Anxiety Disorders

Anxiety Kassandra Gutierrez Texas A&M International University Anxiety “Anxiety disorders are characterized by frequent fearful thoughts about what might happen in the future”(Wood, Wood, & Boyd, 2014). These sicknesses dramatically alter patients lives in a negative way, not only does if affect the people who suffer from one of these disorders but it also affects their social surroundings and loved ones. There are many psychological disorders, which is why it could be compared to a kingdom of biology because they extend and connect to so many other illness, some of these anxiety disorders would include: panic attacks, specific phobias, obsessive-disorder, major depression, bi polar disorder, and posttraumatic stress disorder. An increased heart rate, uncontrollable shaking, and a feeling of suffocation characterize panic attacks. An example of this disorder would be the feeling a person would get while being near water after a near drowning experience.

Unexpectedly, the person is struck by a barrage of scary and painful symptoms. Initial panic attacks may occur when people are under considerable stress, from an excess of work, for instance, or from the loss of a family member or close friend. The attacks may also follow surgery, a severe accident, sickness, or childbirth. Extreme consumption of caffeine or use of cocaine or other refreshment drugs or medicines can also trigger panic attacks (Jeremy D. Coplan, Raymond Goetz, Donald F. Klein, Laszlo A. Papp, Abby J. Fyer, Michael R. Liebowitz, Sharon O. Davies, and Jack M. Gorman, Gen Psychiatry 1998). In panic disorder, panic attacks persist and the person fears having another attack.

This disorder can involve anticipating disaster, often worrying excessively about health, money, family or work. Sometimes, though, just the thought of getting through the day brings anxiety. What are the major kinds of anxiety disorders? There are several major types of anxiety disorders, each with its own characteristics. • Panic disorder- sudden intense and unprovoked feelings of terror and dread.

The most common symptoms of agoraphobia are panic attacks. People with agoraphobia experience the physical symptoms of panic attacks routinely sometimes. Patients complain of panic attacks giving them the sensation of chest pains, vertigo, racing heart rate, shortness of breath, sweating for no reason, trembling, nausea, diarrhea, flushing, chills and choking. Those dealing with agoraphobia tend to depend on others and stay indoors, usually secluded for very long periods of time. Strangely, the patients fear that the mental disease will bring on a panic attack, in which case they start their own panic attack, because of this they arise unpredictable and typically in situations that the patient tries to avoid.

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, or OCD, is an anxiety disorder is when someone has to perform certain rituals, ones that begin to affect everyday life. Hoarding is also defined as an anxiety disorder. Every disorder can affect people differently. There are many ways to treat victims, because one case could be more or less severe than the next. Anxiety is a normal reaction to stress, but it can become excessive and cross the line into an anxiety disorder.

The six most common forms of anxiety are Generalized Anxiety Disorder, Panic Disorder, Phobias, Social Anxiety Disorder, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder. Generalized Anxiety Disorder, or GAD, is characterized by excessive worries about nonspecific life events, objects, and situations. People with GAD often have trouble identifying that specific fear and controlling it. That said fear is often unreasonable and not in proportion with what is expected in a normal situations. They normally expect failure and disaster is coming, and they normally can not lead normal lives.

GENERALISED ANXIETY DISORDER This is when an individual suffers from extreme, irrational and uncontrolled worries. Certain situations cause feelings of apprehension and negative expectations, it is common for individuals with GAD to envision disaster or expect the worst case scenario, they also tend to worry continuously about everyday issues linked to family, work, finances etc. Headaches, irritability, nausea, breathing difficulties, insomnia, muscle tension/pain and fatigue are a few of the many symptoms caused by GAD. PANIC DISORDER This is when repeated panic attacks occur, causing incidents of acute anxiety. Panic attacks cannot be foreseen therefore the individual often experiences constant stress and worry over when or where the next episode will occur.

-     restlessness or feeling keyed up or on edge -     being easily fatigued -     difficulty concentrating or mind going blank -     irritability -     muscle tension -   &nb... ... middle of paper ... ...he anxiety the patient is having. There are many studies pertaining to generalized anxiety disorder. The studies examine the genetic and environmental risks for major anxiety disorders, their course-both alone and when they occur along with other diseases such as depression-and their treatment. Like heart disease and diabetes, these brain disorders are complex and probably result from a combination of genetic, behavioral, developmental, and other factors. Much of the research of anxiety centers on the amygdale, an almond-shaped structure deep within the brain.

The person experiencing the attack may not be aware of the cause. Symptoms include four or more of the following: pounding heart, difficulty breathing, dizziness, chest pain, shaking, sweating, choking, nausea, depersonalization, numbness, fear of dying, flushes, fear of going crazy. Heredity, metabolic factors, hyperventilation, and psychological factors may contribute to anxiety causing panic attacks. (Hale, 1886) Panic disorder tends to run in families with first degree relatives of patients having four to seven times greater risk than the general population. Metabolically, the levels of three neurotransmitters, nor-epinephrine, gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), and serotonin, may play a role in anxiety.

(Daily Writing Tips) Hysteria is a neurotic disorder characterized by violent emotional outbreaks and disturbances of sensory and motor functions. Anxiety affects Hysteria because some diagnosed patients are anxious and do not know when their emotional outbreak will happen. Social anxiety is another form of anxiety, and is more common than an anxiety disorder. Social anxiety prevents or withholds someone from participating in social activities, or gatherings. There is controversy if anxiety is transferred through genetics, and if it is connected with anxiety disorder.