Anxiety disorders are a group of mental disorders that include panic disorder, specific phobias, social phobia, post-traumatic stress disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder and generalized anxiety disorder. Anxiety disorders affect more than 25 million Americans. The disorders in this cluster have both mental and physical symptoms and can be distinguished from everyday stress in that they cause individuals to avoid certain activities that aggravate the symptoms.
Panic Disorder
Panic disorder is characterized by repeated panic attacks in which the sufferer experiences periods of intense physical sensations including heart palpitations, dizziness, sweating, along with the fear of going crazy or losing control. This fear is intensified by worry about when the next panic attach might occur.
Specific Phobias
The symptoms in this class of phobia are brought on by exposure to a certain situation or objects such as the fear of flying, being close to animals or obsessive worry about being caught in a storm. The individual suffering from a specific phobia usually is aware that the fear is unreasonable. Nonetheless, the situation or object still causes distress and is avoided.
Social Phobia
Social phobia is characterized by marked fear of social or performance situations such as parties, or professional engagements. The individual with social phobia fears being judged and may avoid these circumstance altogether or endure the occasion with distress. As in other anxiety disorders, both physical and emotional symptoms are experienced.
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
PTSD is different from the other anxiety disorders in that it develops as a result of exposure to extreme stress that involves threat to a person's life or physical safety. This extreme stress can take the form of a natural disaster, military combat or family violence. Three groups of symptoms for PTSD include re-experiencing the event through intrusive thoughts, flashbacks and nightmares, avoidance of stimuli that may be reminders of the trauma and hyper-arousal, such as the inability to sleep or concentrate.
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder
OCD is characterized by obsessive thoughts or impulses that are about real-life situations. The individual plagued by these worries realizes they are excessive but feels unable to control them. Compulsions by definition are the actions that are carried out in the attempt to reduce the stress of the mental obsession. These compulsions are not connected to the worry in a logical way. For instance, an individual might feel the need to count or tap in a ritualistic way to stop some bad event from happening.
Treatment
Treatment for anxiety disorders includes psychotherapy and may include psycho-pharmacological treatment. Many sufferers of anxiety disorders get relief through behavior modification and mind-body therapies. Because of the link between anxiety and depression, individuals suffering from an anxiety disorder should seek help from a licensed mental health professional to obtain the most fitting treatment.
References
- Healthy Minds: Anxiety Disorders
- "Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition"; American Psychiatric Association; 2000
