ANXIETY DISORDERS

Geeta Mohan
Anxiety disorders

• They are a group of mental illnesses, and the

distress they cause can prevent one from carrying
on with life normally. For people who have one,
worry and fear are constant and overwhelming, and
can be disabling
Anxiety disorders -Types
• Anxiety disorder is an umbrella term that includes different
conditions:
• Panic disorder : You feel terror that strikes at random. During
a panic attack, you may also sweat, have chest pain, and
feel palpitations(unusually strong or irregular heartbeats).
Sometimes you may feel like you’re choking or having
a heart attack.
• Social anxiety disorder : Also called social phobia, this is
when you feel overwhelming worry and self-consciousness
about everyday social situations. You fixate about others
judging you or on being embarrassed or ridiculed.
• Specific phobias :You feel intense fear of a specific object or
situation, such as heights or flying. The fear goes beyond
what’s appropriate and may cause you to avoid ordinary
situations.
• Generalized anxiety disorder : You feel excessive, unrealistic
worry and tension with little or no reason.
Anxiety disorders -Symptoms

• All anxiety disorders share some general symptoms:

• Panic, fear, and uneasiness
• Sleep problems
• Not being able to stay calm and still
• Cold, sweaty, numb or tingling hands or feet
• Shortness of breath
• Heart palpitations
• Dry mouth
• Nausea
• Tense muscles
• Dizziness
Anxiety disorders -Causes

• Researchers don’t know exactly what brings on anxiety disorders.

• Like other forms of mental illness, they stem from a combination of
things, including changes in your brain and environmental stress, and
even your genes. The disorders can run in families and could be linked
to faulty circuits in the brain that control fear and other emotions.
Anxiety disorders

• If you have symptoms, your doctor will examine

and ask for medical history.
• Run tests to rule out medical illnesses that might
be causing the symptoms.
• No lab tests can specifically diagnose anxiety
disorders.
Anxiety disorders -Treatment

Most people with the condition try one or more of these

therapies:
• Medication: Many antidepressants can work for anxiety
disorders Certain anticonvulsant medicines (typically taken
for epilepsy) and low-dose antipsychotic drugs can be added
to help make other treatments work better.They’re
prescribed for social or generalized anxiety disorder as well
as for panic attacks.
• Psychotherapy: This is a type of counseling that addresses
the emotional response to mental illness. A mental health
specialist helps you by talking about how to understand and
deal with your anxiety disorder.
• Cognitive behavioral therapy : This is a certain type of
psychotherapy that teaches you how to recognize and
change thought patterns and behaviors that trigger deep
anxiety or panic.
 Anxiety disorders -Prevention
These tips may help you control or lessen your symptoms:
• Cut down on foods and drinks that have caffeine, such
as coffee, tea, cola, energy drinks, and chocolate. Caffeine is
a mood-altering drug, and it may make symptoms of anxiety
disorders worse.
• Eat right, exercise, and get better sleep. Brisk aerobic
exercises like jogging and biking help
release brain chemicals that cut stress and improve your
mood.
• Sleep problems and anxiety disorder often go hand in hand.
Make getting good rest a priority. Follow a relaxing bedtime
routine. Talk to your doctor if you still have trouble sleeping.
• Ask your doctor or pharmacist before taking any over-the-
counter meds or herbal remedies. Many contain chemicals
that can make anxiety symptoms worse.
Anxiety disorders

Credits :

Wikipedia
Google