| Anxiety Disorders DefinedThere are several | | | | appliances, repeating phrases or hoarding.People with |
| subgroups of Anxiety Disorders, with different | | | | Panic Disorder suffer severe acute attacks of panic |
| causes and treatement. Anxiety disorders are a | | | | for no apparant reason, which may mimic the |
| serious social and financial concern to American | | | | symptoms of a heart attack or cause them to feel |
| business, since they cost the country more than $42 | | | | they are losing their minds. Symptoms include heart |
| billion a year in healthcare costs and lost productivity, | | | | palpitations, chest pain or discomfort, sweating, |
| according to "The Economic Burden of Anxiety | | | | trembling, tingling sensations, feeling of choking, fear |
| Disorders," a study published in the Journal of Clinical | | | | of dying, fear of losing control, and feelings of |
| Psychiatry.More than $22.84 billion is spent on | | | | unreality. Panic disorder is often accompanied by |
| healthcare services, as those with anxiety disorders | | | | agoraphobia, in which people are afraid of having a |
| seek relief for emotional distress and physical | | | | panic attack in a public place, so they become afraid |
| symptoms. Sufferers are 300 to 500 percent more | | | | to leave the safety of their controlled home |
| likely to go to the doctor and 600 percent more | | | | environment. |
| likely to be hospitalized for psychiatric disorders than | | | | Posttraumatic Stress Disorder can follow a traumatic |
| non-sufferers. | | | | event such as a sexual or physical assault, witnessing |
| Anxiety disorders are the most common psychiatric | | | | a death, the unexpected death of a loved one, or |
| illness and affect both children and adults. They | | | | natural disaster. There are three main symptoms |
| develop from an interaction of numerous risk factors, | | | | associated with PTSD: "reliving" of the traumatic |
| including personality, genetics, brain chemistry, and life | | | | event (such as flashbacks and nightmares); avoidance |
| stress. Approximately 19 million adult Americans | | | | behaviors (such as avoiding places and other |
| suffer from anxiety disorders. Anxiety disorders are | | | | reminders related to the trauma) and emotional |
| highly treatable, yet only about one-third of those | | | | numbing (detachment from others); and physiological |
| suffering from them receive treatment.The main | | | | arousal such difficulty sleeping, irritability or poor |
| feature of Generalized Anxiety Disorder is excessive, | | | | concentration.Social Anxiety Disorder is characterized |
| unrealistic and uncontrollable worry about everyday | | | | by severe anxiety about being judged by others or |
| events. This constant worry affects daily functioning | | | | behaving in a way that might bring ridicule or |
| and brings physical symptoms. GAD can occur with | | | | embarrassment. This intense anxiety may lead to |
| other anxiety disorders, depressive disorders, or | | | | extreme shyness and avoidance of social situations. |
| substance abuse. It can be misdiagnosed because it | | | | Physical symptoms associated with this disorder |
| lacks some of the dramatic symptoms, such as | | | | include faintness, heart palpitations, blushing and |
| unprovoked attacks of panic, that are seen with | | | | profuse sweating.Anxiety disorders also include |
| other anxiety disorders. For a diagnosis to be made, | | | | Specific Phobias, an intense and unreasonable fear of |
| uncontrollable worrying occur more days than not for | | | | specific objects or situations, such as spiders, dogs, |
| at least 6 months.The focus of GAD is fluid, shifting | | | | or heights. The disproportionate level of fear is |
| unpredictably from job issues, finances, health of | | | | recognized by the sufferer as being irrational. It can |
| both self and family, and smaller issues such as | | | | lead to the avoidance of common, everyday |
| chores, car repairs and being late for appointments. | | | | situations. |
| The intensity, duration and frequency of the worry | | | | Patients often have more than one anxiety disorder, |
| are disproportionate to the issue and interferes with | | | | and sometimes other illness as well such as |
| the sufferer's daily life. | | | | depression or substance abuse.Treatment of anxiety |
| Physical symptoms can include muscle tension, | | | | disorders includes support groups, cognitive behavioral |
| sweating, gastrointestinal symptoms such as diarrhea | | | | therapy (CBT), exposure therapy, anxiety |
| and/or nausea, cold and clammy palms, the feeling of | | | | management and relaxation techniques, and |
| having a "lump in the throat" and difficulty swallowing. | | | | psychotherapy. Drugs therapy used to treat anxiety |
| Sufferers are irritable and complain about feeling on | | | | disorders includes benzodiazepines, selective serotonin |
| edge, tire easily tired and have trouble | | | | reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), tricyclic antidepressants, |
| sleeping.Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder is | | | | monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs) and |
| characterized by persistent, recurring thoughts | | | | beta-blockers. Often a combination of the two |
| (obsessions) that reflect exaggerated anxiety or | | | | therapies is more useful than one exclusively. Up to |
| fears; typical obsessions include worry about being | | | | 90 percent of patients will show improvement of |
| contaminated or fears of behaving improperly or | | | | their symptom from medical treatment. |
| acting violently. The obsessions may cause the | | | | For more information on anxiety and other health |
| individual to perform a rituals or routines to relieve | | | | topics, visit our websites:Author is J Shipper who is |
| the anxiety, such as excessive handwashing, checking | | | | very interested in anxiety and how to treat it. |