| ANXIETY disorders are psycho-somatic | | | | the event but can also appear years |
| conditions that fill the person's mind | | | | later. |
| with fear and uncertainty. Near 40 | | | | - Social Anxiety Disorder: This is also |
| million Americans aged 18 years and | | | | called Social Phobia and happens to |
| above suffer from some kind of anxiety | | | | people who are excessively |
| disorders in a given year. It should | | | | self-conscious in social environments. |
| however be noted that anxiety or worry | | | | Symptoms include blushing, reticence, |
| that can be attributed to a specific | | | | trembling, nausea, etc. This kind of |
| external event (such as a first date or | | | | disorder may be specific to a certain |
| the first time one has to speak in | | | | situation or may be generalized in |
| public) is NOT an anxiety disorder in | | | | almost any situation outside of the |
| medical parlance. These kinds of worries | | | | family. |
| or anxieties last for a short while. For | | | | - Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD): |
| a worry, anxiety or fear to be | | | | The person has persistent thoughts or |
| clinically diagnosed as an anxiety | | | | obsessions that produce anxiety and |
| disorder, the condition must last a | | | | resorts to abnormal rituals to alleviate |
| minimum of six months and aggravate with | | | | the anxiety. An example of such a ritual |
| the passage of time. In many cases, | | | | could be washing hands over and over |
| anxiety disorders arise in connection | | | | again, or repeatedly checking things, |
| with one or more mental or physical | | | | without reason. This problem often comes |
| ailments including abuse of alcohol of | | | | with eating disorders. |
| narcotic drugs. | | | | - Specific Phobias: The main symptom of |
| Symptoms: There are several types of | | | | this disorder is excessive fear of |
| anxiety disorders, with different and | | | | something without adequate |
| sometimes overlapping symptoms, with | | | | justification, e.g., fear of dogs, |
| different intensities. Yet, all the | | | | heights, water, flying, etc. |
| symptoms of all types of anxiety | | | | - Generalized Anxiety Disorders: This is |
| disorders center on excessive fear and | | | | a condition in which the person is |
| dread. | | | | excessively and abnormally worried of |
| Types: The following are some of the | | | | day-to-day matters even though there is |
| principal and common types of anxiety | | | | no reason for such fear; e.g., fear of |
| disorders and their symptoms: | | | | losing job, money, status, etc. |
| - Panic Disorder: Sudden attack of | | | | Trembling, twitching, hot flashes, |
| terror fears, perspiration, weakness, | | | | sweating, headaches, fatigue, etc are |
| pounding heart, dizziness. The person | | | | common external symptoms. |
| may feel chilled and may experience a | | | | Treatment: All types of anxiety |
| vomit sensation, chest pain, etc. A fear | | | | disorders are treatable by a combination |
| of impending catastrophe engulfs the | | | | of medicines and psychotherapy. The |
| person's mind. | | | | medicines usually prescribed are one of |
| - Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD): | | | | the many anti-depressant drugs. However, |
| This happens after a traumatic event | | | | since these drugs come with potentially |
| happens to a person or to someone else | | | | serious side-effects (some of which |
| who may be a loved one or a stranger. | | | | could be fatal), the physician - |
| The event could be rape, murder, serious | | | | preferably a psychiatrist - must be |
| physical harm, etc. PTSD symptoms | | | | consulted. |
| usually appear within three months after | | | | |