What Is Anxiety And How To Treat It

by E-NewsCast Team
January 31st, 2010

There are several subgroups of Anxiety Disorders, with differentcauses and treatement.Anxiety disorders are a serious social and financial concern toAmerican business, since they cost the country more than $42billion a year in healthcare costs and lost productivity,according to “The Economic Burden of Anxiety Disorders,” a studypublished in the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry.More than $22.84 billion is spent on healthcare services, asthose with anxiety disorders seek relief for emotional distressand physical symptoms. Sufferers are 300 to 500 percent more likely to go to the doctorand 600 percent more likely to be hospitalized for psychiatricdisorders than non-sufferers.Anxiety disorders are the most common psychiatric illness andaffect both children and adults. They develop from aninteraction of numerous risk factors, including personality,genetics, brain chemistry, and life stress.Approximately 19 million adult Americans suffer from anxietydisorders. Anxiety disorders are highly treatable, yet onlyabout one-third of those suffering from them receive treatment.The main feature of Generalized Anxiety Disorder is excessive,unrealistic and uncontrollable worry about everyday events. Thisconstant worry affects daily functioning and brings physicalsymptoms.GAD can occur with other anxiety disorders, depressivedisorders, or substance abuse. It can be misdiagnosed because itlacks some of the dramatic symptoms, such as unprovoked attacksof panic, that are seen with other anxiety disorders. For a diagnosis to be made, uncontrollable worrying occur moredays than not for at least 6 months.The focus of GAD is fluid, shifting unpredictably from jobissues, finances, health of both self and family, and smallerissues such as chores, car repairs and being late forappointments. The intensity, duration and frequency of the worry aredisproportionate to the issue and interferes with the sufferer’sdaily life. Physical symptoms can include muscle tension, sweating,gastrointestinal symptoms such as diarrhea and/or nausea, coldand clammy palms, the feeling of having a “lump in the throat”and difficulty swallowing. Sufferers are irritable and complainabout feeling on edge, tire easily tired and have troublesleeping.Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder is characterized by persistent,recurring thoughts (obsessions) that reflect exaggerated anxietyor fears; typical obsessions include worry about beingcontaminated or fears of behaving improperly or acting violently.The obsessions may cause the individual to perform a rituals orroutines to relieve the anxiety, such as excessive handwashing,checking appliances, repeating phrases or hoarding.People with Panic Disorder suffer severe acute attacks of panicfor no apparant reason, which may mimic the symptoms of a heartattack or cause them to feel they are losing their minds.Symptoms include heart palpitations, chest pain or discomfort,sweating, trembling, tingling sensations, feeling of choking,fear of dying, fear of losing control, and feelings of unreality.Panic disorder is often accompanied by agoraphobia, in whichpeople are afraid of having a panic attack in a public place, sothey become afraid to leave the safety of their controlled homeenvironment. Posttraumatic Stress Disorder can follow atraumatic event such as a sexual or physical assault, witnessinga death, the unexpected death of a loved one, or naturaldisaster. There are three main symptoms associated with PTSD: “reliving”of the traumatic event (such as flashbacks and nightmares);avoidance behaviors (such as avoiding places and other remindersrelated to the trauma) and emotional numbing (detachment fromothers); and physiological arousal such difficulty sleeping,irritability or poor concentration.Social Anxiety Disorder is characterized by severe anxiety aboutbeing judged by others or behaving in a way that might bringridicule or embarrassment. This intense anxiety may lead to extreme shyness and avoidanceof social situations. Physical symptoms associated with thisdisorder include faintness, heart palpitations, blushing andprofuse sweating.Anxiety disorders also include Specific Phobias, an intense andunreasonable fear of specific objects or situations, such asspiders, dogs, or heights. The disproportionate level of fear isrecognized by the sufferer as being irrational.It can lead to the avoidance of common, everyday situations.Patients often have more than one anxiety disorder, andsometimes other illness as well such as depression or substanceabuse.Treatment of anxiety disorders includes support groups,cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), exposure therapy, anxietymanagement and relaxation techniques, and psychotherapy. Drugstherapy used to treat anxiety disorders includesbenzodiazepines, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors(SSRIs), tricyclic antidepressants, monoamine oxidase inhibitors(MAOIs) and beta-blockers.Often a combination of the two therapies is more useful than oneexclusively. Up to 90 percent of patients will show improvementof their symptom from medical treatment.

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