(adapted from information from the California Psychological Association)
What are anxiety disorders?
Anxiety is a part of our everyday lives. Who isn't nervous on the first day of school or of a new job, speaking in public or walking down a dark street alone at night? In such situations, anxiety is helpful. It can make us more alert, help us prepare and it can work for us.
On the other hand, anxiety can become overwhelming and interfere with our lives. It can cut down on productivity and damage relationships with family, friends and co-workers. When anxiety reaches this level, it may be a symptom of an anxiety disorder, one of the most common and most successfully treated psychological problems.
What are the different types of anxiety disorders?
- General Anxiety Disorder: recurring fears or worries that keep us from concentrating on daily tasks.
- Panic Disorder: sudden, intense and unexplained feelings of terror and dread.
- Phobias: extreme fears about certain objects or situations.
- Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder: on-going, out of control and unwanted feelings or thoughts (obsessions) and routines or rituals used to try to rid ourselves of these thoughts (compulsions).
- Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder: re-experiencing a trauma, crime or natural disaster through nightmares, flashbacks or other reminders months or even years after the event.
What are some symptoms of anxiety disorders?
- trembling
- dizziness
- sweating
- racing heart
- choking sensation
- upset stomach
- dry mouth
- clammy hands
- muscle aches
- shakiness
- tension
- jitteriness
How common are anxiety disorders?
Very Common. Nearly one-quarter of the adult population in the U.S. will experience an anxiety disorder at some point in their lives.
Do children experience anxiety disorders?
Just like adults, children suffer from anxiety disorders. Their symptoms, however, may be different: irritability, poor school performance, refusal to attend school, immature behavior and illness. Separation anxiety, or fear of being away from parents, is a major childhood problem as well.
Can anxiety disorders be helped?
According to the National Institute of Mental Health, psychological treatment for anxiety disorders works. Psychologists are trained and experienced in diagnosing and treating these disorders and in working with family doctors and others if medication is needed. Seeing a psychologist is often less costly than seeing other types of doctors, yet is usually more successful in overcoming problems.
What are the major kinds of anxiety disorders?
There are several major types of anxiety disorders, each with its own characteristics.
- People with generalized anxiety disorder have recurring fears or worries, such as about health or finances, and they often have a persistent sense that something bad is just about to happen. The reason for the intense feelings of anxiety may be difficult to identify. But the fears and worries are very real and often keep individuals from concentrating on daily tasks.
- Panic disorder involves sudden, intense and unprovoked feelings of terror and dread. People who suffer from this disorder generally develop strong fears about when and where their next panic attack will occur, and they often restrict their activities as a result.
- A related disorder involves phobias, or intense fears, about certain objects or situations. Specific phobias may involve things such as encountering certain animals or flying in airplanes, whereas social phobias involve fear of social settings or public places.
- Obsessive-compulsive disorder is characterized by persistent, uncontrollable and unwanted feelings or thoughts (obsessions) and routines or rituals in which individuals engage to try to prevent or rid themselves of these thoughts (compulsions). Examples of common compulsions include washing hands or cleaning house excessively for fear of germs, or checking over something repeatedly for errors.
- Someone who suffers severe physical or emotional trauma such as from a natural disaster or serious accident or crime may experience post-traumatic stress disorder. Thoughts, feelings and behavior patterns become seriously affected by reminders of the event, sometimes months or even years after the traumatic experience. Symptoms such as shortness of breath, racing heartbeat, trembling and dizziness often accompany certain anxiety disorders such as panic and generalized anxiety disorders. Although they may begin at any time, anxiety disorders often surface in adolescence or early adulthood. There is some evidence of a genetic or family predisposition to certain anxiety disorders.
Why is it important to seek treatment for these disorders?
If left untreated, anxiety disorders can have severe consequences. For example, some people who suffer from recurring panic attacks avoid at all costs putting themselves in a situation that they fear may trigger an attack. Such avoidance behavior may create problems by conflicting with job requirements, family obligations or other basic activities of daily living.
Many people who suffer from an untreated anxiety disorder are prone to other psychological disorders, such as depression, and they have a greater tendency to abuse alcohol and other drugs. Their relationships with family members, friends and coworkers may become very strained. And their job performance may falter.
Are there effective treatments available for anxiety disorders?
Absolutely. Most cases of anxiety disorder can be treated successfully by appropriately trained health and mental health care professionals.
According to the National Institute of Mental Health, research has demonstrated that both 'behavioral therapy' and 'cognitive therapy' can be highly effective in treating anxiety disorders. Behavioral therapy involves using techniques to reduce or stop the undesired behavior associated with these disorders. For example, one approach involves training patients in relaxation and deep breathing techniques to counteract the agitation and hyperventilation (rapid, shallow breathing) that accompany certain anxiety disorders.
Through cognitive therapy, patients learn to understand how their thoughts contribute to the symptoms of anxiety disorders, and how to change those thought patterns to reduce the likelihood of occurrence and the intensity of reaction. The patient's increased cognitive awareness is often combined with behavioral techniques to help the individual gradually confront and tolerate fearful situations in a controlled, safe environment.
Proper and effective medications may have a role in treatment along with psychotherapy. In cases where medications are used, the patient's care may be managed collaboratively by a therapist and physician. It is important for patients to realize that there are side effects to any drugs, which must be monitored closely by the prescribing physician.
How can a qualified psychotherapist help someone suffering from an anxiety disorder?
Licensed psychologists are highly qualified to diagnose and treat anxiety disorders. Individuals suffering from these disorders should seek a provider who is competent in cognitive and behavioral therapies. Experienced mental health professionals have the added benefit of having helped other patients recover from anxiety disorders.
Family psychotherapy and group psychotherapy (typically involving individuals who are not related to one another) offer helpful approaches to treatment for some patients with anxiety disorders. In addition, mental health clinics or other specialized treatment programs dealing with specific disorders such as panic or phobias may also be available nearby.
How long does psychological treatment take?
It is very important to understand that treatments for anxiety disorders do not work instantly. The patient should be comfortable from the outset with the general treatment being proposed and with the psychotherapist with whom he or she is working. The patient's cooperation is crucial, and there must be a strong sense that the patient and psychotherapist are collaborating as a team to remedy the anxiety disorder.
No one plan works well for all patients. Treatment needs to be tailored to the needs of the patient and to the type of disorder, or disorders, from which the individual suffers. A psychotherapist and patient should work together to assess whether a treatment plan seems to be on track. Adjustments to the plan sometimes are necessary, since patients respond differently to treatment.
Many patients will begin to improve noticeably within eight to ten sessions, especially those who carefully follow the outlined treatment plan.