Living in a new country or in a huge city like Jakarta can cause stress. It can make you feel anxious, and sometimes it makes you feel low.
Depression is often accompanied by anxiety. A lot of people actually suffer from anxiety. Anxiety is a feeling of unease, such as worry or fear. It can be mild or severe.
Everyone has feelings of anxiety. You may feel worried and anxious about living in a new place, taking an exam, or having a blood test. This can be perfectly normal.
Some people, however, cannot control their worries. They are constantly feeling anxious, and it affects their daily lives.
Anxiety is a symptom of several conditions. I will name a few:
- Panic disorder;
- Certain phobias – like claustrophobia;
- Post-traumatic stress disorder;
- Social anxiety disorder (social phobia).
I refer here mostly to generalised anxiety disorder, or GAD.
GAD is a condition that causes you to feel anxious about all sorts of things, situations, or issues — and not just a specific event.
People who suffer from GAD feel anxious most of the time, and they rarely feel relaxed. As soon as one anxious thought is resolved, another anxious thought appears about a different issue.
This anxiety disorder can cause psychological (mental) and physical symptoms. The symptoms can include:
- Feeling worried or restless;
- Having difficulty concentrating or sleeping;
- Palpitations (fast heartbeats) or dizziness.
When to see your GP (Good Practice)
See your trusted medical practitioner if anxiety is affecting your daily life or causing you distress.
Your doctor should ask about your symptoms, your worries, fears, and emotions to find out if you indeed suffer from GAD.
What can cause an anxiety disorder?
The anxiety is likely caused by a combination of several factors. Research has suggested that these may include:
- Overactivity in areas of the brain involved in emotions and behaviour;
- An imbalance of the brain chemicals, which are involved in the control and regulation of mood.
- Your genetic make-up — you’re estimated to be five times more likely to suffer from GAD if you have a close relative with this condition.
- Having a history of stressful experiences, such as domestic violence, child abuse, or bullying;
- A painful long-term health condition;
- Having a history of drug or alcohol abuse.
Many people, however, suffer from GAD without any apparent reason.
It is a common condition and slightly more women are affected than men. It is more common in the age group 35 to 59 years old.
Treatment options
There are several treatments available. Talk to your trusted medical practitioner about them to find out more:
- Psychological therapy– such as cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT);
- Medication– low dose of antidepressants called SSRIs.
There are also things you can do yourself to reduce your anxiety, such as:
- Exercising regularly;
- Stop smoking;
- Reducing the amount of alcohol and caffeine.
You can control your anxiety levels with treatment. Some treatments may need to be continued for a long time, and it could be that you will have episodes when your symptoms worsen. My take-home message is that anxiety is common, but if it affects your daily life, you should seek help. Talking to your doctor is a good start because treatments are available.
It is important to identify a clinic that you are comfortable with. The GOOD PRACTICE Clinic registered patients from 80 countries. Our English-speaking team implements international guidelines. Try us. 021 7183140 or info@goodpractice.co.id. Our WhatsApp is for messages only: 085772721119.
Dr Steven Graaff, MD, MRCGP, the founder of the GOOD PRACTICE Clinic, is a graduate of the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam. Before completing his formal training in General Practice in the UK, he worked in several hospitals, as well as in occupational health and general practice in the Netherlands and the UK. As a medical professional with international experience, Steven decided to start his own clinic, GOOD PRACTICE, in Jakarta.