Overview
Anxiety is a normal stress reaction 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% of adults at some point in their lives. But anxiety disorders are treatable and several effective treatments are available. Treatment helps most people lead normal productive lives.
What are anxiety disorders?
It’s normal to feel anxious about moving to a new place, starting a new job, or taking a test. This type of anxiety is unpleasant, but it may motivate you to work harder and to do a better job. Ordinary anxiety is a feeling that comes and goes but does not interfere with your everyday life.
In the case of an anxiety disorder, the feeling of fear may be with you all the time. It is intense and sometimes debilitating.
This type of anxiety may cause you to stop doing things you enjoy. It may prevent you from entering an elevator, crossing the street, or even leaving your home in extreme cases. If left untreated, the anxiety will keep getting worse.
Anxiety disorders are the most common form of emotional disorder and can affect anyone at any age. According to the American Psychiatric Association, women are more likely than men to be diagnosed with an anxiety disorder.
Types of anxiety disorder
Panic disorder: experiencing recurring panic attacks at unexpected times. A person with panic disorder may live in fear of the next panic attack.
Phobia: excessive fear of a specific object, situation, or activity.
social anxiety disorder: extreme fear of being judged by others in social situations.
Obsessive-compulsive disorder: recurring irrational thoughts that lead you to perform specific, repeated behaviors.
Separation anxiety disorder: fear of being away from home or loved ones
illness anxiety disorder: anxiety about your health (formerly called hypochondria).
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD): anxiety following a traumatic event.
Symptoms
Generalized anxiety disorder symptoms include:
Feeling restless, wound-up, or on-edge
Being easily fatigued
Having difficulty concentrating; mind going blank
Being irritable
Having muscle tension
Difficulty controlling feelings of worry
Having sleep problems, such as difficulty falling or staying asleep, restlessness, or unsatisfying sleep
Risk Factors
The causes of anxiety disorders are currently unknown but likely involve a combination of genetic, environmental, psychological, and developmental factors. Anxiety disorders can run in families, suggesting that a combination of genes and environmental stresses can produce the disorders.
Diagnosis and Treatment
The first step is to see your doctor make sure there is no physical problem causing the symptoms. If an anxiety disorder is diagnosed, a mental health professional can work with you on finding the best treatment. Unfortunately, many people with anxiety disorders don’t seek help. They don’t realize that they have an illness for which there are effective treatments.
Although each anxiety disorder has unique characteristics, most respond well to two types of treatment: psychotherapy, or “talk therapy,” and medications. These treatments can be given alone or in combination. Cognitive behavior therapy (CBT), a type of talk therapy, can help a person learn a different way of thinking, reacting, and behaving to help them feel less anxious. Medications will not cure anxiety disorders but can provide significant relief from symptoms. The most commonly used medications are anti-anxiety medications (generally prescribed only for a short period) and antidepressants. Beta-blockers, used for heart conditions, are sometimes used to control physical symptoms of anxiety.
