Learning About Anxiety Disorders

Did you know that anxiety disorders share related or common symptoms of depression? Let's take a look...

Some common types:

- Anxiety - Panic Attacks
Most often due to over inflated or exaggerated concerns about a number of issues, including but not limited to finances or relationships. Although the worry can be considered normal if it's for a short time frame and doesn't turn into feelings of dread which then can become prolonged. Should this occur, it can start to manifest itself into physical issues such as tremors, nausea, heart palpitations and even breathing difficulties. This would then be considered a panic attack.

According to experts, an estimated three out of ten people will experience an extreme panic attack episode and there is a good chance of them having a recurrence. The physical manifestations can be dangerous and medical advice and treatment is recommended.

- Social Anxiety Disorder
Avoiding any type of social contact. A person feels constant fear of criticism and experiences feelings of distress, which can lead to isolation. Normally this will lead to a person totally avoiding any type of social contact such as school functions, attending church or it may even flow over into their business world.

- Phobias
Signs of anxiety can manifest when people have a specific fear of something. Common fears or phobias can include fear of spiders, heights, water and flying. Over 1000 phobias have been documented according to research.

- GAD - General Anxiety Disorder
This seems to be the most prevalent from of anxiety and is referred to as GAD. It's recognized as excessive worry over common things like your job or family. When a person experiences this form or anxiety it makes it very difficult to function properly in their normal environment.

- Agoraphobia

This is a phobia that can have devastating results. A person that suffers from agoraphobia has the fear of leaving one's home and being exposed to public places. This completely upsets the normal social function. A person may experience an extreme panic attack with physical symptoms such as breathing difficulties and palpitations.

- Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome
This syndrome is triggered by extreme and/or traumatic events. When a person has been through a traumatic experience they may suffer future anxiety and panic attacks due to the trauma.

Some examples of the above would be wartime. War not only brings out stress and anxiety but can also induce a panic attack. Some other types of trauma include sexual abuse or rape, emotional abuse and even natural disasters such as hurricanes and/or earthquakes.

If you have any of the above conditions you will most likely know it. The difficult part is trying to understand why these disorders have taken such a strong hold of their lives. If you experience any of the above you need to arm yourself with as much information as possible and get professional help. This is the first step in effective treatment and a speedy recovery.

You will most likely know that you have one or more of these conditions. Trying to understand why these disorders have a hold on you is difficult. If you find yourself having any of these symptoms you should consult with a professional and arm yourself with as much information as you possibly can. This is an excellent step toward a faster recovery.

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