Disorders and Treatments Guide: Anxiety Disorders

By Maria Colenso

Being anxious about a big event in your life is normal but persistent anxiety and distress for no specific reason is the hallmark of an anxiety disorder. More than 40 million Americans suffer from some type of anxiety disorder, making it one of the most common mental illnesses. Anxiety disorders include generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), panic disorder and agoraphobia, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), social anxiety disorder and specific phobias.

Signs & Symptoms

Anxiety disorders such as GAD are characterized by extreme and persistent fear or worry and manifest as a combination of psychological and physical symptoms.

Psychological symptoms may include:

Chronic worries about daily activities, lasting at least six months
Racing thoughts
An inability to relax
An inability to concentrate
Irritability
Irrational feelings of dread
Fear of losing control
Fear of rejection

Physical symptoms may include:

Muscle aches and tension
Fatigue
Restlessness
Sleep disturbances
Gastrointestinal problems (nausea, diarrhea)

For more information, visit Mental Health America's factsheet about anxiety disorders:
http://www.mentalhealthamerica.net/go/information/get-info/anxiety-disorders

Therapies

Mental health professionals treat anxiety disorders. Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) is often a first line therapy choice for anxiety disorders, and GAD specifically may be treated with the following therapeutic components:

Education: Before GAD can be treated, it first must be understood. Patients work with their therapists to understand what is necessary and unnecessary worry.
Monitoring: Monitoring involves learning what triggers anxiety, including specific worries and severity of the anxiety.
Control strategies: Control strategies are CBT techniques to help reduce the physical, cognitive and behavioral affects fear and anxiety produce.
Physical control strategies: Strategies to reduce or control the physical response to fear and anxiety -- fight or flight -- may include relaxation techniques such as mindful meditation and deep breathing.
Cognitive control strategies: Treating anxiety disorders also means learning how to identify negative thoughts and how to evaluate and change them.
Behavioral strategies: CBT also teaches patients to face fears by visualizing, focusing and maintaining control over them. These strategies also may include education on time management and problem solving.

Depending on the severity of the anxiety disorder, treatment plans may also include drug therapy, including anti-anxiety drugs and antidepressants, to temporarily relieve symptoms until psychotherapy is underway.

Resources