12-1: Anxiety Disorders

Hello Internet!

            Today I am going to be writing about something that I have quite a bit of experience with. (See post 7-1) The number of people in the United States with anxiety is rapidly increasing due to various factors.Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines anxiety as, “…an abnormal and overwhelming sense of apprehension and fear often marked by physical signs (such as tension, sweating, and increased pulse rate), by doubt concerning the reality and nature of the threat, and by self-doubt about one’s capacity to cope with it.” There are four main types of anxiety: panic disorder, social anxiety disorder, specific phobias, and general anxiety disorder.

Panic Disorder

Panic disorder is characterized by sudden attacks. People with panic disorder often, “have feelings of terror that strike suddenly and repeatedly with no warning.” Panic attacks often manifest physical symptoms such as chest pain, sweating, or palpitations. (a sudden rise in heart rate. Some causes of panic disorder may include family history, abnormalities in the brain, substance abuse, or a major life stress. Treatments for panic disorder may include, but are not limited to, medications, or clinical therapy.

Social Anxiety Disorder

            Social anxiety disorder is characterized by feelings of nervousness or anxiousness in social situations. It can be extremely difficult especially for people who live in metropolitan areas. Social situations are unavoidable for the majority of the world’s population and anxiety in social situations affect about 15 million Americans. Social Anxiety typically begins to appear in teenagers around the age of 13. Many people do not seek treatment because they fear being embarrassed or humiliated. Social anxiety disorder can interfere with daily routines, social life, or occupational performance making school, work, and family life extremely difficult. Treatments for social anxiety disorder include, but are not limited, medications, or professional care.

Specific Phobias

            Dictionary.com defines a phobia as, “a persistent, irrational fear of a specific object, activity, or situation that leads to a compelling desire to avoid it.” In some cases, phobias are a result of classical conditioning; the person has learned to relate something to something fearful. (Ex. thunder and lightning, sting and bee, bite and snake) An experiment testing the effects of classical conditioning on the human mind conducted by John B. Watson showed how the human mind pairs two things, causing phobias. His hypothesis stated that “…the fearful response of children to loud noises in an innate unconditioned response.” He proved that he could, “condition a child to fear a distinctive stimulus that normally would not be feared by a child.” People with phobias can receive treatment through clinical therapy and counseling.

General Anxiety Disorder

            General anxiety disorder is characterized by feelings of worry about various different things. They tend to worry about the outcomes of events more than the average person would. They often expect the worst, even when there is no evidence that the worst is going to happen. General anxiety disorder can be caused by a number of different things including, but not limited to, a prior traumatic experience, experience with natural disasters, or family history. New mothers also may experience anxiety concerning their children. General anxiety disorder is commonly treated with medications and therapy.

Some Statistics

            Anxiety is more common than most people believe it to be. AnxietyCentre.com states that “Anxiety disorders affect 18.1 percent of adults in the United States.” The number may be much higher because many people are misdiagnosed, don’t seek help, or don’t recognize that they have anxiety issues. Anxiety disorders cause the US more than $42 billion a year which is nearly 33% of the national mental health budget. AnxietyCentre.org also says that “People with an anxiety disorder are three-to-five times more likely to go to the doctor and six times more likely to be hospitalized for psychiatric disorders than non-sufferers. It is important to recognize the symptoms of anxiety so that treatment can be sought.