| Anxiety problems, and mental health problems in | | | | specifically defined and are known as generalized |
| general, seem to be on the increase in our fast paced | | | | anxiety disorders. They are characterised by a |
| modern day society. More and more anxiety and | | | | constant and persistent fear of or worry about |
| related disorders seem to be in the news. | | | | ordinary things. |
| Anxiety and its associated disorders are the most | | | | Of course there are always situations where almost |
| common of all the mental illnesses that afflict us. It is | | | | everyone would be anxious, these happen to all of us |
| estimated that around 20% of the adult population will | | | | in our lives and it is normal to be anxious when |
| be affected by some form of anxiety disorder at | | | | encountering situations such as these. The mere fact |
| some stage in their lives. For a population as large as | | | | that an individual is suffering from some form of worry |
| ours that is a large number of people indeed. | | | | or fear is not of itself evidence of an anxiety disorder. |
| People with some form of anxiety disorder are more | | | | But people who suffer from generalized anxiety |
| likely to use scarce health care resources. They go to | | | | disorders suffer from a continuing fear or worry when |
| the doctor more often than average, and are more | | | | there is no reason to fear or worry. That is the |
| likely to end up in hospital than the average. | | | | important distinction, there is no need to be scared or |
| This of course places a large burden on our health | | | | worried, but they continue to be. |
| care system and the amounts of money spent on | | | | This condition can take over their lives to the point |
| combating anxiety and its related disorders is massive. | | | | where they feel they cannot control it and it is |
| It is estimated at over $40 billion dollars a year. | | | | manifestly excessive. That is where there may well be |
| There are a range of anxiety problems that people | | | | a problem for the individual, and the continuous worry |
| encounter, some well known and some not so well | | | | can seriously interfere with their life. |
| known. Post traumatic stress disorder is well | | | | If you feel that you are becoming more and more |
| documented as it is experienced by so many of our | | | | anxious about things which shouldnt really be a cause |
| soldiers who have seen active duty, but some of the | | | | of such anxiety, or that your anxiety is out of control, it |
| other forms are less well known. | | | | is well worth investigating further. It is not helpful to |
| Some types of specifically recognised disorders are | | | | attempt to ignore the situation and hope it will go away, |
| specific anxiety phobias, such as fear of spiders or | | | | it may not, and may well get worse. |
| heights, panic disorders, obsessive compulsive disorder | | | | Seeking help is the most important thing you can do in |
| and social anxiety problems. | | | | this situation. |
| And then there are anxiety problems that are not | | | | |