A Look at Anxiety Disorders
Occasional anxiety in the
face of a real threat is a normal and adaptive response to what is
happening in one’s
life. Anxiety disorders impair a person’s ability to function and live
a satisfying life. They can be paralyzing. Anxiety disorders are the most common
mental health disorders; they range from mild to very debilitating. Depression
and anxiety disorders are often coexisting conditions. Half of those people who
have an anxiety disorder also have some symptoms of depression.
There are several different
types of anxiety disorders:
Panic Disorder
This disorder
is characterized by unexpected and repeated attacks of intense
fear accompanied by physical symptoms, which may include chest pain,
heart palpitations, shortness of breath, dizziness, tingling, chills
or hot flashes. These attacks usually begin abruptly and build to
a peak, often within the span of ten minutes. Although panic attacks
can be brought on by specific triggers, they can also occur for
no obvious reason. Not everyone who has a panic attack has panic
disorder. Panic disorder is only diagnosed if the person has experienced
a number of panic attacks and changes their behavior to avoid the
possibility of having another one, or worries constantly about having
further attacks. Panic disorder is more often found in women and
usually appears between late adolescence and the mid-thirties.
Social Anxiety Disorder
Social
anxiety disorder is a greatly exaggerated fear of social situations,
fear of meeting new people, being embarrassed, humiliated, or
judged by others. This disorder usually appears in childhood or mid-teens.
It affects about 5 million Americans, slightly more women than
men.
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder
Obsessive-compulsive is a
disorder in which one is constantly plagued with certain unwelcome
thoughts or images (obsessions), and feels the need to then perform
rituals (compulsions) to prevent or get rid of these obsessions.
Performing these rituals is not pleasurable, but does result in a
feeling of temporary relief from the anxiety that is caused by not
performing them. Although each case is different, these obsessions
and compulsions are typically experienced for more than an hour each
day in a way that interferes with life or causes anxiety. Symptoms
may come and go, may ease over time, or may get worse over time.
Common obsessions include: fear of germs, fixation on lucky/unlucky
numbers, fear of danger, need for order/exactness, or excessive doubt.
Ritualistic hand washing, counting, hoarding, arranging, or checking
are common compulsions.
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
Post-traumatic stress disorder
afflicts an estimated 5 million adults and an underestimated number
of children. It is now recognized as the second most common anxiety
disorder. Symptoms of this disorder include repeated experiencing
of a terrifying event or trauma, sleep disturbances, depression,
emotional numbness, irritability, intense feelings of guilt, and
physical complaints such as headaches and chest pain. These symptoms
last longer than one month and severely impede proper functioning,
resulting in a constant sense of hyperarousal. They usually appear
within three months of the traumatic event but may surface several
months or even years later.
Generalized Anxiety Disorder
This disorder presents as
excessive anxiety and worry about several everyday events or activities,
to the point where this worry interferes with daily work and social
settings. The worry cannot be overcome despite the fact that the
person realizes their worry is exaggerated.
Physical symptoms include fatigue, headaches, edginess, difficulty
concentrating, irritability, muscle tension, trembling or twitching,
sweating, hot flashes, and sleep disturbances.
What causes anxiety disorders?
Anxiety disorders seem to be caused by a genetic predisposition,
environment and life experiences. Anxiety disorders often run in
families and may be the result of one’s brain chemistry.
What effect does recreational
drug use have on anxiety disorders? Caffeine may help with wakefulness
but can make anxiety worse. Regular or heavy alcohol use can worsen
most psychological states, such as anxiety, depression, bipolar,
schizophrenia, or eating problems. While alcohol can superficially
change the way a person feels in the short run, its overall effect
is to exacerbate the anxiety disorder. Marijuana and other drugs
can have similar or more serious effects on the brain.
How can anxiety disorders
be treated? Almost everyone with an anxiety disorder can be helped
with proper treatment. Treatments for anxiety include psychotherapy,
medication and lifestyle changes such as exercise and proper nutrition.
The most common medications for the treatment of anxiety disorders
are antidepressants and benzodiazepines. In addition, there are
several other drugs on the market that treat anxiety disorders,
and new ones are being developed. Of the many types of therapy
available currently, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) seems to
the most effective in treating anxiety disorders. Interpersonal
therapy and response therapy also have been found to be helpful.
The above information was
supplied by: NAMI on Campus, 2107 Wilson Blvd., Ste. 300, Arlington,
VA 22201, Ph: 703-524-7600, E-mail: namioncampus@nami.org, Website:
www.nami.org/FindSuppor/NAMonCampus
The Peace of Mind Prescription
by Dennis S Charney, and Charles
B Nemeroff
To receive more detailed
information on some of these disorders, please call the NAMI toll-free
helpline: (800) 950 NAMI (6264) or visit www.nami.org for
more information. Please note: Nami-MN’s
New Address! 800 Transfer Road, Suite 7A Saint Paul, MN 55114 phone:
651-645-2948 toll free: 1-888-473-0237 fax: 651-645-7379 e-mail:
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