Anxiety may be triggered by your body, not your head

By Sharon Heller

Have you been diagnosed with anxiety or depression? If so, do any of the following scenarios, based on actual people and events, sound familiar?

Jordan feels constantly tense and nervous and startles at the slightest noise, jumps at a stranger brushing past him, winces at bright lights and, as the day goes by, feels progressively fatigued and depleted. He worries constantly that he won’t make it through the day and meet his family and work obligations. He’s been diagnosed with generalized anxiety disorder and put on Xanax, an anti-anxiety drug.

LaTisha feels vertigo, loss of balance and terror while walking up or down stairs, taking an escalator or walking along a catwalk, even only one floor up. She’s been diagnosed with a phobic disorder and put on BuSpar, an anti-anxiety drug.

Abdul experiences waves of panic that come on suddenly. His heart races, his pulse throbs, the world spins, and he can hardly catch his breath. He feels as if he’s dying and losing his mind. He’s been diagnosed with panic disorder and put on Paxil, an anti-depressant.

Marisol feels afraid to leave the house. When she does, she suffers a panic attack that comes out of nowhere-sitting in church, shopping at the supermarket, standing in line at the bank, or driving down the street. She’s been diagnosed with agoraphobia and put on Zoloft, an anti-depressant. ...

Read the full article online, and others like it at http://edgemagazine.net/2012/03/anxiety/