Anxiety

An Anxiety disorder is any of various disorders (such as panic disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, a phobia, or generalized anxiety disorder) in which anxiety is a predominant feature – also called anxiety neurosis or anxiety state. It is the most common psychiatric illness that affects millions of children and adults.

(Merriam-Webster Medical dictionary)

Facts

If left untreated, children with anxiety disorders have a high risk of performing poorly in school, having less developed social skills and abusing substances (Child Development Institute).
The six types of anxiety are not totally separate. Many people who have one anxiety disorder are also susceptible to others. People with anxiety disorders are often also depressed (Canadian Mental Health Association).
Panic attacks are a characteristic of all types of anxiety. A panic attack is a sudden rush of intense fear (Canadian Mental Health Association).
Anxiety disorders are the most common of all mental health problems. It is estimated that they affect approximately 1 in 10 people (Canadian Mental Health Association).

Categories of anxiety

Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) is an anxiety disorder marked by chronic excessive anxiety and worry that is difficult to control, causes distress or impairment in daily functioning, and is accompanied by three or more associated symptoms (such as restlessness, irritability, poor concentration, and sleep disturbances) (Merriam-Webster Medical Dictionary). It interferes with their ability to function on day-to-day activities. Some symptoms of the disorder include: stomach problems (diarrhea or nausea), shakiness or trembling, inability to concentrate, frustration, feelings of dread, hot flashes or sweating, lack of energy, inability to relax or restlessness, light headedness or dizziness, insomnia (problems falling or staying asleep), easily startled or irritable, muscle tension, soreness or achy feeling and jumpiness.

For facts and more information on GAD click here.

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is a psychoneurotic disorder in which the patient has obsessions or compulsions or both and suffers extreme anxiety or depression through failure to think the obsessive thoughts or perform the compelling acts; it’s also called obsessive-compulsive neurosis, obsessive-compulsive reaction (Merriam-Webster Medical dictionary). Some symptoms of obsessions include: fear of germs, need for symmetry or exactness, doubting, thoughts of aggression, fear of harming others, unusual sexual thoughts, etc. Some symptoms of compulsions include; excessive showering and hand washing, counting, repeating actions or thoughts, ordering and arranging, repeating words or phrases, etc (Anxiety Treatment and Research Centre).

For more information on OCD click here, and for some facts please visit this website.

Panic Disorder is marked by repeated and unexpected episodes of terror or intense fear. This fear is usually accompanied by intense physical symptoms that can strike at any moment and without warning. These episodes are called panic attacks. There are three types of panic attacks; unexpected (an attack that comes out of the blue), situational (there are specific situations where a person always seems to have an attack, for example driving over a bridge), and situationally predisposed (a situation in which a person is most likely to have an attack, but doesn’t always have one). Some common symptoms of panic disorder include: problems breathing: a feeling like you can’t breathe, incredible and intense fear or terror: “paralyzed with fear”, chest pains, heart palpitations, shaking, trembling or sweating, chills or hot flashes, nausea, dizziness or light headedness, pins and needles in the fingers or toes, intense fear of dying or that you’re going crazy, sweaty palms, flushed face and fear of losing control.

For facts and more information on panic disorder click here.

Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) can occur after a person has gone through a “life changing” or traumatic event. It is characterized by reliving the disturbing event, emotional numbness, irritability, trouble sleeping and avoidance behaviours. There are three categories of symptoms:

1) Re-experiencing the event, most often by having flashbacks or powerful memories

2) Avoidance and emotional numbing. This occurs when things may remind them of a traumatic event and they may withdraw from previously enjoyed activities

3) Changes in sleep patterns and increased alertness (Canadian Mental Health Association).

For more information on PTSD click here.

Social Anxiety Disorder occurs when people have extreme anxiety about being judged or behaving in an embarrassing way. They avoid certain situations where they think they will be judged or ridiculed. Doing so prevents them from leading a normal life or doing things most people may do. Some symptoms of Social Anxiety Disorder include: intense worry before an upcoming social situation, extreme fear of being watched or judged, excessive self-consciousness and anxiety in everyday social situations, fear of embarrassment or humiliation, pounding heartbeat, shaky voice, rapid breathing, sweating, upset stomach, nausea, shaking, blushing, dizziness and clammy hands, etc (Help Guide).

For more information on Social Anxiety Disorder, click here.

Specific Phobia is the terrible fear of a specific object or sensation, for example, being afraid of spiders or closed-in spaces. Some people’s phobias may be so extreme that they try to avoid it as much as possible, causing everyday activities to be compromised. For example someone who is afraid of the outside world may lock themselves in their homes 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The symptoms for this disorder can be both emotional, (panic attacks and psychological conflicts) and physical (common physical symptoms of anxiety). (Help Guide).

For more information on Phobias please click here.

Causes & universal symptoms

Anxiety disorder is the result of a variety of characteristics. They include genetics, brain chemistry, life events and personality. Some symptoms commons to all the disorders are:

Chest pain
Heart palpitations
Feeling of suffocation
Muscle tension
Headaches
Back pain
Muscle spasms and tics
Insomnia
Digestive problems

Diagnosis

Anxiety disorder is extremely hard to diagnose. There are no laboratory or psychiatric tests. A doctor will perform several short answer interviews and examine symptoms experienced to assess the intensity of the patient’s anxiety.

Treatment

Depending on the intensity of the anxiety, psychotherapy and cognitive behavioural therapy may be enough for some individuals. There are also medications that can be prescribed to help severely anxious patients.
Alternative therapies include meditation, hydrotherapy, yoga, tai chi and dance therapy.

What you can do

Talk to your doctor or mental healthcare professional if you feel any of the symptoms previously mentioned.
Remember that the only way to get better is to talk to someone about it.
Your parents or friends may not understand completely, so don’t feel discouraged if they tell you to quit worrying.
Read up on the disorder, but know that there’s support out there for you.
If you know someone who is suffering with anxiety, be supportive and listen if they want to talk about it.
Let them know that there is help available for them and treatments that do work.