Anxiety Disorders

Anxiety disorders are a group of mental health conditions that cause persistent and excessive worry and fear about various things. People with anxiety disorders may have physical symptoms such as a racing heart, difficulty breathing, or sweating, and they may also feel tense, irritable, and on edge.

There are several different types of anxiety disorders, including Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD), Panic Disorder, Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD), Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD), and Specific Phobias. Anxiety disorders can be treated with therapy, medication, or a combination of both. It is important to seek treatment for an anxiety disorder, as it can significantly affect a person’s quality of life and ability to function in their daily activities.

What Cause Anxiety Disorders?

There is no single cause of anxiety disorders. Rather, they are thought to be the result of a combination of factors, including genetics, brain chemistry, personality, and life events.

Some specific factors that may contribute to the development of an anxiety disorder include:

  • A family history of anxiety disorders or other mental health conditions
  • Chronic stress or exposure to traumatic events
  • Abnormal levels of certain chemicals in the brain that help regulate mood
  • Health problems, such as an overactive thyroid gland or heart palpitations
  • Substance abuse or withdrawal

It is important to note that anxiety disorders are not the result of personal weakness or a lack of willpower. They are real medical conditions that can be effectively treated with the right approach.

Created by AI – 2022

WHAT IS ANXIETY?

Anxiety occurs when thought patterns are disturbed in a variety of ways, including obsessive thinking, excessive worrying, or experiencing either fear in general or fear of a specific thing or event.

It is rare for an anxiety disorders to occur in isolation. Most frequently, people experience more than one anxiety constellation at the same time, or they experience anxiety in combination with other disorders such as depression or substance abuse. In fact, it is estimated that depression and anxiety overlap in three-quarters of those who have one or the other. That’s why doctors diagnosing depression know the importance of also screening for anxiety, in order to treat the whole spectrum of symptoms a patient may be experiencing.

WHAT CAUSES ANXIETY DISORDERS?

Although the exact causes are unclear, scientists believe that several factors, alone or in combination, may contribute to the development of an anxiety disorder. As is the case with depression, inherited characteristics, brain chemistry, and environmental factors such as stressful life events may all play a role in bringing about an episode of anxiety.

Doctors have classified a number of anxiety disorders, which include a wide range of symptoms:

Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD)
Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD)
Specific Phobia
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
Panic Disorder