More than Just a Restless Mind

It’s common to hear someone say they have anxiety. Given the commotion that is ever present in today’s world, it might be less surprising to hear someone say they have no anxiety at all. Still, not all anxiety is the same, and it doesn’t always mean the same thing when different people say it. Would it surprise you to learn that some anxiety is healthy? Anxiety is simply a state of mental and physical negative expectation. It’s meant to prepare you to react to a threat to something you care about. That can be a very good thing.

When Anxiety becomes Unhealthy

Part of what makes anxiety tricky is that your body doesn’t differentiate between something that might make you nervous, like public speaking, and something that is genuinely life-threatening, like finding yourself on the same street as a wrong-way driver.  Anxiety as a disorder can disrupt school life, work, and relationships. When anxiety becomes persistent and pervasive enough to disrupt normal, everyday life, and when it is strong enough that it is no longer proportionate to the situation at hand, it becomes a problem. It’s a pretty common one at that. As many as ⅓ of U.S. adults will find themselves dealing with disorder-levels of anxiety at some point in their lives. It’s the most commonly diagnosed mental illness in the U.S., and rates are only going up.

Causes of Anxiety

There are a few common causes behind anxiety developing into a disorder. A person’s biology may increase their susceptibility to developing an anxiety disorder. Overprotective parenting styles may contribute as well, as they teach a child to be afraid and that they aren’t capable of handling problems themselves. Early trauma can also be a triggering factor in developing an anxiety disorder.

Common Treatments

Fortunately, there are treatments available that can help people suffering from anxiety disorder bring things down to a more manageable level. It’s important to realize that the goal is not to eliminate anxiety altogether. That could actually end up doing more harm than good. Instead, the goal is to make it manageable, to keep it at a healthier level so it can do its job of keeping us safe from actual threats.

Common treatments for anxiety include medications, psychotherapy, and lifestyle shifts. Cognitive behavioral therapy is also considered to be a highly effective treatment method. Exposure therapy may be appropriate, depending on the cause of the anxiety.

Anxiety and TMS

While there is no one single treatment option that is guaranteed to successfully treat every form of anxiety under the sun, transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) has been proven to be an effective form of treatment for multiple types of anxiety. OCD, panic disorder, and generalized anxiety disorder have all been shown to respond well to TMS therapy. TMS works by using magnetic fields to stimulate nerves in the brain. It’s a relatively new treatment option, and one that will benefit from continued study. Still, for those wanting a medication-free, effective treatment option, it stands as a viable option.

Anxiety can be truly crippling when it reaches unhealthy, unmanageable levels. If you’ve suffered from an anxiety disorder, don’t lose hope. There are treatments out there that can help you recover and rediscover the joy life has to offer. Let TMS of Canada help you reclaim your life. You deserve nothing less.