What is anxiety? [WEEK 14]

 What is GAD?

The NHS(n.d.) definition of anxiety (also known as Generalized anxiety disorder) is a mental health condition that causes excessive levels of stress and panic towards a range of causes. Those who deal with GAD may experience symptoms such as feeling tense, lightheaded or dizzy, heart palpitations, restlessness, depression, difficulty sleeping, and even stomach issues (NHS n.d.). GAD sets itself apart from just the usual feeling of worry as it is something that is a near constant in the individuals life and impacts them in a way that is much more severe than usual. It may impact their ability to socialize, do certain things they enjoy, and in some cases might cause them to isolate themselves all together. There are many subsections of the mental health bracket of anxiety, some of these disorders being Generalized anxiety disorder, Panic disorder, Social anxiety disorder, and other phobia related anxieties (NIMH n.d.). In the case of our game, our main character suffers from both GAD and Social Anxiety disorder.

Researching into Social anxiety disorder we see that those dealing with the disorder find it difficult to go out and talk to people or generally be around others, it might make it hard for them to make friends, have conversations with people or even send messages or texts to people out of fear of those around them judging them (NIMH n.d.) Social anxiety disorder can become so severe that individuals suffering from it may remove themselves from social situations all together and isolate themselves our of fear. According to Dr. Ali Mattu in the video Social Anxiety Disorder explained for beginners - how I wish I was taught (2023), research found that 18% of people have experienced Social Anxiety disorder within the past year, most of those who suffer with the disorder developed it at a young age. Teenshealth.org (n.d) explains there can be several causes to an individual developing Social anxiety disorder, ranging from: inherited genes and the person's ability to handle stress, Developed behavioural responses from being overprotected from others or generally isolated from social interactions, and past traumas that caused the individual to develop Social anxiety disorder as a method of "protecting themselves". This disorder can be quite harmful to individuals suffering from it, the isolation and anxiety may lead to further conditions such as depression and may also lead to self destructive behaviours such as using drugs, alcohol, or harming oneself.

There are ways to treat or manage Social anxiety disorder, there are mode medical or theraputic routes such as SSRI's, a type of medicine to help ease the symptoms, or Cognitive behavioural therapy to talk through your issues and find the route of the cause (Social Anxiety Disorder explained for beginners - how I wish I was taught 2023) . It is important to acknowledge that not everyone can easily access or afford therapy, and may not want to go down the route of medicating themselves, there are ways to manage your symptoms by yourself and with those you trust, you could help find a buddy to go with you and advise you on what to do when you find yourself in social situations, this could be a friend or family member, just someone you feel comfortable being around. You should talk to your trusted person about why and how you feel the way you do to help them better support you when you need it, and on your own behalf try to rehearse how you would respond to social interactions to help ease you a little more. Another helpful tip is to consider the situations that give you the most and least anxiety, little by little expose yourself to each of these situations repeatedly going up the scale of difficulty a little more once you feel more comfortable in your current situation, this repeated exposure may help your body and your mind realize that you don't need to have as much anxiety towards these situations and you may find that you don't experience as many symptoms. The most important thing to remember is to seek help when you are struggling, you don't have to deal with this alone and most people, although you might not see it, also have their struggles just like you, you arent weird or invalid for having these feelings, but it is important to recognise when things get bad and seek help to avoid things getting serious. (NHSinform n.d.)

Bibliography

Websites:

NHSinform, No date. Social anxiety self-help guide (Online). NHSinform. Available at : https://www.nhsinform.scot/illnesses-and-conditions/mental-health/mental-health-self-help-guides/social-anxiety-self-help-guide/ (Accessed at: 28 January 2025)

NHS, No date. Generalised anxiety disorder (GAD) (Online). NHS. Available at: https://www.nhs.uk/mental-health/conditions/generalised-anxiety-disorder-gad/ (Accessed at: 28 January 2025)

NIMH, No date. Anxiety Disorders (Online).National institute of Mental Health. Available at: https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/anxiety-disorders (Accessed at: 28 January 2025)

NIMH, No date. Social Anxiety Disorder: More Than Just Shyness (Online).National institute of Mental Health. https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/social-anxiety-disorder-more-than-just-shyness (Accessed at: 28 January 2025)

Teenshealth, No date. Social Anxiety (Online). Kidshealth. Available at: https://kidshealth.org/en/teens/social-phobia.html (Accessed at: 28 January 2025)

Youtube videos:

Social Anxiety Disorder explained for beginners - how I wish I was taught, 2023. [YouTube] Dr Ali Mattu, 7 September. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VdoSgPRe_gw (Accessed at: 28 January 2025)