What is the connection between anxiety and attention?
The connection between problems with anxiety and attention is more common than psychologists and scientists who previously thought. In fact, scientists have found that individuals diagnosed anxiety disorder are likely to be diagnosed with an adequate attention disorder, such as the attention disorder (add) or a deficit hyperization disorder (ADHD). Even those who are not diagnosed with one or the other disorder can find that anxiety and attention are negatively correlated and that problems in one area of life will cause problems in another. This can be much more difficult, especially at work or at school.
The fact that many people diagnosed with anxiety disorders can also be diagnosed with attention disorders or vice versa, has led psychologists and psychiatrists to reconsider the way these conditions treat. One of the most common ways to treat attention disorders, for example, is the use of stimulants. However, the reference of anxiety and attention disorders meansthat traditional stimulation treatment can actually worsen the anxiety of an individual and thus impair both conditions. This makes the treatment of these combined conditions much more complicated.
Sometimes attention disorders are closely related to social anxiety disorders, but this is not always the case. Other types of anxiety disorders can also correlate with poor attention, including everything from the panic disorder that causes panic attacks, to traumatic stress disorder or obsessive compulsive disorder. It is important that the individual experiences this problem to talk to a psychologist to discuss symptoms and see if there is a connection between his anxiety and attention. The psychologist can also be able to provide strategies for solving these problems, sometimes without using a medication.
Of course, sometimes anxiety and attention go hand in hand even without the presence of any psychological disorder, becauseOne can capture the other. For example, an individual who is prone to become stress and anxiety in his daily life may have difficulty focusing and concentration. Or, an individual that is easily distracted or considered difficult to complete the tasks can find out that this causes anxiety. Practicing some strategies to overcome feelings of anxiety, as well as techniques, how to focus more on the task, can sometimes help alleviate these problems and prevent them from deterioration.