Anxiety Disorders

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Anxiety Disorders

Anxiety is a normal reaction to stressful situations that helps in the coping process for individuals. On some occasions, anxiety may become so severe that it impairs the ability to cope and can create psychosocial impairment. High levels of anxiety that interfere with daily activities and social interaction are considered a psychiatric disorder. Anxiety disorders are treatable and can have profound effects on the psychosocial aspect of the individuals life.

This paper will discuss the possible causes of anxiety disorders and the affects that it may have on an individual’s psychological state. The social implications of this disorder will also be discussed to get a clear understanding of how extreme anxiety can impair the development of one’s normal psychosocial state of mind.

Development

Anxiety disorders are psychiatric in nature and can cause distress in the individual experiencing them. High amount of anxiety often appear in individuals who are vulnerable to stressful situations and can cause fear, sadness, anger, and dependent on the extent of the disorder, social isolation. Extreme anxiety can be a genetic trait or a learned process from a traumatic experience, such as childhood induced posttraumatic syndrome. The individual may have barriers that prevent them from dealing with normal situations, which can produce debilitating amounts of anxiety. In these cases, the individual may obsess about the worst possible scenario when dealing with high stress situations. This normally produces a fight or flight response to the high stress situation that is being experienced.

The social impact associated with anxiety disorders is most often isolation, tension, and depression. Dependent on what...

... middle of paper ...

... range from discomfort to depression. Therapy and medication can improve the symptoms of anxiety disorders, although many people do not seek treatment due to fear or misdiagnosis. With proper treatment, profound beneficial effects can be achieved in the psychosocial aspects of an individual’s life.

References

Cromer, R. J. (2007). Abnormal Psychology (6th ed). New York: Worth Publishers

Falvo, D. R. (2009). Medical and Psychosocial Aspects of Chronic Illness and Disability (4th ed). Sudbury, MA: Jones and Bartlett Publishers.

NetWellness. (2011). Mental Health. Retrieved on September 5, 2011, from www.netwellness.org/healthtopics/mentalhealth/overview.cfm

Rose, J. (2009, Aug. 17). Perspectives of General Anxiety Disorder. Retrieved on September 5, 2011, from http://psychedonpsychology.blogspot.com/2009/08/perspectives-of-generalized-anxiety.html

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