| Anxiety is a feeling of unease. Anxiety is only | | | | disorders: |
| considered to be a mental health problem when it | | | | 1. Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD): People with |
| is prolonged, severe and is interfering with | | | | Generalized Anxiety Disorder feel anxious nearly |
| everyday activities. Fortunately, most anxiety | | | | all of the time, though they may not even know |
| disorders are highly treatable with psychotherapy, | | | | why. |
| drugs, or a combination of both. There are at | | | | 2. Phobias: A phobia is an unrealistic or |
| least nine identified types of anxiety disorders, | | | | exaggerated fear of a specific object, activity, or |
| include generalized anxiety disorder, social anxiety, | | | | situation that in reality presents little to no danger. |
| obsessive compulsive disorder, panic disorder, | | | | Common phobias include fear of animals such as |
| post traumatic stress disorder, specific phobia, | | | | snakes and spiders, fear of flying, and fear of |
| separation anxiety, school avoidance, and | | | | heights. |
| agoraphobia. Anxiety disorders in children can | | | | 3. Social Phobia: Social anxiety disorder can be |
| range from a simple adjustment disorder to more | | | | thought of as extreme shyness. |
| difficult and debilitating disorders such as panic | | | | 4. Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD): It is |
| disorder and posttraumatic stress disorder. It's | | | | characterized by unwanted thoughts or behaviors |
| normal to feel anxious when facing something | | | | that seem impossible to stop or control. |
| difficult or dangerous, and mild anxiety can be a | | | | 5. Separation Anxiety: Separation anxiety is a |
| positive and useful experience. Excessive anxiety | | | | normal part of child development. |
| is often associated with other mental health | | | | 6. Panic Attacks and Panic Disorder: Panic disorder |
| problems, such as depression. Unfortunately, | | | | is characterized by repeated, unexpected panic |
| many people with anxiety disorders don't seek | | | | attacks. |
| treatment because they do not believe they have | | | | Symptoms of Anxiety: |
| a legitimate illness, or they fear the reaction of | | | | The symptoms can include: |
| family and friends. | | | | 1. Abdominal discomfort. |
| Sometimes anxiety can be associated with a | | | | 2. Rapid heartbeat or palpitations. |
| physical illness, such as thyroid disorder. For this | | | | 3. Shortness of breath. |
| reason it's advisable to see your GP in order to | | | | 4. Frequent urination |
| rule out a physical cause. Symptoms occur with | | | | 5. Feeling worried or uneasy all the time |
| varying frequency and intensity but may include all | | | | 6. An inability to concentrate |
| of those listed above as well as trembling, chest | | | | 7. Depersonalisation. |
| pain, nausea, and fear. You may fear you are | | | | Treatment For Anxiety disorders: |
| going crazy or dying. Some people may also have | | | | The treatment will depend upon which type of |
| a sense of being detached from reality. Anxiety | | | | anxiety you are experiencing and how severe it is. |
| can be a long-term disorder where you feel | | | | Cognitive-behavior therapy is very effective in |
| worried most of the time about things that might | | | | the treatment of anxiety disorders. Tranquilisers, |
| go wrong. Cognitive behavioral therapy is often | | | | such as benzodiazepine tablets, may help to |
| used, as is psychotherapy and stress | | | | relieve some short-term stress-related anxieties. |
| management techniques. Drugs used to treat | | | | However, they shouldn't be taken for long periods |
| anxiety include selective serotonin reuptake | | | | because of the risk of addiction. For this reason |
| inhibitors, tricyclic antidepressants, beta-blockers, | | | | they aren't usually prescribed. Antidepressants can |
| and monoamine oxidase inhibitors. Often, a | | | | treat certain anxiety disorders such as generalised |
| combination of therapies works best. | | | | anxiety disorder, social phobia, OCD, and anxiety |
| What are the types of Anxiety disorders? | | | | associated with depression. |
| There are several major types of anxiety | | | | |