| Anxiety disorders are the most common | | | | checking the toaster) to relieve the anxiety. Over |
| psychiatric conditions affecting people today. Both | | | | one third of individuals who suffer from obsessive |
| children and adults today are susceptible to these | | | | compulsive disorder began to demonstrate signs |
| conditions. In the US, approximately 19 million | | | | of the disease in childhood. |
| adults suffer from some type of anxiety disorder. | | | | Panic Disorder: A panic disorder is characterized |
| These conditions affect people's lives on a daily | | | | by intense attacks that cause the sufferer to |
| basis, restricting their ability to work, relax, eat, | | | | experience such symptoms as heart palpitations, |
| and even sleep. Anxiety disorders are chronic, | | | | chest pain or discomfort, sweating, trembling, |
| relentless, and they can grow progressively worse | | | | tingling sensations, feeling of choking, fear of |
| if not treated. Here's a closer look at some | | | | dying, fear of losing control, and loss of touch |
| common anxiety disorders such as generalized | | | | with reality. People with panic disorder have |
| anxiety disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder, | | | | feelings of terror that strike suddenly and |
| panic disorder, phobias, post traumatic stress | | | | repeatedly with no warning. They can't predict |
| disorder, and social anxiety disorder. | | | | when an attack will occur, and many develop |
| Generalized Anxiety Disorder: Also called GAD, this | | | | intense anxiety between episodes, worrying when |
| is a common anxiety disorder characterized by | | | | and where the next one will strike. These attacks |
| chronic episodes of "free floating" anxiety or | | | | may be triggered by a stressful event or they |
| apprehension that are not linked to a specific | | | | may come on for no discernible reason. People |
| cause or situation. These episodes of GAD may | | | | who suffer from panic attacks are often |
| last for six months or more. Stressful life events, | | | | uncomfortable in new or unfamiliar environments |
| such as moving, changing jobs, losing a loved one, | | | | since they may be unsure of how they will get |
| or suffering a financial hardship can trigger or | | | | themselves to safety if an attack should occur. |
| contribute to the anxiety. Muscle tension, | | | | For this reason, panic disorders often occur with |
| sweating, difficulty swallowing, edginess, nausea, | | | | agoraphobia, in which people are afraid of any |
| trembling, insomnia, abdominal upsets, dizziness, | | | | strange places. Women are twice as likely as men |
| and irritability are the common physical symptoms | | | | to suffer from a panic disorder. |
| of generalized anxiety disorder. Women are twice | | | | Phobias: Many people experience a healthy |
| as likely as men to be affected by this condition. | | | | amount of fear or apprehension when faced with |
| Obsessive Compulsive Disorder: OCD is commonly | | | | scary objects like spiders or situations such as |
| joked about in movies and television programs. | | | | looking over the edge of a cliff. But people who |
| Jack Nicholson's character in As Good as It Gets | | | | are intensely afraid of a specific object or |
| suffered from obsessive compulsive anxiety | | | | situation may be suffering from an anxiety |
| disorder. However, sufferers of the condition, and | | | | disorder known as a phobia. A phobic person |
| their loved ones, don't find it to be a joking | | | | displays a level of fear that is irrational and |
| matter. With this condition, individuals are plagued | | | | disproportionate to the situation. Specific phobias |
| by constant thoughts or obsessions that create | | | | often lead sufferers to avoid normal, everyday |
| fear and anxiety. For instance, a sufferer of | | | | situations. Over 14 million adult Americans are |
| obsessive-compulsive disorder might constantly | | | | affected by one type of phobia or another. Some |
| fear being contaminated by germs or burning | | | | of the more common specific phobias are |
| down the house. These obsessions compel the | | | | centered around closed-in places, heights, |
| person to compulsively complete a routine or | | | | escalators, tunnels, highway driving, water, flying, |
| series of routines (such as washing hands or | | | | dogs, and injuries involving blood. |