Anxiety

The National Institute of Mental Health reports that about 18 percent of American adults are affected by an anxiety disorder in a given year. There are many different variations of anxiety disorders and anxiety affects each person differently.

Everyone occasionally feels anxious or nervous about certain events or situations in their life. However, some people struggle with abnormal levels of anxiety that interfere with their daily life, work and relationships.

Panic attacks or anxiety attacks are common among anxiety suffers. Panic attacks may be a symptom of another anxiety disorder, but alone they also contribute to panic disorder. This disorder contributes to the occurrence of panic attacks in people. They often take place with no warning and result in sudden feelings of fear and terror combined with a fast beating heart, shortness of breath, sweating, dizziness and disorientation. During the attack, people say they have trouble catching their breath, feel cold and experience nausea. They are usually accompanied by a sense of losing control. They can last as little as a few minutes or up to an hour. Panic disorder can be treated effectively with medication and relaxation and cognitive psychotherapy.

General anxiety disorder (GAD) is another commonly diagnosed anxiety problem. It is characterized by excessive worry or fear about everyday situations and the inability to let go. People who suffer from GAD also cannot concentrate very well and have trouble sleeping. They might also worry about small things to an excessive degree.

Those affected by GAD often know that they are worrying too much but they cannot let go. Doctors will look at patterns of anxiety to diagnose GAD, for instance if you have a myriad of anxiety-related problems on a daily basis over a long period of time. They also may consider the recurrence of panic attacks. Under proper treatment, people with GAD can function as normal but they may still avoid certain situations or places knowing their anxiety may be triggered.

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is another kind of anxiety disorder. OCD is characterized by obsessive behavior that usually revolves around rituals and repetitive behavior. The rituals are used as a way to control the anxiety from the OCD.

For instance, if the person is obsessed with cleanliness, they may shower several times a day or wash their hair and hands over and over in a single day. Similarly, people with OCD may check their locks a certain number of times before they leave the house to calm their fear and anxiety about safety. Some people joke about having OCD if they like a clean house or things a certain way. However, in reality OCD is a serious problem that affects some people’s ability to function requiring therapy and medication.

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is another type of anxiety disorder. PTSD often occurs in people after they have a terrifying event where they experienced physical and/or emotional harm. PTSD can stem from a number of situations including war, muggings, rape, car accidents, natural disasters and health scares.

Those who develop PTSD may become depressed after the incident, lose interest in things they used to do, have trouble sleeping or working. Some with PTSD have been known to be violent or aggressive. Similar to those with GAD or panic disorder, PTSD sufferers will avoid situations that remind them of the pain or feelings from the original incident. They also tend to have flashbacks of the incident that keeps them in fear and pain.

Symptoms of PTSD usually surface within three months of the incident. Addressing PTSD depends on the severity of the situation and some people never recover. However, medication has proven successful in treating PTSD along with psychotherapy.