Situational Anxiety - Causes, Signs, Precipitators, and Treatment Options

Introduction

Situational anxiety is not an actual disorder or condition to worry about. It is just a typical situation that everyone encounters at some point or very often in their lifetime. The presence of situational anxiety does not mean you are an anxiety patient. Instead, it is part of our expressions and emotions that ensue following a threat or unusual circumstances. And, Now and then, everybody feels anxious. Furthermore, this anxiety does not have any age and gender prevalence's; children to elderly adults experience situational anxiety.

What Is Situational Anxiety?

Situational anxiety is not a type of anxiety disorder but a form of anxiety. The distress or fear that arises in response to a specific situation or threat is known as situational anxiety.

Here below are a few instances.

• A kid encounters situational anxiety on the first day of school.

• The first dance performance in front of a large audience stimulates anxiety.

The doctors, preferably utilizing clinical manuals called the diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders, failed to recognize situational anxiety as an actual condition. Specific phobia is an anxiety disorder known for an intense and unreasonable fear of particular objects and conditions. This condition causes the person's fear and stress to interfere with and affect day-to-day activities. However, it may worsen and meet several criteria of a specific phobia.

How Does Situational Anxiety Differ From Generalized Anxiety?

Although feeling anxious and anxiety disorders show much alikeness, they are entirely different. Generalized anxiety disorder is an anxiety disorder with a persistent impression of anxiety interfering with daily living. Symptoms of generalized anxiety are restlessness, irritability, fatigue, loss of concentration, and disturbances lasting more than months which require concern. In contrast, the person in a state of anxiety exhibits fear and stress abruptly only with exposure to a specific environment that is resolved quickly.

What Causes Situational Anxiety?

Generally, there are diverse factors giving rise to situational anxiety. As the name implies, situational anxiety emerges when a person is new and unfamiliar with situations. The reason is that she is a novelty and does not know how to respond to those settings. People also experience situational anxiety on occasion due to the previous negative experience of the thread. Therefore, the more used to those situations can limit the responses later. Moreover, the response is based on genetic factors, brain chemical functioning, and environmental impacts.

What Are the Signs of Situational Anxiety?

The signs and symptoms of typical anxiety and anxiety disorders are unique and the same. Nevertheless, the following are the common symptoms of situational anxiety.

• Nervousness.

• Irritability.

• Shivering.

• Excessive sweating.

• Increased heart rate.

• Impairment in concentration.

• Out of focus.

• Dizziness.

• Dryness of mouth and lips.

• Diarrhea.

• Nausea.

• Restlessness.

• Muscle tension.

• Lightheadedness.

• Disturbed visual perception.

In addition to the above symptoms, people experience sleep disturbances, bother, and panic. Hence, Several persons at times may encounter panic attacks, an episode of intense fear of a particular situation.

What Triggers Situational Anxiety?

People never attempt situational anxiety for no reason. There includes various surroundings, themes, and situations for a fear to develop.

Here are some frequent cases precipitating and triggering anxiety.

• Job interview.

• Meeting higher officials.

• Meeting a person for the first time.

• Visiting new places.

• Hanging away from families and friends.

• The very first day at school, college, or work.

• Speaking or performing in a crowd.

• Leading opportunities.

• Staying away from home.

• Social circumstances.

• Visit a doctor or dentist.

• About to be punished.

• Significant events such as birthdays, wedding days, childbirth, and ceremonies also bring out the anxiety.

How Do You Identify Situational Anxiety?

When facing anxiety symptoms more often or in a specified situation, visit a doctor. He will then diagnose situational anxiety by the below assessments.

• Physical examination.

• Evaluation of the symptoms and their nature, severity, and span.

• Blood tests to screen for the infection.

• Also identifies any underlying medical conditions that cause anxiety.

• Look for the presence of anxiety disorder.

• Questionnaire assessment to rule out conditions such as anxiety and depression.

How Is Situational Anxiety Managed?

Situational anxiety is relatively easy to manage through self-coping strategies itself. But, in severe cases, this anxiety is treated by medical practitioners through medications and therapies.

Coping With Self-Strategies.

Though situational anxiety is easy to manage, enhancing the steps for complete remission is quite challenging. Here are some strategies to guide and help with situational anxiety.

• Exposing Fears.

As a priority, preparing yourself for new situations and settings for the new job, the school will diminish the consequences. Then exposure to such concerns gradually starts thinking about yourself in such locations. Later on, put yourself there by means of action.

• Negative Thoughts.

Convert those negative thoughts to positive, realistic, and fair ones. Imaging yourself in all unpleasant situations is the first and foremost thing to let you down. Letting go of these negative thoughts will let go of your anxiety.

• Relaxing Techniques.

Relaxing techniques are there to calm you down. The subsequent mentioned are typical relaxation approaches.

• Deep breathing.

• Visualization.

• Progressive muscle relaxation.

Medication.

When the symptoms of anxiety distress or interferes with daily activities, the doctor will prescribe anti-anxiety pharmacological drugs. These drugs will lessen the symptoms and alleviate the severity of the anxiety. Mentioned below are the commonly given anti-anxiety drugs.

• Alprazolam.

• Clonazepam.

• Chlordiazepoxide.

• Lorazepam.

• Diazepam.

Therapeutics.

Cognitive behavioral therapy and exposure therapy will help people with situational anxiety.

• Cognitive behavioral therapy, CBT, is a psycho-social intervention regularly performed to manage anxiety and depression. It chiefly focuses on negative thoughts and challenging situations, aiding in the worsening anxiety. In addition, it incorporates talk therapy with several sessions held in individuals or groups.

• Another therapy to assist is exposure therapy, a behavioral technique to treat anxiety disorders. This intervention works by exposing the patient to the anxiety sources without the intention of causing danger. Thus, this repetition of exposure will eventually debilitate situational anxiety.

Conclusion

It's never the most challenging venture to overcome situational anxiety. The fact is that the management is in our hands. Utilizing self-strategies and enhancing relaxation techniques could quickly sort out the fear. When the symptoms get aggravated or last for a more extended period, consider them and seek medical care. Doctors will guide you to limit such anxiety.