Circle Jan2018 low

HEALTH
It’s January and the stress of the Christmas season is over.
However, Joanna 40*, just can’t ward off the racing thoughts
that plague her day. “It starts early in the morning as I prepare
the kids for school; then I am off to work, where concentration
doesn’t always come easy. My thoughts begin to race as I
struggle to see how I’ll manage all the tasks before night time;
the cooking, the cleaning and the drives to extracurricular
activities. Sometimes, it all becomes too much.”
Everyday, numerous people suffer from overwhelming
anxiety disorders that affect their daily lives. It is a condition
that affects around 25 per cent of the population, adults and
children alike. Psychiatrist Anton Grech explains that anxiety is
one of the most common mental disorders. “Anxiety can strike
at any age. However, its severity varies according to the
individual and certain stressors that may affect one’s life.”
Avoidant type personalities, the kind of people who tend
to be worriers, tend to suffer greatly from this condition and
causes may be externally or internally derived.
“With anxiety, there are often external factors that bring
on the stress, like problems at work, conflict with loved ones
or illness within the family. In these situations, some people
cope better than others.”
However, other causes are internal, for instance in the
case of perfectionism, where those affected place
themselves in situations where everything must be
in order.
Although many believe that
anxiety has a genetic predisposition,
there are no
accurate scientific studies
to back up this theory.
The psychiatrist says
that anxiety has
more to do with
one’s upbringing
Although many believe
that anxiety has a genetic
pre-disposition, there are no
accurate scientific studies to
back up this theory.
JANUARY 2018 ∫ Sunday Circle 45