ANXIETY
According to the national institute of health (NIH) as many as 33.7% of people experience the effect of one of the many forms of anxiety disorders at some point through out their life. This is a staggering number of people afflicted, yet only 36% of those who qualify for a diagnosis seek treatment for anxiety. You may be at the deliberation phase wonder if the anxiety symptoms you are experiencing might qualify you for a diagnosis or if you should be seeking help from a therapist or counselor.
As a person experiencing anxiety, you may be in great anguish, feeling embarrassment, or frustration about the way that this is effecting you. Additionally, you may be wondering why or how you could have developed anxiety. Keep in mind, anxiety disorders as well as most other types of psychological disorders are caused by an intricate interaction of genetic, social, and personality factors. Each specific kind of anxiety that falls under the diagnostic heading of
“anxiety disorders” has a unique set of symptoms associated with it.
Learn more here about the most common types of anxiety disorders. Panic Attacks, Agoraphobia, Specific Phobias, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Acute Stress Disorder, Generalized Anxiety, Social Anxiety, Substance Induced Anxiety Disorder, Interpersonal Anxiety, if you are experiencing any of these or if you are wondering whether your symptoms may qualify you for a diagnosis this is something to explore further with a licensed professional counselor or other medical professional, as a counseling practice which cares about you, read on to learn more about Treatment for Anxiety.
Anxiety disorders manifest in many ways and no two cases are ever the same. However, there are certain types of anxiety disorders that present frequently, which include the following:
- Generalized Anxiety Disorder – Feelings of worry and fear that manifest without any real trigger and can be overwhelming, often going on many hours of the day. There may be worrying thoughts, physical symptoms of worry such as a fast heart beat or breathing, sweating, stomach butterflies, a knot in one’s chest or just feeling muscular tension and on edge.
- Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) – Repetitive and distressing behaviors or thoughts are the key indicators of OCD. These thoughts or behaviors can be about hygiene, security, cleanliness, orderliness or just about anything.
- Panic Disorder – Panic attacks that come out of nowhere and have no real explanation, or indeed may occur in specific contexts. A panic attack can involve a rapid heartbeat, shallow fast breathing and often a deep sense of dread.
- Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) – When an individual suffers from chronic anxiety in the wake of a traumatic or distressing event/period in life. The individual may experience unwanted flashbacks about the event, wake with nightmares, avoid situations that remind them of the trauma and be generally hyper vigilant, always on edge.
- Phobias – these generally an irrational fear of something that is relatively harmless.