| There are several subgroups of Anxiety Disorders, | | | | excessive handwashing, checking appliances, repeating |
| with different causes and treatment. | | | | phrases or hoarding. |
| Anxiety disorders are a serious social and financial | | | | People with Panic Disorder suffer severe acute |
| concern to American business, since they cost the | | | | attacks of panic for no apparant reason, which may |
| country more than $42 billion a year in healthcare | | | | mimic the symptoms of a heart attack or cause them |
| costs and lost productivity, according to "The | | | | to feel they are losing their minds. |
| Economic Burden of Anxiety Disorders," a study | | | | Symptoms include heart palpitations, chest pain or |
| published in the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry. | | | | discomfort, sweating, trembling, tingling sensations, |
| More than $22.84 billion is spent on healthcare services, | | | | feeling of choking, fear of dying, fear of losing control, |
| as those with anxiety disorders seek relief for | | | | and feelings of unreality. |
| emotional distress and physical symptoms. | | | | Panic disorder is often accompanied by agoraphobia, in |
| Sufferers are 300 to 500 percent more likely to go to | | | | which people are afraid of having a panic attack in a |
| the doctor and 600 percent more likely to be | | | | public place, so they become afraid to leave the |
| hospitalized for psychiatric disorders than | | | | safety of their controlled home environment. |
| non-sufferers. | | | | Posttraumatic Stress Disorder can follow a traumatic |
| Anxiety disorders are the most common psychiatric | | | | event such as a sexual or physical assault, witnessing |
| illness and affect both children and adults. | | | | a death, the unexpected death of a loved one, or |
| They develop from an interaction of numerous risk | | | | natural disaster. |
| factors, including personality, genetics, brain chemistry, | | | | There are three main symptoms associated with |
| and life stress. Approximately 19 million adult | | | | PTSD: "reliving" of the traumatic event (such as |
| Americans suffer from anxiety disorders. Anxiety | | | | flashbacks and nightmares); avoidance behaviors (such |
| disorders are highly treatable, yet only about one-third | | | | as avoiding places and other reminders related to the |
| of those suffering from them receive treatment. | | | | trauma) and emotional numbing (detachment from |
| The main feature of Generalized Anxiety Disorder is | | | | others); and physiological arousal such difficulty |
| excessive, unrealistic and uncontrollable worry about | | | | sleeping, irritability or poor concentration. |
| everyday events. | | | | Social Anxiety Disorder is characterized by severe |
| This constant worry affects daily functioning and | | | | anxiety about being judged by others or behaving in a |
| brings physical symptoms. GAD can occur with other | | | | way that might bring ridicule or embarrassment. This |
| anxiety disorders, depressive disorders, or substance | | | | intense anxiety may lead to extreme shyness and |
| abuse. | | | | avoidance of social situations. |
| It can be misdiagnosed because it lacks some of the | | | | Physical symptoms associated with this disorder |
| dramatic symptoms, such as unprovoked attacks of | | | | include faintness, heart palpitations, blushing and profuse |
| panic, that are seen with other anxiety disorders. For a | | | | sweating. |
| diagnosis to be made, uncontrollable worrying occur | | | | Anxiety disorders also include Specific Phobias, an |
| more days than not for at least 6 months. | | | | intense and unreasonable fear of specific objects or |
| The focus of GAD is fluid, shifting unpredictably from | | | | situations, such as spiders, dogs, or heights. |
| job issues, finances, health of both self and family, and | | | | The disproportionate level of fear is recognized by the |
| smaller issues such as chores, car repairs and being | | | | sufferer as being irrational. It can lead to the avoidance |
| late for appointments. | | | | of common, everyday situations. |
| The intensity, duration and frequency of the worry are | | | | Patients often have more than one anxiety disorder, |
| disproportionate to the issue and interferes with the | | | | and sometimes other illness as well such as |
| sufferer's daily life. Physical symptoms can include | | | | depression or substance abuse. Treatment of anxiety |
| muscle tension, sweating, gastrointestinal symptoms | | | | disorders includes support groups, cognitive behavioral |
| such as diarrhea and/or nausea, cold and clammy | | | | therapy (CBT), exposure therapy, anxiety |
| palms, the feeling of having a "lump in the throat" and | | | | management and relaxation techniques, and |
| difficulty swallowing. | | | | psychotherapy. |
| Sufferers are irritable and complain about feeling on | | | | Drugs therapy used to treat anxiety disorders includes |
| edge, tire easily tired and have trouble sleeping. | | | | benzodiazepines, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors |
| Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder is characterized by | | | | (SSRIs), tricyclic antidepressants, monoamine oxidase |
| persistent, recurring thoughts (obsessions) that reflect | | | | inhibitors (MAOIs) and beta-blockers. |
| exaggerated anxiety or fears; typical obsessions | | | | Often a combination of the two therapies is more |
| include worry about being contaminated or fears of | | | | useful than one exclusively. Up to 90 percent of |
| behaving improperly or acting violently. | | | | patients will show improvement of their symptom from |
| The obsessions may cause the individual to perform a | | | | medical treatment. |
| rituals or routines to relieve the anxiety, such as | | | | |