Anxiety Disorders

Anxiety disorders are a range of conditions, both psychological and chemical, in which the patient suffers great fear from being around other people. Recent times have shown an increasing trend in the occurrence of anxiety disorders, and is more frequent in women than men. Statistics indicate that anxiety disorders account for over 30% of annual US expenditures for psychiatric illness, totally over $46 billion.

There are many different types of anxiety disorders including panic disorders, obsessive-compulsive disorders, post-traumatic stress disorders, phobias and generalized anxiety disorders.

Panic disorders involve repeated episodes of intense fear and can include chest pains, abdominal distress, feelings of unreality, heart palpitations, shortness of breath, dizziness and fear of dying.

Obsessive-compulsive disorder is characteristic of recurring, unwanted thoughts that are difficult to control. The compulsions occur as repeated “ritual-like” behaviors like checking the water faucet repeatedly

Those suffering from posttraumatic stress syndrome (PTSS) usually experience anxiety, sleeplessness, nightmares and concentration problems as a result of a disaster like the World Trade Center tragedy. They fear that any tragedy can repeat itself and avoid anything that reminds them of the disaster.

People with social phobias are generally introverted and avoid social gathering and activities, and those suffering from specific phobias perceive danger from things that are otherwise absolutely devoid of the same.

In generalized anxiety disorder a person actually heighten the level of worry and tension with different things associated with day-to-day life that otherwise have a negligible amount of stress associated with them. Physical symptoms of generalized anxiety disorder are muscle tension, headache, fatigue, trembling or nausea.

By Seth Miller