Anxiety and anxiety
related conditions negatively impact individuals, and
our society:
- 40 million people in the U.S. will experience
an impairment because of an anxiety condition this
year.
- Only 4 million will receive treatment,
and of those, only 400,000 will receive proper treatment.
- Those who experience anxiety and stress
have a very high propensity for drug abuse and addictions.
Further statistics show:
- 65% of North Americans take prescription
medications daily, 43% take mood altering prescriptions
regularly.
- There were over 3.3 Billion prescriptions
filled in America in 2002 (12 times the U.S’s
population - that’s 12 prescriptions for every
man, woman, and child in the U.S. that year).
- Paxil and Zoloft (two of the more popular
anti-anxiety medications) ranked 7th and 8th in the
top ten prescribed medications in the US (these two
medications totaled almost $5 Billion in sales in 2002).
- Recreational drugs are also used to
cope with anxiety. 42% of young adults in America
regularly use recreational drugs (National Institute
on Drug Abuse)
- Alcohol is commonly used to cope with
anxiety. 72% of Canadians consume alcohol each year.
- 10% of Canadians admit they have an
alcohol problem.
- In 1998, 50% of all traffic fatalities
were alcohol-related fatalities. (CBC Report)
- 70,587 Canadians were charged with impaired
driving in 1998. (CBC Report)
- 25 – 40% of all patients in US
hospitals are being treated for complications resulting
from alcohol related problems (The Marin Institute)
- 10% of all deaths in Canada result from
alcohol-related diseases.
- Alcohol-related car crashes are the
number one killer of teens. Alcohol use is also associated
with homicides, suicides, and drownings—the next
three leading causes of death among youth (Center for
Substance Abuse Prevention)
These are just a few of the ways unresolved
anxiety affects our society.
Those who have an anxiety condition:
- Often feel out of control of their health
and life
- Experience higher levels of overall stress
- Often struggle with low self-esteem
- Feel nervous in many social situations
- Have difficulty managing pressure
- Have higher expectations of themselves
and others
- Feel returned love is performance-based
- Often have unhealthy boundaries
- Are often workaholics
- Are more often sick
- Often have unhealthy relationships
- Visit the doctor more often
- Tax the medical system (with frequent
trips to their doctor or emergency rooms)
- Are more likely to take medications
- Are more likely to have other health problems
- Are overall more unhappy
- Experience erratic emotional behaviors
- Often quick to get angry
- Regularly feel unsettled
- Regularly feel overwhelmed
- Feel disconnected or detached from reality
and life
- Often feel they are just on the edge of
losing control
- Often aren’t reliable (because their
symptoms may prevent them from following through)
- Become inward focused and dwell on their
health condition and personal problems
- May jump from relationship to relationship
in search of perfection
- May jump from job to job because of higher
levels of stress
- Live a restricted lifestyle (within their
self-imposed “safe zones”)
- Feel life is passing them by
- Question their faith and God’s presence
in their lives
- Feel at a distance from God
In addition to anxiety disorder impairment,
those who seek help may encounter real and perceived barriers
to help:
- the individual or medical professional
may not recognize the symptoms
- symptoms may interfere with the person’s
ability to seek help
- specialized help may not be available
in their area
- long waiting lists limit access to professional
help
- the individual has insufficient medical
insurance coverage
- they may believe there is a stigma attached
to mental illness and wish to avoid any association
with it
- they may be avoiding the perceived appearance
of “weakness”
We encourage anxiety sufferers to seek help.
Only through proper help can lasting health be attained.
Many believe that their condition will “ just go
away”. Unfortunately, the reverse is true…the
longer the condition remains, the more entrenched it becomes,
and the more difficult it is to resolve. Seeking proper
help early provides the best results.
With the right help and healing, those who
have experienced an anxiety condition can:
- Regain control of their health and life
- Live a balanced, happy, and fulfilling
life
- Have happier and more fulfilling relationships
- Become the individual they always thought
they could be
- Reconnect with life in a more rewarding
and satisfying way
- Live an unrestricted lifestyle ready to
tackle any challenge
- Express themselves like never before
- Live a more accepting life, appreciating
uniqueness and imperfection
- Experience a more stable work environment
- Freedom from medication and/or drug use
- Reconnect with their faith and feel God’s
presence
- Have a closer relationship with God
These are just a few of the many benefits
healing and a return to renewed health can bring.
Here is a listing of common anxiety symptoms.
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