Anxiety disorders develop when the length or severity of the anxiety is disproportionate with the stimulus (Felman, 2018). Anxiety involves excessive nervousness, fear, apprehension and worry (Felman, 2018). Common types of anxiety disorders include:
- Generalized Anxiety Disorder
- Panic Disorder
- Phobia Related Disorder
- Agoraphobia (NIMH, n.d.)
There are approximately 40 million people in the United States who are affected by an anxiety disorder, but only about 36.9% of the receive treatment (Felman, 2018). Anxiety disorder can occur any age and affects more women than men (Healthline, 2018). Some possible causes of anxiety disorders include:
- Environmental stressors
- Genetics
- Medical factors
- Brain chemistry
- Withdrawal from an illicit drug (Felman, 2018).
Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) lasts most days for at least six months along with three or more symptoms. During this time, an individual has excessive anxiety which will negatively impact their life. When struggling with GAD, it is difficult to interrupt the worry cycle, even when there is the realization that there is an imbalance with the severity of the situation and the level of worry. With mild or moderate disorders, it is possible to function socially, however, as the severity of the disorder increases, the ability to function socially typically decreases (ADAA, 2018). Symptoms of GAD include:
- Restlessness
- Difficulty concentrating
- Muscle tension
- Difficulty controlling feelings of worry
- Sleep issues
- Sense of impending danger
- increased heart rate
- Feeling weak or tired
- GI issues (AADA, 2018)(n.d.)
Panic Disorder is characterized by an intense fear coming on rapidly and peaking in several minutes. These episodes are referred to as panic attacks. Because they can occur unexpectedly or triggered by something, an individual can often worry about when the next panic attack will occur. They may also try to avoid places or situations (n.d.). Some symptoms of Panic disorder include:
- Heart palpitations
- Sweating
- Trembling
- Shortness of breath
- Feelings of impending doom
- Feelings of being out of control
- Confusion (Felman, 2018)(n.d.)
Phobia Related Disorder is the irrational fear of a situation, animal, or thing. There are individuals who have phobias of heights, needles, flying, bridges, dogs, etc. Although it is natural to have some fear regarding these things, having a disproportionate amount of fear can cause distress. Most phobias develop before 30 years old and may develop after a traumatic experience, or learned from a family member (Brazier, 2017). With a phobia, people may experience:
- Irrational worry about situation or thing
- Actively trying to avoid situation or thing
- Immediate irrational fear when encountering situation or thing
- Abnormal breathing
- Increased heart rate
- Chest pains
- Trembling
- Butterflies in stomach (Brazier, 2017)(n.d.).
Agoraphobia is comprised of both a fear and avoidance of places and situations where flight or escape may be difficult. It may also be believed that help would not be available in the event that they became trapped. There may also be the fear of crowds, bridges, or being outside alone (McIntosh, 2017). Several things to remember about Agoraphobia are:
- Can develop after one or more panic attacks
- Can lead to various fears
- Can make it difficult to leave home
- Can improve with treatments such as antidepressants or anti-anxiety medications (2017).
Other types of Anxiety disorders include:
- Selective mutism: An anxiety that occurs in childhood causing them to not speak in certain situations (2019). Is often diagnosed with other anxiety disorders (n.d.).
- Social Anxiety Disorder: Anxiety stems from an intense fear of social situations and public humiliation. This causes an avoidance of social situations (2019).
- Separation Anxiety: Although commonly thought of with children, can also occur in adults. Anxiety occurs when separated from someone who is important to the individual. There can be a feat that harm will occur to the person they are attached to and nightmares as a result (n.d.).
There are several treatments available for anxiety:
- Psychotherapy: Geared towards specific Anxiety.
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy: A type of psychotherapy that focuses on teaching new thinking, behaviors and reactions towards anxiety.
- Anti-Anxiety Medications: Typically Benzodiazepines are used to relieve anxiety.
- Antidepressants: Improves the way the brain use chemicals to change mood (n.d.).
REFERENCES
AADA. (2019) Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD). Anxiety and Depression Association of America. Retrieved from https://adaa.org/understanding-anxiety/generalized-anxiety-disorder-gad
Brazier, Y. (2017) Everything You Need to Know About Phobias. Medical News Times. Retrieved from https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/249347.php
Felman, A. (2018) What to Know About Anxiety. Medical News Times. Retrieved from https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/323454.php
Holland, K. (2018) Everything You Need to Know About Anxiety. Healthline. Retrieved from https://www.healthline.com/health/anxiety
McIntosh, J. (2017) What you Need to Know About Agoraphobia. Medical News Timed. Retrieved from https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/162169.php
National Institutes of Mental Health. (n.d.) Anxiety Disorders. National Institutes of Health. Retrieved from https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/anxiety-disorders/index.shtml#part_145336
