what do you fear?
Disorders
Anxiety is the distress or uneasiness of mind caused by fear of danger or misfortune. Many situations can cause anxiety including having too much information to process, and having too little information with a feeling helplessness. It is natural to feel afraid when our bodies are in danger. The "flight or fight" response is crucial to our survival, and we would have gone extinct without it. Many disorders cause fear that is uncalled for. Even when there is no danger present, people suffering from these disorders can be thrown into the chain of events that is our fear response unnecessarily.
Generalized Anxiety: Chronic fear with no particular trigger.
Symptoms:
- Constant worrying about small or large matters
- Fatigue
- Irritability
- Difficulty concentrating
- Trouble sleeping
- Trembling
Generalized anxiety disorder commonly occurs with drug abuse problems. It also occurs along with mood disorders and major depression. It's time to see a doctor when the constant worrying affects your relationships, work, and everyday life. If suicidal thoughts occur in you or someone you know, seek immediate emergency help. Women are twice as likely to be diagnosed with generalized anxiety disorder than men. Stress is a major cause to this disorder. The buildup of life events can cause excessive anxiety within an individual. Patients with chronic illnesses, like cancer, are likely to develop excessive concerns about the future. Finances and treatment options are all unknown and a source of worry. Childhood adversity is another factor. Many people do not think about this, but traumatic events in the past can manifest into mental problems in the present. Either being abused by a parent or affected by constant bullying can trigger constant worry in the future. Drugs and alcohol only add to this disorder. Illegal substances worsen the symptons of generalized anxiety disorder, and caffeine and nicotine have an affect on anxiety on their own.
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder: The fear of something drives the individual into a repetitive habit that ensures they do not encounter the trigger to their obsession. Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder is a disorder of the brain and the behavior, causing severe anxiety in individuals. Individuals with OCD experience obsessions and compulsions. The compulsions are our body's attempt to stop the obsessions, which are almost always unnecessary and debilitating to the individual. A common way of describing OCD is having a mental image stuck in your head, and no matter what you did you couldn't stop thinking, or obsessing about it. WIth these repetitive thoughts comes anxiety, our brain's warning system. The fear caused by the disorder is unnecessary, and individuals suffering from it are in no danger, but their brains tell them otherwise. Common obsessions include the fear of contamination, fear of losing items, and the fear of losing control. Compulsions that go along with the obsessions are washing hands, hoarding, and constantly checking and scrutinizing your actions.
Panic Disorder: Panic disorder is an anxiety disorder in which individuals experience attacks of intense fear that have almost no pattern of occurrence. Panic attacks begin suddenly and the symptoms generally peak at around 15 minutes. Certain symptoms may last for over an hour, however. Panic attacks lead the individual to believe that they are going crazy or are about to die. A common cause of episodes is the anxiety of being in a cramped situation, like in a crowd. Even thinking about past attacks can trigger a present one, so people with the disorder often live in terror.
Panic attacks include at least 4 of the following symptoms:
- Chest pain
- Dizziness
-Thoughts of impending doom
- Fear of dying
- Feeling of choking
- Trembling
- Sweating / Chills
- Shortness of breath
- Nausea
A main problem with panic disorder is that it can affect peoples' lives at school and at work. Living in constant fear alters their way of life, changing them forever. Personal relationships will never be the same and marital problems can arise. Individuals with panic disorder commonly suffer from depression, alcoholism, and drug abuse. Stimulants and depressants both worsen the symptoms of the disorder. It is recommended to avoid alcohol, caffeine, and illegal drugs, such as cocaine. Anti-depressants are commonly prescribed by doctors to help alleviate symptoms of panic disorder, along with intensive therapy. Nothing is proven to cure this disorder, but in most cases can be treated and managed.
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder: Commonly referred to as PTSD, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder is an anxiety disorder that can be developed within an individual after experiencing a life or death incident. Traumatic events, such as military combat, natural or human disasters, or extreme violence can all lead to PTSD. PTSD can present itself in people at any age. Even traumatic events happening to someone you know or love can cause this disorder.
The symptoms of PTSD can be categorized into three groups:
Re-experiencing symptoms: Reliving the trauma over again. It is often accompanied by physical symptoms.
- Flashbacks
- Nightmares
- Terrifying thoughts of the event
Avoidance symptoms: These symptoms can alter an individual's routine. They insure that they do not experience the event again.
- Avoiding objects, places, and even people that remind the individual of the traumatic event.
- Emotional numbness
- Losing enjoyment in past activities
- Strong feelings of guilt, anger, and/or depression
Hyperarousal symptoms: The constant symptoms that are evident within people that suffer from PTSD.
- Being easily startled
- Trouble sleeping
- Constant feeling of being on 'edge'
Risk factors that lead to PTSD are living through dangerous events, witnessing people get killed, dealing with extra stress after an event, having no social support. Factors that can reduce the risk of this disorder are developing a coping strategy, finding support within family and friends, attending a support group, and being able to effectively deal with fear. As with many anxiety disorders, the most effective treatment is psychotherapy. Psychotherapy is where the individual talks about his/her feelings. Talking about the past event in a calm situation can help the individual to come to terms with it.
Sources:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0001922/
http://thebrain.mcgill.ca/flash/a/a_04/a_04_p/a_04_p_peu/a_04_p_peu.html
http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/post-traumatic-stress-disorder-ptsd/how-is-ptsd-treated.shtml
http://www.ocfoundation.org/whatisocd.aspx?gclid=CMb9r--CnKgCFcmQ5godrCOJHw#Definition
Generalized Anxiety: Chronic fear with no particular trigger.
Symptoms:
- Constant worrying about small or large matters
- Fatigue
- Irritability
- Difficulty concentrating
- Trouble sleeping
- Trembling
Generalized anxiety disorder commonly occurs with drug abuse problems. It also occurs along with mood disorders and major depression. It's time to see a doctor when the constant worrying affects your relationships, work, and everyday life. If suicidal thoughts occur in you or someone you know, seek immediate emergency help. Women are twice as likely to be diagnosed with generalized anxiety disorder than men. Stress is a major cause to this disorder. The buildup of life events can cause excessive anxiety within an individual. Patients with chronic illnesses, like cancer, are likely to develop excessive concerns about the future. Finances and treatment options are all unknown and a source of worry. Childhood adversity is another factor. Many people do not think about this, but traumatic events in the past can manifest into mental problems in the present. Either being abused by a parent or affected by constant bullying can trigger constant worry in the future. Drugs and alcohol only add to this disorder. Illegal substances worsen the symptons of generalized anxiety disorder, and caffeine and nicotine have an affect on anxiety on their own.
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder: The fear of something drives the individual into a repetitive habit that ensures they do not encounter the trigger to their obsession. Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder is a disorder of the brain and the behavior, causing severe anxiety in individuals. Individuals with OCD experience obsessions and compulsions. The compulsions are our body's attempt to stop the obsessions, which are almost always unnecessary and debilitating to the individual. A common way of describing OCD is having a mental image stuck in your head, and no matter what you did you couldn't stop thinking, or obsessing about it. WIth these repetitive thoughts comes anxiety, our brain's warning system. The fear caused by the disorder is unnecessary, and individuals suffering from it are in no danger, but their brains tell them otherwise. Common obsessions include the fear of contamination, fear of losing items, and the fear of losing control. Compulsions that go along with the obsessions are washing hands, hoarding, and constantly checking and scrutinizing your actions.
Panic Disorder: Panic disorder is an anxiety disorder in which individuals experience attacks of intense fear that have almost no pattern of occurrence. Panic attacks begin suddenly and the symptoms generally peak at around 15 minutes. Certain symptoms may last for over an hour, however. Panic attacks lead the individual to believe that they are going crazy or are about to die. A common cause of episodes is the anxiety of being in a cramped situation, like in a crowd. Even thinking about past attacks can trigger a present one, so people with the disorder often live in terror.
Panic attacks include at least 4 of the following symptoms:
- Chest pain
- Dizziness
-Thoughts of impending doom
- Fear of dying
- Feeling of choking
- Trembling
- Sweating / Chills
- Shortness of breath
- Nausea
A main problem with panic disorder is that it can affect peoples' lives at school and at work. Living in constant fear alters their way of life, changing them forever. Personal relationships will never be the same and marital problems can arise. Individuals with panic disorder commonly suffer from depression, alcoholism, and drug abuse. Stimulants and depressants both worsen the symptoms of the disorder. It is recommended to avoid alcohol, caffeine, and illegal drugs, such as cocaine. Anti-depressants are commonly prescribed by doctors to help alleviate symptoms of panic disorder, along with intensive therapy. Nothing is proven to cure this disorder, but in most cases can be treated and managed.
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder: Commonly referred to as PTSD, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder is an anxiety disorder that can be developed within an individual after experiencing a life or death incident. Traumatic events, such as military combat, natural or human disasters, or extreme violence can all lead to PTSD. PTSD can present itself in people at any age. Even traumatic events happening to someone you know or love can cause this disorder.
The symptoms of PTSD can be categorized into three groups:
Re-experiencing symptoms: Reliving the trauma over again. It is often accompanied by physical symptoms.
- Flashbacks
- Nightmares
- Terrifying thoughts of the event
Avoidance symptoms: These symptoms can alter an individual's routine. They insure that they do not experience the event again.
- Avoiding objects, places, and even people that remind the individual of the traumatic event.
- Emotional numbness
- Losing enjoyment in past activities
- Strong feelings of guilt, anger, and/or depression
Hyperarousal symptoms: The constant symptoms that are evident within people that suffer from PTSD.
- Being easily startled
- Trouble sleeping
- Constant feeling of being on 'edge'
Risk factors that lead to PTSD are living through dangerous events, witnessing people get killed, dealing with extra stress after an event, having no social support. Factors that can reduce the risk of this disorder are developing a coping strategy, finding support within family and friends, attending a support group, and being able to effectively deal with fear. As with many anxiety disorders, the most effective treatment is psychotherapy. Psychotherapy is where the individual talks about his/her feelings. Talking about the past event in a calm situation can help the individual to come to terms with it.
Sources:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0001922/
http://thebrain.mcgill.ca/flash/a/a_04/a_04_p/a_04_p_peu/a_04_p_peu.html
http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/post-traumatic-stress-disorder-ptsd/how-is-ptsd-treated.shtml
http://www.ocfoundation.org/whatisocd.aspx?gclid=CMb9r--CnKgCFcmQ5godrCOJHw#Definition
