What is Anxiety Disorder?

Anxiety Disorders

Anxiety disorders are the most common of mental disorders and affect nearly 30 percent of adults at some point in their lives. But anxiety disorders are treatable and a number of effective treatments are available. Treatment helps most people lead normal productive lives.

 

Person with an anxiety disorder has persistent or recurrent anxiety that prevents him or her from full participation in life.

What are the signs and symptoms of Anxiety Disorders?

  • Feeling nervous, restless, or tense
  • Difficulty sleeping
  • Panic attacks
  • Having difficulty controlling worry
  • Physical symptoms, such as increased heart rate, rapid breathing, sweating, and trembling, Tightness of the chest, Muscle tension and tiredness
  • Trouble concentrating or thinking about anything other than the present worry
  • Having the urge to avoid things that trigger anxiety

At Nafsology Psychology Center, we understand that it can be difficult to cope with anxiety, and seeking help can be a struggle.  Anxiety is treatable – get help today!

What causes Anxiety Disorders?

There are many factors that are linked to depression. These may include:

  • Genetic factors – having a close family member, such as a parent or a sibling, who struggles with anxiety
  • Trauma- Experiencing trauma or instability – this can reduce your ability to manage stress effectively, which can lead to you getting anxious
  • Physical or mental health problems – if you already struggle with physical health conditions and or other psychiatric problems, this can make anxiety worse
  • Environmental factors. such as bereavement, divorce, unemployment or financial difficulties

What are the different types of Anxiety Disorders?

  • Generalized Anxiety Disorder

Generalized anxiety disorder involves persistent and excessive worry that interferes with daily activities. This ongoing worry and tension may be accompanied by physical symptoms, such as restlessness, feeling on edge or easily fatigued, difficulty concentrating, muscle tension or problems sleeping. Often the worries focus on everyday things such as job responsibilities, family health or minor matters such as chores, car repairs, or appointments.

  • Panic Disorder

The main symptom of panic disorder is recurrent panic attacks, an overwhelming combination of physical and psychological distress. Because the symptoms are so severe, many people mistaken it with a heart attack or other life-threatening illness. They may go to a hospital emergency department.

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During a panic attack several of these symptoms occur in combination:

  • Feeling of shortness of breath or smothering sensations
  • Chest pain
  • Palpitations, pounding heart or rapid heart rate
  • Sweating
  • Trembling or shaking
  • Numbness or tingling
  • Chills or hot flashes
  • Feeling dizzy, light-headed or faint
  • Feeling of choking
  • Nausea or abdominal pains
  • Feeling detached
  • Fear of losing control
  • Fear of dying
  • Phobias, Specific Phobia

A specific phobia is excessive and persistent fear of a specific object, situation or activity that is generally not harmful. The person knowshis fear is excessive, but he can’t overcome it. These fears cause such distress that some people go to extreme lengths to avoid what they fear. Examples are public speaking, fear of flying or fear of spiders or insects.

  • Agoraphobia

Agoraphobia is the fear of being in situations where escape may be difficult or embarrassing, or help might not be available. The fear is out of proportion to the actual situation and lasts generally six months or more and causes problems in functioning. A person can only be diagnosed with agoraphobia if the fear is significantly interferes with normal daily activities orintensely upsetting.

 

Untreated agoraphobia can become so serious that a person may be unable to leave the house.

 

A person with agoraphobia experiences this fear in two or more of the following situations:

  • Using public transportation
  • Being in open spaces
  • Being in enclosed places
  • Standing in line or being in a crowd
  • Being outside the home alone

The individual actively avoids the situation, requires a companion or endures with intense fear or anxiety.

  • Social Anxiety Disorder (Social phobia)

A person suffering from social anxiety disorder has significant anxiety and discomfort about being embarrassed, humiliated, rejected or looked down on in social interactions. He will try to avoid the situation or endure it with great anxiety. Common examples are extreme fear of public speaking, meeting new people or eating/drinking in public. The fear or anxiety causes problems with daily functioning and lasts at least six months.

  • Separation Anxiety Disorder

A person with separation anxiety disorder is excessively fearful or anxious about separation from those with whom he or she is attached. This feeling is beyond what is appropriate for the person’s age, persists (at least four weeks in children and six months in adults) and causes problems functioning. He/she may be persistently worried about losing the person closest to him or her, may be reluctant or refuse to go out or sleep away from home or without that person, or may experience nightmares about separation. Physical symptoms of distress often develop in childhood, but symptoms can carry though adulthood.

 

How is anxiety treated?

 

At Nafsology, we offer several different treatment options for anxiety.

  • Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
  • Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT)
  • Integrative Psychotherapy
  • Medication and medical support

Expert help for Anxiety Disorders

 

If you or a loved one are living with Anxiety, then it is important that professional support and treatment is urgently sought. Contact us at Nafsology Psychology Center today.