Approximately 40 million American adults are affected by anxiety disorders every year. There are many different symptoms that cause those suffering to be filled with fear, stress and uncertainty. Most people deal with anxiety to some degree, when doing things such as speaking in public or going on a first date. For the majority of us, these feelings go away once the event or situation has passed. People suffering from an anxiety disorder, however, continue to feel these things even after the situation has passed. If not properly treated, these feelings can become quite serious. There are a number of different methods for treating anxiety disorders, and the right treatment will depend on the person and just what type of anxiety they suffer from. There are six most common forms of anxiety: - Panic disorder - Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) - Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) - Social phobia (or social anxiety disorder) - Specific phobias - Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) Each of these forms of anxiety have different symptoms, but some are common to all of them - irrational fear and dread. Panic disorder includes feelings of panic, terror and helplessness. These feelings can be triggered by an event or a memory that has no relation to what is happening at the moement of the attack. People suffering from panic disorders often worry about when the next attack will occur, compounding the problem even more. Obsessive-compulsive disorder is when the person suffering from it has to complete a series of rituals or sequences without being disturbed. If they're interrupted, they will start the whole sequence over again from the start. Post-traumatic stress disorder is often associated with veterans of war but it can actually affect anyone. It is triggered by some sort of traumatic event. Most people will talk about their feelings after these events, but some keep it bottled up inside until the feelings become overwhelming. If something then triggers that memory, their anxiety manifests itself as PTSD. Social phobia is a disorder in which the person suffering experiences feelings of extreme humiliation and fear of being embarrassed. They try to avoid all social interactions or events where they don't have complete control over their surroundings, in order to avoid these situations. People who suffer from GAD often suffer from chronic worry. They worry about the smallest things, usually for much longer than they need to resulting in it affecting other parts of their life. It can affect their sleep, their work performance, personal relationships and more. Generally, the earlier a person can identify the symptoms of an anxiety disorder, the easier it is to treat and hopefully overcome. If one of these disorders is suspected, they should visit their doctor to get a thorough diagnosis and treatment program.
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