May 26, 2018 5 min read

Bradley Takach got a kidney stone in 2002, but it was what happened next that affected his daily life ever since.

“It scared me to the point I experienced my first bout of anxiety,” remembers Takach, an advanced emergency medical technician in Fayette County. “I had this withdrawn feeling like I was inside someone else’s body looking through the eye holes of a mask. I experienced bad abdominal pains, I did not understand what was happening to me and for some reason, I couldn’t just get over it.”

It took nearly a year of testing before the married father of two was finally diagnosed with an anxiety disorder. He was able to hide most of his symptoms when in public and never missed work.

“I put on a false face for my colleagues,” he said. “However, they still knew something was different about me but didn’t know what.”

Katie Green was 23 when her first panic attack struck.

“I felt dizzy, weak, short of breath – literally like I was going to die,” said Green, who is editorial director of niche publications with the Observer Publishing Co. She wound up in the emergency room. A few days later, it happened again.

“Anyone who has ever suffered a panic attack knows that they are debilitating,” she said. “You can’t sleep, you can’t eat, you can’t sit still. You can’t focus on work, or anything else for that matter. I legit felt like I was going crazy.”

Anxiety disorders are now the most commonly diagnosed mental illnesses in the U.S. Data from the National Institute of Mental Health shows as many as 40 million Americans – about 18 percent of the adult population – is affected, and that women are at a higher risk than men.

While anxiety is a normal reaction to stress, anxiety disorders differ from normal feelings and involve excessive fear that affects daily life. Generalized anxiety disorder involves persistent, excessive worry. Panic disorder causes attacks that include sweating, shaking and heart palpitations. Other anxiety disorders include phobias like fear of flying or tight spaces and social anxiety disorder which causes a person to be extremely uncomfortable interacting with people.

What causes these conditions?

“We don’t completely know why someone will have an anxiety disorder. It is a complex set of risk factors,” said Dr. Alicia Kaplan, a psychiatrist with Allegheny Health Network.

Traumatic experiences, environment and personality may play a role.

“Neurotransmitters such as serotonin, norepinephrine, and dopamine and GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid) are implicated in anxiety disorders as well as the amygdala (the area of the brain that evaluates possible dangerous situations) and other areas of the limbic system (the system of nerves that control basic emotions,)” she said.

Kaplan attributes the high number of cases of anxiety to increased awareness, plus better recognition of symptoms.

“There is also less of a stigma about getting help,” Kaplan said. “With increased cultural awareness, people are getting more of the help and support they need.”

Treating anxiety disorders often involves psychotherapy along with medications.

“Cognitive Behavioral Therapy targets the three components of anxiety: maladaptive thoughts, physical symptoms and behaviors,” Kaplan explained. “Patients examine their thoughts, with the help of their therapist, and work on developing alternative perspectives.”

They also work on breathing strategies and other methods of dealing with physical symptoms and learn to adjust their behavior.

Therapy helped Green conquer her panic attacks by learning coping mechanisms and that the body releases cortisol and epinephrine during attacks.

“Knowing how and why the body and mind do what they do was incredibly helpful for me,” Green said. “I’m almost 37 now, and I can count on one hand the number of panic attacks I’ve had since stopping therapy. I know how to breathe to help stop the physical symptoms of the attack.”

Sometimes medications can help curb anxiety symptoms.

“First-line medications for anxiety disorders consist of medications called selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors or serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors,” said Kaplan. “Additional medication options may be considered based on the severity of the disorder and the patient’s circumstances.”

Takach tried a few medications and finally found relief with a drug called Lexapro. He took it for 10 years then tried to ween himself.

“I was actually feeling good for two to three months, but then weird things started to happen,” said Takach, who recalls becoming claustrophobic and emotional. He’s now back on medication and doing well.

Stress management techniques, meditation and support groups can also help with treatment.

“Find someone to listen to you who just listens and doesn’t judge,” said Takach, “and always remember even though you may feel like you will never have a normal life again, in most cases, it will pass.”

He believes his condition helps in his work as an EMT since he can understand how others may be feeling or reacting.

“Unlike a bad mood or anger, it’s not an emotion that just passes,” he said. “It is a condition that you cannot control.”

Green also emphasizes the importance of asking for help. “I would suggest that others going through this at least try therapy, because it isn’t going to hurt,” she said. “While you may feel like you are losing your mind or going crazy, you are actually a lot more normal than you realize.”