ANXIETY DISORDERS

What are anxiety disorders?

Anxiety disorders are common mental health conditions. They are characterized by
persistent and excessive worry or fear that is more intense than the situation warrants.
Sometimes the excessive worry can manifest into physical symptoms such as headaches and
stomachaches.

This are the types of anxiety disorders

 Generalized Anxiety Disorder
Generalized Anxiety Disorder, GAD, is an anxiety disorder characterized by
chronic anxiety, exaggerated worry, and tension, even when there is little or
nothing to provoke it.
 Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, OCD, is an anxiety disorder and is
characterized by recurrent, unwanted thoughts (obsessions) and/or repetitive
behaviors (compulsions). Repetitive behaviors such as hand washing,
counting, checking, or cleaning are often performed with the hope of
preventing obsessive thoughts or making them go away. Performing these
so-called "rituals," however, provides only temporary relief, and not
performing them markedly increases anxiety.
 Panic Disorder
Panic disorder is an anxiety disorder and is characterized by unexpected and
repeated episodes of intense fear accompanied by physical symptoms that
may include chest pain, heart palpitations, shortness of breath, dizziness, or
abdominal distress.
 Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, PTSD, is an anxiety disorder that can
develop after exposure to a terrifying event or ordeal in which grave
physical harm occurred or was threatened. Traumatic events that may trigger
PTSD include violent personal assaults, natural or human-caused disasters,
accidents, or military combat.
 Social Phobia (or Social Anxiety Disorder)
Social Phobia, or Social Anxiety Disorder, is an anxiety disorder
characterized by overwhelming anxiety and excessive self-consciousness in
everyday social situations. Social phobia can be limited to only one type of
situation - such as a fear of speaking in formal or informal situations or
 eating or drinking in front of others - or, in its most severe form, may be so
broad that a person experiences symptoms anytime they are around other
people.
Some causes of anxiety disorders are:
 Genetics. Anxiety disorders can run in families.
 Brain chemistry. Some research suggests anxiety disorders may be linked
to faulty circuits in the brain that control fear and emotions.
 Environmental stress. This refers to stressful events you have seen or lived
through. Life events often linked to anxiety disorders include childhood
abuse and neglect, a death of a loved one, or being attacked or seeing
violence.
 Drug withdrawal or misuse. Certain drugs may be used to hide or decrease
certain anxiety symptoms. Anxiety disorder often goes hand in hand with
alcohol and substance use.
 Medical conditions. Some heart, lung, and thyroid conditions can cause
symptoms like anxiety disorders or worsen them. It is important to get a full
physical exam to rule out other medical conditions when talking to your
doctor about anxiety.

FACTS ABOUT ANXIETY

- Anxiety disorders are the most common mental disorders and will affect 30% of adults at
some point in their lives. GAD affects 6.8 million adults in the United States, and women
are twice as likely to be affected as men.
- Did you know mostly suffers from anxiety in Past year prevalence of any anxiety
disorder was higher for females (23.4%) than for males (14.3%).