides calming effects from increased body temperature to ease anxiety by making people feel better, MayoClinic.com explains. Physical activity releases brain chemicals that promote positive moods, such as endorphins that reduce feelings of pain. Exercise helps to push aside unnecessary worries and produce self-confidence. Exercises such as yoga, meditation and tai chi are recommended for some anxiety patients in treatment to relax the body and help the mind focus on positive thinking.
