Trish Wickiser
Matt Turner
English 101
December 6, 2010
Anxiety Disorders
Everyone suffers with some level of anxiety, but not everyone will be diagnosed with an anxiety disorder. The five major anxiety disorders are generalized anxiety disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, panic disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, and social phobia. Effective treatments for anxiety disorders are available, and research is yielding new, improved therapies that can help most people with anxiety disorders lead productive, fulfilling lives.
People with generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) go through the day filled with excessive worry and tension, even though there is little or nothing to provoke it. They anticipate disaster and are overly concerned about health issues, money, family problems, or difficulties at work. Sometimes just the thought of getting through the day produces anxiety. These symptoms must be consistent and on-going, persisting at least 6 months, for a formal diagnosis of GAD to be introduced. GAD affects about 6.8 million American adults, including twice as many women as men. The disorder develops gradually and can begin at any point in the life cycle, although the years of highest risk are between childhood and middle age. There is evidence that genes play a modest role in GAD. Other anxiety disorders, depression, or substance abuse, often accompany GAD, which rarely occurs alone. GAD is commonly treated with medication or cognitive-behavioral therapy, but co-occurring conditions must also be treated using the appropriate therapies.
People with Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is an anxiety disorder characterized by intrusive thoughts that produce uneasiness, apprehension, fear, or worry, by repetitive behaviors aimed at reducing anxiety, or by a combination of such thoughts (obsessions) and behaviors (compulsions). Symptoms may include repetitive handwashing, extensive hoarding, preoccupation with sexual or aggressive impulses, or with particular religious beliefs, aversion to odd numbers, and nervous habits, such as opening a door and closing it a certain number of times before one enters or leaves a room. OCD is the fourth most common mental disorder, and is diagnosed nearly as often as asthma. OCD usually responds well to treatment with certain medications and/or exposure-based psychotherapy, in which people face situations that cause fear or anxiety and become less sensitive to them.
Panic disorder is a real illness that can be successfully treated. It is characterized by sudden attacks of terror, usually accompanied by a pounding heart, sweatiness, weakness, faintness, or dizziness. During these attacks, people with panic disorder may flush or feel chilled; their hands may tingle or feel numb; and they may experience nausea, chest pain, or smothering sensations. Panic attacks usually produce a sense of unreality, a fear of impending doom, or a fear of losing control. Panic disorder is not the same as agoraphobia (fear of public places), although many with panic disorder also suffer from ...
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Panic disorder is a real illness that can be successfully treated. It is characterized by sudden attacks of terror, usually accompanied by a pounding heart, sweatiness, weakness, faintness, or dizziness. During these attacks, people with panic disorder may flush or feel chilled; their hands may tingle or feel numb; and they may experience nausea, chest pain, or smothering sensations. Panic attacks usually produce a sense of unreality, a fear of impending doom, or a fear of losing control. Panic disorder is not the same as agoraphobia (fear of public places), although many with panic disorder also suffer from agoraphobia.
PTSD is a severe anxiety disorder that can develop after exposure to any event that results in psychological trauma. Symptoms of PTSD include re-experiencing the original traumas through flashbacks or nightmares. When in danger, it's normal to feel afraid. This fear triggers many split-second changes in the body to prepare to defend against the danger or to avoid it. "This "fight-or-flight" response is a healthy reaction meant to protect a person from harm. But in PTSD, this reaction is changed or damaged. People who have PTSD may feel stressed or frightened even when they're no longer in danger" (NIMH).
Social phobia, also called social anxiety disorder, is diagnosed when people become overwhelmingly anxious and excessively self-conscious in everyday social situations. People with social phobia have an intense, persistent, and chronic fear of being watched and judged by others and of doing things that will embarrass them. They can worry for days or weeks before a dreaded situation. This fear may become so severe that it interferes with work, school, and other ordinary activities, and can make it hard to make and keep friends. Social phobia can be limited to one situation (such as talking to people, eating or drinking, or writing on a blackboard in front of others) or may be so broad (such as in generalized social phobia) that the person experiences anxiety around almost anyone other than the family. Physical symptoms that often accompany social phobia include blushing, profuse sweating, trembling, nausea, and difficulty talking. When these symptoms occur, people with social phobia feel as though all eyes are focused on them. Social phobia affects about 15 million American adults.
Anxiety disorders have several different main causes. In some cases, the cause is biological; in other cases, the cause is emotional. In many cases, the cause is a combination of biological and emotional factors. So, diagnosing an anxiety disorder involves multiple steps to find out the specific causes in each case. If you feel that you're suffering with an anxiety disorder, it's important to seek the help of a medical professional. They can diagnose your anxiety and figure out the best forms of treatment for your situation. When diagnosing an anxiety disorder, First, a doctor will ask some specific questions to pin down your anxiety symptoms. Do you only feel anxious in certain situations? Do you feel a certain level of anxiety all of the time? Do you experience physical symptoms on top of your mental worry? Since there are many different types of anxiety disorders, the doctor needs to determine which one you're dealing with and the severity of the symptoms. The doctor will also want to do a physical exam and find out about your family's medical history. Anxiety disorders can be exacerbated by certain medical conditions and medications, so, if you have a physical health condition, it's important that your doctor know.
If you think you have an anxiety disorder, the first person you should see is your family doctor. A physician can determine whether the symptoms that alarm you are due to an anxiety disorder, another medical condition, or both. If an anxiety disorder is diagnosed, the next step is usually seeing a mental health professional. The practitioners who are most helpful with anxiety disorders are those who have training in cognitive-behavioral therapy and/or behavioral therapy, and who are open to using medication if it is needed. People with anxiety disorders who have already received treatment should tell their current doctor about that treatment in detail. If they received medication, they should tell their doctor what medication was used, what the dosage was at the beginning of treatment, whether the dosage was increased or decreased while they were under treatment, what side effects occurred, and whether the treatment helped them become less anxious. If they received psychotherapy, they should describe the type of therapy, how often they attended sessions, and whether the therapy was useful.
Medication will not cure anxiety disorders, but it can keep them under control while the person receives psychotherapy. Medication must be prescribed by physicians, usually psychiatrists, who can either offer psychotherapy themselves or work as a team with psychologists, social workers, or counselors who provide psychotherapy. The principal medications used for anxiety disorders are antidepressants, anti-anxiety drugs, and beta-blockers to control some of the physical symptoms. With proper treatment, many people with anxiety disorders can lead normal, fulfilling lives.
"Antidepressant medications and benzodiazepines are mainstays
in the pharmacological treatment of panic disorder. As
we have seen, antidepressant medications come in several
different forms, including the older tricyclic antidepressants
(TCAs), such as imipramine, amitriptyline, and doxepin, and
monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs), such as phenelzine
and tranylcypromine, as well as in more recently developed
agents, including the serotonin-specific reuptake inhibitors
(SSRIs), such as fluoxetine, sertraline, and paroxetine" (Root 45).
These medications, with the exception of the benzodiazepines, generally take about two to three weeks to be fully effective. SSRIs have fewer side effects than older antidepressants, but they sometimes produce slight nausea or jitters when people first start to take them. MAOIs can also react with SSRIs to produce a serious condition called serotonin syndrome, which can cause confusion, hallucinations, increased sweating, muscle stiffness, seizures, changes in blood pressure or heart rhythm, and other potentially life-threatening conditions.
Psychotherapy involves talking with a trained mental health professional, such as a psychiatrist, psychologist, social worker, or counselor, to discover what caused an anxiety disorder and how to deal with its symptoms. Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) is very useful in treating anxiety disorders. The cognitive part helps people change the thinking patterns that support their fears, and the behavioral part helps people change the way they react to anxiety-provoking situations. Exposure-based behavioral therapy has been used for many years to treat specific phobias. The person gradually encounters the object or situation that is feared, perhaps at first only through pictures or tapes, then later face-to-face. "People with OCD who fear dirt and germs are encouraged to get their hands dirty and wait increasing amounts of time before washing them"(Heller).
Works Cited
Heller, Sharon. "PART 4 ANXIETY...PANIC... OBSESSIONS...TRAUMA..." The Complete Idiot's Guide to Conquering Fear and Anxiety. New York: Alpha, 1999. N. pag. Print.
"NIMH · Anxiety Disorders." NIMH · Home. N.p., n.d. Web. 01 Dec. 2010. <http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/anxiety-disorders/index.shtml>.
Root, Benjamin A. Understanding Panic and Other Anxiety Disorders. Jackson: University of Mississippi, 2000. Print.
Wickiser
