An Overview of Anxiety Disorders

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