Anxiety disorders are the most common psychiatric illnesses affecting children and adults and may develop from a complex set of risk factors including genetics, brain chemistry, personality, and life events.
It’s estimated 40 million adult Americans suffer from anxiety disorders.
Even so, anxiety disorders are highly treatable, yet only about one-third of those suffering from an anxiety disorder receive treatment.
The different types of anxiety disorders are listed below
Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD).
Generalized anxiety disorder is characterized by excessive, unrealistic worry that lasts six months or more; in adults, the anxiety may focus on issues such as health, money, or career. In addition to chronic worry, GAD symptoms include trembling, muscular aches, insomnia, abdominal upsets, dizziness and irritability.
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD).
People suffering from OCD are plagued by persistent, recurring thoughts (obsessions) that reflect exaggerated anxiety or fears. Typical obsessions include worry about being contaminated or fears of behaving improperly or acting violently. The obsessions may lead to performing a ritual or routine (compulsions), such as washing hands, repeating phrases, or hoarding, to relieve the anxiety caused by the obsession.
People with panic disorder suffer severe attacks of panic, which may make them feel as if they are having a heart attack or can’t breathe, for no apparent reason. Symptoms include heart palpitations, chest pain or discomfort, sweating, trembling, tingling sensations, feeling of choking, fear of dying, fear of losing control, and feelings of unreality. Panic disorder often occurs with agoraphobia, in which people are afraid of having a panic attack in a place from which escape would be difficult, so they avoid these places.
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).
Post-traumatic stress disorder can follow an exposure to a traumatic event such as a sexual or physical assault, witnessing a death, the unexpected death of a loved one, or natural disaster. Three main symptoms are associated with PTSD: "reliving" of the traumatic event through flashbacks or nightmares; avoidance behaviours (avoiding places related to the trauma) and emotional numbing (detachment from others); and physiological arousal such as difficulty sleeping, irritability, or poor concentration.
Social Anxiety Disorder (Social Phobia).
Social anxiety disorder is also known as social phobia. It is characterized by extreme anxiety about being judged by others or behaving in a way that might cause embarrassment or ridicule. This intense anxiety may lead to avoidance behaviour. Physical symptoms associated with this disorder include heart palpitations, faintness, blushing and profuse sweating.
Specific Phobias.
People with specific phobias suffer from an intense fear reaction to a specific object or situation (examples: spiders, dogs, heights). The level of fear is usually out of proportion to the situation and it is recognized, even by the sufferer, as being irrational. This inordinate fear can lead to the avoidance of common, everyday situations.
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