Anxiety disorder

Any kind of prolonged psychological or physical sickness can lead to anxiety disorders. The person spends a day packed with needless fears and anxiety with major reason to instigate it. Everything looms large, right from family relationships, finances to job environment.

Factors contributing to generalized anxiety disorder

• Levels of the neurotransmitters are unequal. Neurotransmitters are chemicals that transmit signals across nerve ends.
  
• Norepinephrine, GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid) and serotonin are the neurotransmitters that govern anxiety.
  
• Substantial changes in the levels of these neurotransmitters cause anxiety levels to differ.
  
• Alcohol abuse and substance abuse are major culprits when it comes to anxiety disorders and need to be treated first before treating anxiety disorders.
  
• Thyroid disorder such as hyperthyroidism can cause this disorder.
  

There are other factors contributing to the anxiety disorder such as environmental factors and biological factors.

• Heredity is a major reason for anxiety disorders.
  
• Environmental stress factors such as work, relationships etc.
  
• Irregular sleep patterns, either lack of sleep of deficiency of sleep.
  
• Financial concerns and health concerns
  

Tranquilizer

Tranquilizers are medications that relieve anxiety and bring about a feeling of wellbeing. Tranquilizers tend to bring about sleep. They depress the nervous system thereby bringing about a calming feeling. They are not available over the counter and are to be bought on prescription only. Persons who regularly take tranquilizers experience lethargy, tremors, nausea, headache, appetite changes and menstrual irregularities. Regular use of tranquilizers can easily lead to dependence as tolerance develops rapidly. Side effects of overuse of tranquilizers are mental confusion, memory loss, difficulty in concentrating and addiction. Withdrawal symptoms of tranquilizers include rapid heartbeat, insomnia, irritability and anxiety.

Minor tranquilizers: These medications are commonly used to treat panic attacks, tension and insomnia. This type of medication is classified as anxiolytics or anti-anxiety agents. Examples of minor tranquilizers are Valium, Restoril, ProSom, Xanax and Ativan.

Major tranquilizers: This group of tranquilizers are neuroleptics and are frequently used before surgical procedures. Often these anti-psychotic drugs are prescribed for mental illnesses such as hallucinations, delusions and paranoia. They affect those receptors in the brain that are known to reduce psychotic thoughts, perceptions and agitation.

Theanine

Theanine is an amino acid that is found in green tea. Theanine is used generally to treat anxiety, prevent Alzheimer's disease and high blood pressure. Many a times, it is prescribed in combination with cancer drugs so as to make the cancer drugs more effective. The chemical name for theanine is r-glutamylethylamide. Theanine is believed to reduce stress and anxiety without inducing a tranquilizing effect.

The chemical structure of theanine is similar to glutamate which is a naturally occurring amino acid in the body that helps to transmit nerve impulses in the brain. A few effects of theanine appear to be similar to that of glutamate. Scientific evidence points out that theanine stimulates the production of alpha waves in the brain. This induces a feeling of relaxation in the user. Theanine also aides the body in producing other calming amino acids, such as dopamine, GABA, and tryptophan and they in turn help the body to relax.

How does theanine work ?

Theanine passes the blood-brain barrier to enter the brain. As it enters the brain, it increases serotonin and/or dopamine concentrations considerably in the areas of striatum, hypothalamus, and hippocampus. Also known as the 'feel good chemicals', serotonin and dopamine make a person feel good when its concentration increases.

Theanine is supposed to have the following benefits:

• Reduces the effects of PMS in women.
  
• Relieves anxiety.
  
• Used to treat high blood pressure.
  
• Improves the treatment effect of cancer drugs.
  
• Prevents dementia and conditions like Alzheimer's disease.
  
• Heightens mental acuity.
  
• Supports the immune system.
  
• Improves or promotes concentration.
  
• Improves learning performance
  
• Promotes weight loss.