Nearly one in five Americans are now suffering from anxiety disorders, with the rate of this condition increasing by over 25 percent since the outbreak of the pandemic. Luana Marques is an associate professor at Harvard Medical School of Psychiatry and a Massachusetts General Hospital clinical psychologist. “Anxiety disorders represent the most prevalent mental health disorder in the U.S.”

Online communities, including those on social media, have been a popular way for anxiety sufferers to find support, understanding and help. These interactions are beneficial if they’re done with care and consideration, experts say. If not, the social media platform can exacerbate or worsen existing symptoms.

Anxiety is a serious problem that can affect your social relationships, job performance and interpersonal relations. Marques says that anxiety leads to the belief that thoughts can be facts. This can sometimes mean that the brain jumps to conclusions and misinterprets what is real. Marques states that anxiety can lead to missing opportunities in personal, professional, and private life.

Holly Lauritzen is a mother to five children aged 38 and from Nashville, Tennessee. She knows well how anxiety can affect oneself as well as one’s loved ones. Lauritzen was exposed to unique stressors growing up, which led her to develop an anxiety disorder when she was 10 years old. This condition eventually lead her stomach ulcers being diagnosed in fourth grade. She recalls her mom asking Lauritzen, “What could cause this to occur ?,’”?” “The doctor answered with one word: “worry.”

Lauritzen experienced anxiety over many decades. However, it eventually reached its peak in last year, when her 16-year-old marriage was suffering. Her husband had grown tired of her mood swings, irritability, irrational thinking, short temper, and doomsday mentality. “He finally shared with me his very real and raw feelings and said he wasn’t sure how much more he could take. Although it was the most frightening conversation of my entire life, it was one I needed and one that had to be done.

Lauritzen started to better manage her anxiety after meeting with her doctor. She also began using the information from her therapy sessions and medication. She says, “For many years I was unable to grasp the basic knowledge that I knew, and my family required more.” “I felt finally ready to work hard and request help.”

Although therapy and medication are two common options for treating anxiety, experts say Lauritzen made the first step by admitting that she was suffering from anxiety. Angela Neal Barnett is a Fellow at American Psychological Association. She is the author of “Labeling Anxiety” Soothe Your Nerves: The Black Woman’s Guide to Understanding and Overcoming Anxiety, Panic, and Fear. It gives us a starting point. “It gives us the opportunity to heal.”

Neal Barnett’s phrase “Naming the problem in order to tame it” can take place privately between patients and their therapists, or between spouses at work. This may be useful for close friends, family, and even when sharing one’s experiences on social media.

Andrew Selepak is a …read more

Source:: Social Media Explorer

Author: Aaron