ANXIETY DISORDERS
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Everyone feels anxious now and then. It’s a normal emotion. For example, you may feel nervous when faced with a problem at work, before taking a test, or before making an important decision. Anxiety is a normal reaction to stress and can be beneficial in some situations. It can alert us to dangers and help us prepare and pay attention.
Anxiety disorders differ from normal feelings of nervousness or anxiousness, and involve excessive fear or anxiety. Anxiety disorders are the most common of mental disorders and affect nearly 30 percent of adults at some point in their lives. The distress they cause can keep you from carrying on with your life normally.
Anxiety disorders can cause people into try to avoid situations that trigger or worsen their symptoms. Job
There are several types of anxiety disorders, including
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GENERALIZED ANXIETY DISORDER
GAD: Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) is characterized by persistent and excessive worry about a number of different things. People with GAD may anticipate disaster and may be overly concerned about money, health, family, work, or other issues. Individuals with GAD find it difficult to control their worry. They may worry more than seems warranted about actual events or may expect the worst even when there is no apparent reason for concern.
Daily life becomes a constant state of worry, fear, and dread. Eventually, the anxiety so dominates the person's thinking that it interferes with daily functioning, including work, school, social activities, and relationships.
Generalized Anxiety Disorder can present itself mentally and physically. If you think you are suffering from this condition, you might be experiencing some of the following signs and symptoms:
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Perpetual state of constant worry
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Inability to relax or enjoy quiet time
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Muscle tightness or body aches
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Avoidance of stressful situations
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Difficulty concentrating or focusing on things
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Constant feelings of dread or apprehension
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Intrusive thoughts of things that cause you to worry – even when you try to stop thinking about them
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Not being able to sleep at all or to sleep well because you are in a constant state of worry
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Feeling jumpy, on edge, or restless
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Stomach upset – including nausea and diarrhea
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Heart palpitations – feeling like your heart is racing
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Trembles or shakes
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Sweating and dry mouth
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Having difficulty breathing and/or feeling like you are choking
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Feeling lightheaded or dizzy
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Cold chills or hot flashes
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Numbness or tingling sensations
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In addition, people with GAD often have other anxiety disorders (such as panic disorder or phobias), obsessive-compulsive disorder, clinical depression, or additional problems with drug or alcohol misuse.
PANIC DISORDER
Panic disorder is a type of anxiety disorder. It causes panic attacks, which are sudden feelings of terror when there is no real danger. You may feel as if you are losing control. Panic attacks can happen anytime, anywhere, and without warning. You may live in fear of another attack and may avoid places where you have had an attack. For some people, fear takes over their lives and they cannot leave their homes. Even though the symptoms of this disorder can be quite overwhelming and frightening, they can be managed and improved with treatment
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Panic attacks produce intense fear that begins suddenly, often with no warning. An attack typically lasts for 10 to 20 minutes, but in extreme cases, symptoms may last for more than an hour. The experience is different for everyone, and symptoms often vary.
Common symptoms associated with a panic attack include:
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racing heartbeat or palpitations
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shortness of breath
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feeling like you are choking
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dizziness (vertigo)
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lightheadedness
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nausea
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sweating or chills
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shaking or trembling
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changes in mental state, including a feeling of derealization (feeling of unreality) or depersonalization (being detached from oneself)
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numbness or tingling in your hands or feet
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chest pain or tightness
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fear that you might die
The symptoms of a panic attack often occur for no clear reason. Typically, the symptoms are not proportionate to the level of danger that exists in the environment. Because these attacks can’t be predicted, they can significantly affect your functioning.
PHOBIA
The term "phobia" refers to a group of anxiety symptoms brought on by certain objects or situations.
A specific phobia, formerly called a simple phobia, is a lasting and unreasonable fear caused by the presence or thought of a specific object or situation that usually poses little or no actual danger. Exposure to the object or situation brings about an immediate reaction, causing the person to endure intense anxiety(nervousness) or to avoid the object or situation entirely. The distress associated with the phobia and/or the need to avoid the object or situation can significantly interfere with the person's ability to function. Adults with a specific phobia recognize that the fear is excessive or unreasonable, yet are unable to overcome it.
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There are different types of specific phobias, based on the object or situation feared, including:
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Animal phobias: Examples include the fear of dogs, snakes, insects, or mice. Animal phobias are the most common specific phobias.
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Situational phobias: These involve a fear of specific situations, such as flying, riding in a car or on public transportation, driving, going over bridges or in tunnels, or of being in a closed-in place, like an elevator.
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Natural environment phobias: Examples include the fear of storms, heights, or water.
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Blood-injection-injury phobias: These involve a fear of being injured, of seeing blood or of invasive medical procedures, such as blood tests or injections
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Other phobias: These include a fear of falling down, a fear of loud sounds, and a fear of costumed characters, such as clowns.
AGORAPHOBIA
Agoraphobia is a type of anxiety disorder in which you fear and avoid places or situations that might cause you to panic and make you feel trapped, helpless or embarrassed. You fear an actual or anticipated situation, such as using public transportation, being in open or enclosed spaces, standing in line, or being in a crowd.
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The anxiety is caused by fear that there's no easy way to escape or get help if the anxiety intensifies. Most people who have agoraphobia develop it after having one or more panic attacks, causing them to worry about having another attack and avoid the places where it may happen again.
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People with agoraphobia often have a hard time feeling safe in any public place, especially where crowds gather. You may feel that you need a companion, such as a relative or friend, to go with you to public places. The fear can be so overwhelming that you may feel unable to leave your home.
Agoraphobia treatment can be challenging because it usually means confronting your fears. But with psychotherapy and medications, you can escape the trap of agoraphobia and live a more enjoyable life.
Symptoms
Typical agoraphobia symptoms include fear of:
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Leaving home alone
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Crowds or waiting in line
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Enclosed spaces, such as movie theaters, elevators or small stores
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Open spaces, such as parking lots, bridges or malls
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Using public transportation, such as a bus, plane or train
These situations cause anxiety because you fear you won't be able to escape or find help if you start to feel panicked or have other disabling or embarrassing symptoms.
SOCIAL ANXIETY DISORDER
The defining feature of social anxiety disorder, also called social phobia, is intense anxiety or fear of being judged, negatively evaluated, or rejected in a social or performance situation. People with social anxiety disorder may worry about acting or appearing visibly anxious (e.g., blushing, stumbling over words), or being viewed as stupid, awkward, or boring.
As a result, they often avoid social or performance situations, and when a situation cannot be avoided, they experience significant anxiety and distress.
Many people with social anxiety disorder also experience strong physical symptoms, such as a rapid heart rate, nausea, and sweating, and may experience full-blown attacks when confronting a feared situation. Although they recognize that their fear is excessive and unreasonable, people with social anxiety disorder often feel powerless against their anxiety.
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In contrast to everyday nervousness, social anxiety disorder includes fear, anxiety and avoidance that interfere with daily routine, work, school or other activities. Social anxiety disorder typically begins in the early to mid-teens, though it can sometimes start in younger children or in adults.
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Emotional and behavioral symptoms
Signs and symptoms of social anxiety disorder can include persistent:
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Fear of situations in which you may be judged
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Worrying about embarrassing or humiliating yourself
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Intense fear of interacting or talking with strangers
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Fear that others will notice that you look anxious
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Fear of physical symptoms that may cause you embarrassment, such as blushing, sweating, trembling or having a shaky voice
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Having anxiety in anticipation of a feared activity or event
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Enduring a social situation with intense fear or anxiety
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Spending time after a social situation analyzing your performance and identifying flaws in your interactions
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Social anxiety disorder can wreak havoc on the lives of those who suffer from it. For example, individuals may decline a job opportunity that requires frequent interaction with new people or avoid going out to eat with friends due to a fear that their hands will shake when eating or drinking. Symptoms may be so extreme that they disrupt daily life and can interfere significantly with daily routines, occupational performance, or social life, making it difficult to complete school, interview and get a job, and have friendships and romantic relationships. People with social anxiety disorder are also at an increased risk for developing major depressive disorder and alcohol use disorders.
POST TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER
PTSD: Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a mental health condition that's triggered by a terrifying event — either experiencing it or witnessing it. Symptoms may include flashbacks, nightmares and severe anxiety, as well as uncontrollable thoughts about the event.
Most people who go through traumatic events may have temporary difficulty adjusting and coping, but with time and good self-care, they usually get better. If the symptoms get worse, last for months or even years, and interfere with your day-to-day functioning, you may have PTSD. Getting effective treatment after PTSD symptoms develop can be critical to reduce symptoms and improve function.
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Symptoms
Post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms may start within one month of a traumatic event, but sometimes symptoms may not appear until years after the event. These symptoms cause significant problems in social or work situations and in relationships. They can also interfere with your ability to go about your normal daily tasks.
PTSD symptoms are generally grouped into four types: intrusive memories, avoidance, negative changes in thinking and mood, and changes in physical and emotional reactions. Symptoms can vary over time or vary from person to person.
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Intrusive memories
Symptoms of intrusive memories may include:
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Recurrent, unwanted distressing memories of the traumatic event
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Reliving the traumatic event as if it were happening again (flashbacks)
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Upsetting dreams or nightmares about the traumatic event
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Severe emotional distress or physical reactions to something that reminds you of the traumatic event
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Avoidance
Symptoms of avoidance may include:
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Trying to avoid thinking or talking about the traumatic event
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Avoiding places, activities or people that remind you of the traumatic event
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Negative changes in thinking and mood
Symptoms of negative changes in thinking and mood may include:
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Negative thoughts about yourself, other people or the world
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Hopelessness about the future
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Memory problems, including not remembering important aspects of the traumatic event
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Difficulty maintaining close relationships
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Feeling detached from family and friends
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Lack of interest in activities you once enjoyed
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Changes in physical and emotional reactions
Symptoms of changes in physical and emotional reactions (also called arousal symptoms) may include:
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Being easily startled or frightened
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Always being on guard for danger
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Self-destructive behavior, such as drinking too much or driving too fast
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Trouble sleeping
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Trouble concentrating
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Irritability, angry outbursts or aggressive behavior
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Overwhelming guilt or shame
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Intensity of symptoms
PTSD symptoms can vary in intensity over time. You may have more PTSD symptoms when you're stressed in general, or when you come across reminders of what you went through. For example, you may hear a car backfire and relive combat experiences. Or you may see a report on the news about a sexual assault and feel overcome by memories of your own assault.
DISORDERS
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SEEK HELP
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Mental health has been an increasingly popular topic of conversation recently, and rightfully so. With this website we aim to familiarise the general audience with the basics of mental health. This includes basic disorders, recovery and how one should go about the nooks and crooks of mental health, all under one URL.