Anxiety Disorders
Everyone feels anxious in certain situations, but anxiety disorders can make it difficult to function.
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SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS
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About Anxiety Disorders
Anxiety is a feeling of worry that can be a completely normal response to stress. However, it can also be out of proportion to what’s going on or be impossible to control. Anxiety can feel so overwhelming that a person’s ability to work, study, interact with people, or follow a daily routine is affected. Anxiety disorders are the most common mental illnesses in the US.Anxiety can be a real medical condition, developing from a complex set of biological and environmental factors, including genetics, biochemistry and traumatic life events. Generalized anxiety disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, panic disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder and phobias are all types of anxiety disorders.
Generalized Anxiety Disorder
People suffering from generalized anxiety experience excessive and uncontrollable worries about common things in a way that is disproportionate to the source of worry. This anxiety interferes with day-to-day life and can manifest in physical symptoms such as headaches, nausea, trembling and fidgeting.
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder
People with OCD experience intrusive and repetitive thoughts and obsessions, which result in compulsive behaviors and rules aimed at preventing an imaginary dreaded event. OCD can be an extremely disabling illness that interferes with work, school and social obligations. A person with OCD knows that their thoughts and behaviors don’t make sense but is unable to control them. Approximately 6 to 9 million Americans have obsessive-compulsive disorder; that’s between 2% and 3% of the population.
Panic Disorder
Panic disorder is characterized by recurring panic attacks, in which a person feels extreme physical anxiety that can last 1-10 minutes. Panic disorder typically develops in late adolescence or early adulthood, but not everyone who experiences panic attacks will develop panic disorder. Many people have just one attack and never have another. Avoiding certain situations can prevent panic attacks in the short-term, but panic attacks can worsen over time without proper treatment.
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
PTSD is an anxiety disorder that can develop after experiencing a traumatic event. Brain imaging studies show that a part of the brain critical to memory and emotion appears to be different in people with PTSD. These changes are thought to be responsible for intrusive memories and flashbacks that occur in people with this disorder. Post-traumatic stress disorder flashbacks may be so strong that individuals feel like they are actually reliving the traumatic event.
Social Phobia
Social phobia is a disorder that causes a person distress in social situations. Fear of judgment and interaction can interfere with a person’s daily life, and social phobia can cause physical symptoms such as trembling, nausea and sweating in social situations.
Phobias
A phobia is the excessive or unreasonable fear of something, and the desire to avoid the feared object. Approximately 5-10% of the US population has one or more phobias.
Dealing with Anxiety
Fortunately, it is possible to manage anxiety with counseling and/or medication. Many anxiety disorders respond well to cognitive behavioral approaches. If you think that you or someone you know may have an anxiety disorder, contact your school’s health or counseling service, especially if thoughts of suicide are present.
Resources
Help is often available on or around campuses through the following resources:- Student counseling center
- Student health service
- Resident hall director, dean, academic advisor, tutor, or faculty
- Campus religious or spiritual leader
- Community mental health center
- Local crisis center or hotlines
United States:
National Suicide Prevention Hotline
With more than 130 crisis centers across the country, our mission is to provide immediate assistance to anyone seeking mental health services.
Helpline: (800) 273-8255 (TALK)
International:
Samaritans
Provides confidential non-judgmental emotional support, 24 hours a day for people who are experiencing feelings of distress or despair, including those which could lead to suicide – in the United Kingdom and in many other regions around the world
For further information:
Anxiety Network
Provides information and help for social anxiety, panic disorder and generalized anxiety.
Anxiety Disorders Association of America
Dedicated to the prevention, treatment, and cure of anxiety disorders and to improving the lives of all people who suffer from them.
Mental Health America
Dedicated to helping ALL people live mentally healthier lives.
National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI)
The nation’s largest grassroots organization for people with mental illness and their families.
Helpline: (866) 615-6464
National Institute of Mental Health MedlinePlus
News, overview, clinical trials, research, treatment, organizations on anxiety provided by National Institute of Mental Health.
