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Meaning anxiety disorder


Types, Causes, Symptoms & Treatments

Overview

What is an anxiety disorder?

An anxiety disorder is a type of mental health condition. If you have an anxiety disorder, you may respond to certain things and situations with fear and dread. You may also experience physical signs of anxiety, such as a pounding heart and sweating.

It’s normal to have some anxiety. You may feel anxious or nervous if you have to tackle a problem at work, go to an interview, take a test or make an important decision. And anxiety can even be beneficial. For example, anxiety helps us notice dangerous situations and focuses our attention, so we stay safe.

But an anxiety disorder goes beyond the regular nervousness and slight fear you may feel from time to time. An anxiety disorder happens when:

  • Anxiety interferes with your ability to function.
  • You often overreact when something triggers your emotions.
  • You can’t control your responses to situations.

Anxiety disorders can make it difficult to get through the day. Fortunately, there are several effective treatments for anxiety disorders.

Who is at risk for anxiety disorders?

A mix of genetic and environmental factors can raise a person’s risk for developing anxiety disorders. You may be at higher risk if you have or had:

  • Certain personality traits, such as shyness or behavioral inhibition — feeling uncomfortable with, and avoiding, unfamiliar people, situations or environments.
  • Stressful or traumatic events in early childhood or adulthood.
  • Family history of anxiety or other mental health conditions.
  • Certain physical conditions, including thyroid problems and heart arrhythmias (unusual heart rhythms).

Anxiety disorders occur more often in women. Researchers are still studying why that happens. It may come from women’s hormones, especially those that fluctuate throughout the month. The hormone testosterone may play a role, too — men have more, and it may ease anxiety. It’s also possible that women are less likely to seek treatment, so the anxiety worsens.

What are the types of anxiety disorders?

There are several types of anxiety disorders, including:

  • Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD).
  • Panic disorder.
  • Phobias.
  • Separation anxiety.

Other mental health conditions share features with anxiety disorders. These include post-traumatic stress disorder and obsessive-compulsive disorder.

What is generalized anxiety disorder (GAD)?

With GAD, you may feel extreme and unrealistic worry and tension — even if there’s nothing to trigger these feelings. Most days, you may worry a lot about various topics, including health, work, school and relationships. You may feel that the worry continues from one thing to the next.

Physical symptoms of GAD can include restlessness, difficulty concentrating and sleeping problems.

What is a panic disorder?

If you have a panic disorder, you get intense, sudden panic attacks. These attacks often feature stronger, more intense feelings than other types of anxiety disorders.

The feelings of terror may start suddenly and unexpectedly or they may come from a trigger, like facing a situation you dread. Panic attacks can resemble heart attacks. If there’s any chance you’re experiencing a heart attack, go to the emergency room. It’s better to err on the side of caution and have a healthcare professional check you.

During a panic attack, you may experience:

  • Sweating.
  • Heart palpitations (feeling like your heart is pounding).
  • Chest pain.
  • Feeling of choking, which can make you think you’re having a heart attack or “going crazy.”

Panic attacks are very upsetting. People with panic disorder often spend a lot of time worrying about the next panic attack. They also try to avoid situations that might trigger an attack.

What are phobias?

Phobias are an intense fear of certain situations or objects. Some of these fears may make sense, such as a fear of snakes. But often, the level of fear doesn’t match the situation.

Like with other anxiety disorders, you may spend a lot of time trying to avoid situations that may trigger the phobia.

A specific phobia, or a simple phobia, is an intense fear of a particular object or situation. It may cause you to avoid everyday situations. Some specific phobias include fear of:

  • Animals, such as spiders, dogs or snakes.
  • Blood.
  • Flying.
  • Heights.
  • Injections (shots).

Healthcare providers used to call this condition social phobia. You may have overwhelming worry and self-consciousness with daily social situations. You may worry about others judging you or you may be anxious that you’ll embarrass yourself or open yourself up to ridicule. People with social anxiety disorder may avoid social situations entirely.

Agoraphobia

If you have agoraphobia, you may have an intense fear of being overwhelmed or unable to get help. Usually, you have a fear of two or more of these environments:

  • Enclosed spaces.
  • Lines or crowds.
  • Open spaces.
  • Places outside your house.
  • Public transportation.

In severe situations, a person with agoraphobia may not leave the house at all. They’re so terrified of having a panic attack in public that they prefer to stay inside.

What is separation anxiety disorder?

This condition mostly happens to children or teens, who may worry about being away from their parents. Children with separation anxiety disorder may fear that their parents will be hurt in some way or not come back as promised. It happens a lot in preschoolers. But older children and adults who experience a stressful event may have separation anxiety disorder as well.

How common are anxiety disorders?

Anxiety disorders are the most common mental health conditions in the U.S. They affect about 40 million Americans. They happen to nearly 30% of adults at some point. Anxiety disorders most often begin in childhood, adolescence or early adulthood.

How do anxiety disorders affect children?

It’s normal for children to feel some amount of anxiety, worry or fear at certain points. For example, a child may feel scared of a thunderstorm or barking dog. A teenager might get anxious about an upcoming test or school dance.

But sometimes, children approach these situations with overwhelming dread or they can’t stop thinking about all the fears tied to one of these events. It may seem that none of your comforts help. These children often get “stuck” on their worries. They have a hard time doing their daily activities, like going to school, playing and falling asleep. They’re extremely reluctant to try something new.

When thinking about your child’s anxiety levels, “getting stuck” is key. It separates the regular worries of childhood from an anxiety disorder that needs professional help. If the anxiety or worry interferes with your child’s ability to function, it may be time to seek help

Symptoms and Causes

What causes anxiety disorders?

Anxiety disorders are like other forms of mental illness. They don’t come from personal weakness, character flaws or problems with upbringing. But researchers don’t know exactly what causes anxiety disorders. They suspect a combination of factors plays a role:

  • Chemical imbalance: Severe or long-lasting stress can change the chemical balance that controls your mood. Experiencing a lot of stress over a long period can lead to an anxiety disorder.
  • Environmental factors: Experiencing a trauma might trigger an anxiety disorder, especially in someone who has inherited a higher risk to start.
  • Heredity: Anxiety disorders tend to run in families. You may inherit them from one or both parents, like eye color.

What are the symptoms of an anxiety disorder?

Symptoms vary depending on the type of anxiety disorder you have. General symptoms of an anxiety disorder include:

Physical symptoms:

  • Cold or sweaty hands.
  • Dry mouth.
  • Heart palpitations.
  • Nausea.
  • Numbness or tingling in hands or feet.
  • Muscle tension.
  • Shortness of breath.

Mental symptoms:

  • Feeling panic, fear and uneasiness.
  • Nightmares.
  • Repeated thoughts or flashbacks of traumatic experiences.
  • Uncontrollable, obsessive thoughts.

Behavioral symptoms:

  • Inability to be still and calm.
  • Ritualistic behaviors, such as washing hands repeatedly.
  • Trouble sleeping.

How do I know if my child has an anxiety disorder?

Anxiety-related problems in children share four common features. The anxiety:

  • Is typically a fear or fixation that interferes with the ability to enjoy life, get through the day or complete tasks.
  • Is puzzling to both the child and parents.
  • Does not improve after logical explanations to address the worries.
  • Is treatable.

Diagnosis and Tests

How are anxiety disorders diagnosed?

If you have symptoms of an anxiety disorder, talk to your healthcare provider. They’ll start with a complete medical history and physical examination.

There are no lab tests or scans that can diagnose anxiety disorders. But your provider may run some of these tests to rule out physical conditions that may be causing symptoms.

Who can diagnose anxiety disorders?

If your provider finds no signs of physical illness, they may refer you to a psychiatrist or psychologist. These mental health professionals specialize in diagnosing and treating mental illnesses. They may use specially designed interview and assessment tools to figure out if you have an anxiety disorder. Typically, the provider bases a diagnosis on:

  • Your reported symptoms, including how intense they are and how long they last.
  • Discussion of how the symptoms interfere with your daily life.
  • The provider’s observation of your attitude and behavior.

Providers also consult the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5). The American Psychiatric Association publishes the DSM-5. It’s the standard reference manual for diagnosing mental illnesses.

Management and Treatment

How are anxiety disorders treated?

An anxiety disorder is like any other health problem that requires treatment. You can’t will it away. It’s not a matter of self-discipline or attitude. Researchers have made a lot of progress in the last few decades in treating mental health conditions. Your healthcare provider will tailor a treatment plan that works for you. Your plan may combine medication and psychotherapy.

How does medication treat anxiety disorders?

Medications can’t cure an anxiety disorder. But they can improve symptoms and help you function better. Medications for anxiety disorders often include:

  • Anti-anxiety medications, such as benzodiazepines, may decrease your anxiety, panic and worry. They work quickly, but you can build up a tolerance to them. That makes them less effective over time. Your healthcare provider may prescribe an anti-anxiety medication for the short-term, then taper you off or the provider may add an antidepressant to the mix.
  • Antidepressants can also help with anxiety disorders. They tweak how your brain uses certain chemicals to improve mood and reduce stress. Antidepressants may take some time to work, so be patient. If you feel like you’re ready to stop taking antidepressants, talk to your provider first.
  • Beta-blockers, usually used for high blood pressure, can help reduce some of the physical symptoms of anxiety disorders. They can relieve rapid heartbeat, shaking and trembling.

Your healthcare provider will work with you to find the right medication combination and dosage. Don’t change the dose without consulting your provider. They’ll monitor you to make sure the medicines are working without causing negative side effects.

How does psychotherapy treat anxiety disorders?

Psychotherapy, or counseling, helps you deal with your emotional response to the illness. A mental health provider talks through strategies to help you better understand and manage the disorder. Approaches include:

  • Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is the most common type of psychotherapy used with anxiety disorders. CBT for anxiety teaches you to recognize thought patterns and behaviors that lead to troublesome feelings. You then work on changing them.
  • Exposure therapy focuses on dealing with the fears behind the anxiety disorder. It helps you engage with activities or situations you may have been avoiding. Your provider may also use relaxation exercises and imagery with exposure therapy.

What happens if I don’t get treatment for my child with an anxiety disorder?

Getting your child help for an anxiety disorder can improve their development and self-esteem. But untreated anxiety disorders can harm:

  • Family relationships.
  • School performance.
  • Social functioning.

Your child may also end up with more serious mental and physical health problems. Fortunately, there are several treatments for anxiety disorders. The right treatment can help your child manage their symptoms and feel their best.

Prevention

Can anxiety disorders be prevented?

You can’t prevent anxiety disorders. But you can take steps to control or reduce your symptoms:

  • Check out medications: Talk to a healthcare provider or pharmacist before taking over-the-counter medications or herbal remedies. Some of these contain chemicals that may make anxiety symptoms worse.
  • Limit caffeine: Stop or limit how much caffeine you consume, including coffee, tea, cola and chocolate.
  • Live a healthy lifestyle: Exercise regularly and eat a healthy, balanced diet.
  • Seek help: Get counseling and support if you experienced a traumatic or disturbing event. Doing so can help prevent anxiety and other unpleasant feelings from disrupting your life.

Outlook / Prognosis

What’s the outlook for people with anxiety disorders?

Anxiety disorders can often go undiagnosed and untreated. Fortunately, treatment can help. The right treatment can help improve your quality of life, relationships and productivity. It can also support your overall well-being.

You don’t need to live with constant worry and fear. If you notice symptoms of an anxiety disorder, talk to your healthcare provider. It’s best to get diagnosed and treated as soon as possible. Doing so can limit the problems that anxiety disorders can cause. Often, a combination of medications and counseling for anxiety can help you feel your best.

Living With

How can I best cope with an anxiety disorder?

There are several steps you can take to cope with anxiety disorder symptoms. These strategies can also make your treatment more effective:

  • Explore stress management: Learn ways to manage stress, such as through meditation.
  • Join support groups: These groups are available in-person and online. They encourage people with anxiety disorders to share their experiences and coping strategies.
  • Get educated: Learn about the specific type of anxiety disorder you have so you feel more in control. Help friends and loved ones understand the disorder as well so they can support you.
  • Limit or avoid caffeine: Many people with anxiety disorder find that caffeine can worsen their symptoms.
  • Talk to your healthcare provider: Your provider is your partner in your care. If you feel like treatment isn’t working or have questions about your medication, contact your provider. Together, you can figure out how to best move forward.

Some people feel the effects of stress in their stomachs. People with IBS have uncomfortable problems with digestion, including stomach pain, constipation and diarrhea. They also frequently have anxiety and depression, which can make symptoms worse.

The connection between IBS and anxiety comes from the nervous system partly controlling the colon. The nervous system’s response to stress may affect the stomach. Among people who get treated for IBS, anywhere from 50% to 90% may also have an anxiety disorder or depression. Treatment for IBS may include stress management and psychotherapy to relieve symptoms.

When should I go to the emergency room for an anxiety disorder?

Symptoms of an anxiety disorder can resemble symptoms of a heart attack or another health emergency. If you’re experiencing an anxiety attack for the first time, or you’re concerned in any way about your health, call 911 or head to the nearest ER. A healthcare provider will check you for serious or life-threatening conditions.

If you’re having an anxiety attack and unsure whether you should head to an ER or not, it’s better to go. Healthcare professionals can make sure you’re OK and give you any necessary treatment.

What else should I ask my healthcare provider?

If you have an anxiety disorder, ask your provider:

  • What’s the best treatment for me?
  • Do I need medication? What type?
  • How long should I take medication?
  • What type of psychotherapy will work best?
  • What else can I do to manage my symptoms?
  • What other conditions am I at risk for?

A note from Cleveland Clinic

An anxiety disorder can make it difficult to get through your day. Anxiety disorder symptoms include feelings of nervousness, panic and fear. You may also have physical symptoms such as sweating and a rapid heartbeat. But you don’t need to live like this. Several effective anxiety disorder treatments are available. Talk to your healthcare provider to figure out your diagnosis and the best treatment plan. Often, treatment combines medications and therapy. Anti-anxiety medications and antidepressants, together with CBT, can help you feel your best.

Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD): Symptoms & Treatment

Overview

Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) is a mental health condition that causes persistent fear and worry in addition to physical symptoms.

What is generalized anxiety disorder (GAD)?

Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) is a mental health condition that causes fear, worry and a constant feeling of being overwhelmed. It’s characterized by excessive, frequent and unrealistic worry about everyday things, such as job responsibilities, health or chores. It can affect children and adults.

GAD is one of several anxiety disorders.

Most people with GAD have one or more other psychiatric conditions, including:

  • Major depression.
  • Specific phobia.
  • Social anxiety disorder.
  • Panic disorder.

Who does generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) affect?

Generalized anxiety disorder can affect children and adults. The condition often begins in childhood or adolescence but may begin at any age.

Women and people assigned female at birth are twice as likely to be affected by GAD as men and people assigned male at birth.

How common is generalized anxiety disorder (GAD)?

Generalized anxiety disorder is common. It affects about 3% of the adult population.

Childhood anxiety occurs in about 1 in 4 children at some time between the ages of 13 years and 18 years. However, the lifetime prevalence of a severe anxiety disorder in children ages 13 to 18 is approximately 6%.

Symptoms and Causes

What are the symptoms of generalized anxiety disorder (GAD)?

The main symptom of generalized anxiety disorder is excessive and persistent worry about everyday things. This persistent feeling of anxiety or dread interferes with how you live your life.

People with GAD have trouble controlling their worries or feelings of nervousness and often know that they worry much more than they should.

Symptoms of GAD may fluctuate over time and are often worse during times of stress.

This ongoing worry and tension may be accompanied by physical symptoms, including:

  • Restlessness.
  • Feeling on edge or irritable.
  • Being easily fatigued.
  • Shortness of breath.
  • Heart palpitations.
  • Difficulty concentrating.
  • Muscle tension.
  • Headaches, muscle aches, stomachaches or unexplained pains.
  • Difficulty falling asleep and/or staying asleep.

It’s important to note that occasional anxiety or worry is a normal part of life. Many people may worry about things such as health, financial issues or family problems. But people with GAD feel extremely worried or nervous more frequently about these and other things — even when there’s little or no reason to be concerned about them.

What causes generalized anxiety disorder?

Researchers don’t know the exact cause of GAD, but they think it’s a complex combination of genetic, biological and environmental factors.

You’re more likely to have GAD if you have a first-degree biological relative (sibling or parent) with it.

Several areas of your brain and biological processes play a key role in fear and anxiety. Researchers are still learning more about these complex processes.

Researchers have also found that the following environmental factors may put you at higher risk for developing GAD:

  • Experiencing a traumatic event.
  • Being in a stressful environment.
  • Having to manage a chronic illness.
  • Experiencing child abuse.

Diagnosis and Tests

How is generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) diagnosed?

Healthcare providers and mental health professionals use the criteria in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders to diagnose generalized anxiety disorder.

The criteria include:

  • Excessive anxiety and worry for at least six months.
  • Difficulty controlling the worrying.
  • The anxiety results in significant distress or impairs daily functioning.
  • The anxiety isn’t due to a physical cause (such as thyroid issues or substance use).

The anxiety is also associated with three or more of the following symptoms for at least six months:

  • Restlessness or feeling on edge.
  • Being easily fatigued.
  • Difficulty concentrating.
  • Muscle tension.
  • Sleep issues.
  • Irritability.

If you think you or your child has GAD, it’s important to talk to a healthcare provider or a mental health professional, such as a psychologist.

A healthcare provider will perform a physical exam and may order some tests to make sure there are no physical medical conditions or substances that are causing your symptoms. These tests may include:

  • Thyroid blood tests.
  • Blood glucose test.
  • Echocardiogram (heart test).
  • Toxicology screen (drug test).

Management and Treatment

How is generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) treated?

Generalized anxiety disorder is generally treated with psychotherapy (talk therapy), medication or both.

Psychotherapy for GAD

Psychotherapy, also called talk therapy, is a term for a variety of treatment techniques that aim to help a person identify and change unhealthy emotions, thoughts and behaviors.

Psychotherapy takes place with a trained, licensed mental health professional, such as a psychologist or psychiatrist. It can provide support, education and guidance to you and/or your family to help you function better and increase your well-being.

Mental health professionals most often use cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) specifically to help treat GAD. During CBT, your mental health professional helps you take a close look at your thoughts and emotions. You’ll come to understand how your thoughts and excessive worrying affect your actions. Through CBT, you can unlearn negative or worrying thoughts and behaviors and learn to adopt healthier thinking patterns and habits.

Medications for GAD

Your healthcare provider or psychiatrist may prescribe medication to treat GAD. Different types of medication include:

  • Antidepressants: Healthcare providers commonly prescribe selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs) antidepressants to treat depression, but they also can help treat the symptoms of GAD. They may take several weeks to start working.
  • Anti-anxiety medications: Benzodiazepines, which are anti-anxiety sedative medications, can help manage severe forms of GAD. They can be very effective in rapidly decreasing anxiety, but some people build up a tolerance to them and need higher and higher doses to get the same effect. Because of this, your provider may prescribe them only for brief periods if you need them. Buspirone is another anti-anxiety medication that can help treat GAD. Buspirone takes three to four weeks to become fully effective.

Prevention

Can generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) be prevented?

There’s no known way to prevent generalized anxiety disorder, but many of its symptoms can be lessened with treatment. Seeking help as soon as symptoms appear can help decrease the disruptions to your life.

Outlook / Prognosis

What is the prognosis for generalized anxiety disorder (GAD)?

The prognosis (outlook) for generalized anxiety disorder can vary depending on how severe it is. In some cases, GAD is long-term (chronic) and difficult to treat. However, most people experience improvement in their symptoms with medicine and/or talk therapy.

Living With

How can I take care of myself if I have generalized anxiety disorder?

If you have generalized anxiety disorder, aside from getting medical treatment, there are some things you can do to help manage the condition, including:

  • Practicing a healthy lifestyle: Implementing certain healthy choices in daily life, such as reducing caffeine intake and getting enough sleep, can reduce anxiety symptoms when paired with medical treatment.
  • Practicing stress management techniques: Exercise, mindfulness and meditation can reduce anxiety symptoms and enhance the effects of psychotherapy.
  • Avoiding substance use and alcohol: Using substances and drinking alcohol can make your anxiety symptoms worse and may interfere with the medications you’re taking to treat anxiety.
  • Joining a self-help or support group: Joining a group with others who have similar experiences and sharing your challenges and achievements may help you feel less alone. It’s important to remember that you should use any advice you receive from a support group cautiously, and it doesn’t replace treatment recommendations from your healthcare provider or mental health provider.

When should I see my healthcare provider about generalized anxiety disorder (GAD)?

If you’ve been diagnosed with generalized anxiety disorder, you’ll need to see your healthcare provider regularly if you’re taking medication for it to make sure the dosage is working for you. If you experience any concerning symptoms or side effects, talk to your provider.

If you’re seeing a mental health professional to help treat GAD, be sure to attend all of your sessions and reschedule any you have to cancel. Although it can take time to see the effects of therapy, it’s important to keep going.

A note from Cleveland Clinic

Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) can make it difficult to get through the day. The good news is that several effective anxiety treatments are available, including talk therapy and medications. Talk to your healthcare provider to figure out your diagnosis and the best treatment plan.

Anxiety disorder: symptoms, diagnosis and treatment

Psychotherapist

Krashkina

Irina Ivanovna

Experience 32 years

Psychotherapist, candidate of medical sciences, member of the Russian Professional Psychotherapeutic League

Make an appointment

Anxiety disorder is a type of neurotic condition in which a person experiences continuous anxiety about life circumstances, their appearance and relationships with people around them. Staying in this state for a long time creates uncomfortable living conditions for a person, which become the reason for him to withdraw into himself, not to develop his own abilities and limit his social circle.

Symptoms and signs

It is believed that when an anxiety disorder appears, the symptoms are as follows:

  • severe form of anxiety and emotional stress before the onset of panic attacks;
  • frequent mood swings;
  • persistent sleep disorder;
  • constant conflicts with others;
  • reduced acuity of reactions and inhibited thinking;
  • increased sweating, rapid pulse;
  • fatigue and weakness leading to decreased performance;
  • complaints about the appearance of pain in different parts of the body.

These symptoms of an anxiety disorder are signs of autonomic and mental disorders.

The hallmarks of symptoms of generalized anxiety disorder are:

  • total manifestation of anxiety before any life circumstances;
  • inability to concentrate on domestic activities or work;
  • constant motor voltage;
  • inability to relax;
  • indigestion and stomach pain;
  • heart disease.

Symptoms of an anxiety-depressive disorder occur against the background of constant depression:

  • lack of interest in the manifestations of life and close people;
  • lack of positive emotions;
  • sudden feeling of fear;
  • vegetative disorders - rapid pulse, shortness of breath, shortness of breath, increased sweating, proximity to fainting, etc.

Causes of the onset and development of the disease

Experts believe that the following factors contribute to the appearance of the disease:

  • persistent circulatory disorders, hormonal imbalances or chronic heart disease;
  • a chronic form of dependence on alcohol, drugs, psychoactive substances, as well as a sharp cessation of their use;
  • craniocerebral injuries and their consequences;
  • being in a situation of prolonged stress;
  • character traits - melancholic temperament, disturbing accents in the temperament of the character;
  • tendency to exaggerate dangers due to their high susceptibility;
  • neurotic and mental disorders: depression, neurasthenia, hysteria, schizophrenia, paranoia, various manias;
  • mental trauma in children at an early age and in adults in extreme situations - war, earthquake, being in a state close to death, loss of a loved one or his support, and others.

Psychologists view the process of anxiety in different ways:

  • adherents of psychoanalysis believe that the reason is the regular suppression of their own desires;
  • the second believe that the reason is the break in the connection between the stimulus and the response of the psyche to the stimulus;
  • still others believe that the reason is in the reaction of the psyche to the distorted mental images of a person.

Disease classification

Anxiety disorder according to the ICD is a neurotic disorder along with fears, suspiciousness and post-traumatic disorders. One of the main signs of an anxious personality disorder is the pathology of the origin of anxiety, the disproportionate degree of protection to the stimulus factor.

Pathological anxiety:

  • not caused by real danger;
  • is not proportionate to the significance of the situation;
  • is not associated with a lack of time and knowledge;
  • is being actively ousted;
  • brings significant discomfort to a person's life;
  • is much more pronounced than normal;
  • is long in time;
  • has satellites in the form of tension and expectation of consequences, concern and doubt, feelings of helplessness.

Types of anxiety disorder:

  • anxiety-depressive disorder is caused by the constant presence of anxiety without sources of danger, has pathological changes in the patient's personality;
  • phobic anxiety disorder is based on fixation on past unpleasant consequences;
  • social anxiety disorder is characterized by the patient's avoidance of contact with other people;
  • mixed anxiety disorder causes a simultaneous feeling of pathological anxiety and depressed mood;
  • anxiety-panic disorder is characterized by the presence of panic attacks;
  • Anxiety-neurotic disorder is associated with anxiety before any diseases, severe shyness and unrest;
  • generalized anxiety disorder is accompanied by excessive fussiness, anxiety without certain dangers and threats.

Risk factors and groups

Risk factors include child abuse, hereditary mental disorders, historical family poverty, or other antisocial manifestations.

The risk group includes people prone to neurotic diseases - depression, hysteria; people taking alcohol, drugs, psychotropic drugs; women between the ages of 20 and 30.

Complications

In the absence of adequate treatment, anxiety disorder leads to the following socio-psychological complications:

  • low self-esteem;
  • self-isolation from society;
  • insomnia;
  • the appearance of a feeling of hopelessness;
  • exhaustion of the organism.

Social complications are job loss, financial problems, relationship breakdown, alcoholism, drug addiction, substance abuse, and others. Physical complications - irritation in the intestines, heartburn, lack of interest in sex, weight loss or excess weight gain, headaches and muscle strain, decreased immunity, the development of allergies, accelerated aging, cancer, heart disease and many others.

Diagnostics

The accumulated information about this disease made it possible to test reliable methods of drug and psychotherapeutic treatment. This disease belongs to the areas of professional interest of a psychiatrist and a medical psychologist.

Specialists use the following methods for diagnosing a neurotic disease:

  • initial individual consultation involves a survey to identify emotional reactions, obtain information about the patient's lifestyle, motives and interests;
  • psychodiagnostic examination and projective testing aimed at identifying pathological anxiety and related disorders;
  • observations of the patient and his life, relationships with the outside world and with people.

Preparing to see a doctor

Before entering the psychotherapist's office, the patient is advised to formulate all his problems, report on the use of all psychoactive substances, including the start/end dates and the total duration of the use. In addition, the positive attitude of the patient to the treatment and the effect that it will bring is extremely important.

Treatment

Anxiety disorders are treated with a complex of methods based on changing the patient's lifestyle, psychotherapy and taking medications. Treatment for generalized anxiety disorder is based on the use of psychoactive-type medications, such as antidepressants. In no case should you arbitrarily stop taking medications. Psychotherapy of anxiety disorder is carried out by various methods - individual, group, family. The main direction of the impact of therapy is an increased impact on the attitude towards the fears and anxieties that have appeared.

Among traditional medicine, it is possible to use medicinal herbs, infusions and decoctions from them, for example, lemon balm, chamomile. These herbs act on the human body, bringing a relaxing effect, thanks to this effect, anxiety disorders and their cause temporarily reduce their degree of activity.

Self-treatment of an anxiety disorder threatens with pains and neuroses of a different nature, which need to be treated more deeply.

Prevention

Experts argue that there are no effective means of preventing anxiety disorders, while being attentive to your fears and the reasons for their appearance in the early stages is easier to cure, giving positive predictions for the absence of relapses.

Need for help

Between the feeling of anxiety in normal and pathological conditions, a very thin, barely distinguishable line is drawn, due to the fact that anxiety is a natural protective reaction of the body to external stimuli. At the same time, it is not permissible to independently diagnose and treat the disease, since this entails a complication and aggravation of an already existing condition.

In the center of Moscow, in JSC "Medicine" (clinic of academician Roitberg), specialists provide the necessary assistance in the fight against anxiety disorders of any type and etiology. You can make an appointment by calling +7 (495) 775-73-60 or in person at the address: Moscow, 2nd Tverskoy-Yamskoy pereulok, 10, Mayakovskaya metro station.

Anxiety Disorder - Adamant Medical Clinic

Adamant
medical clinic

St. Petersburg, embankment of the Moika River, 78.

+7 (812) 740-20-90

Content:

Anxiety disorder is a mental disorder characterized by a state of generalized persistent anxiety. Unlike ordinary short-term stress, which, for example, is associated with public speaking, the disease lasts for a long time - for several months or more.

Excessive anxiety, tension and fear that patients with anxiety disorders experience can be accompanied by both psychological and physical ailments. In order to avoid dangerous complications such as paranoia, nervousness, etc. it is necessary to recognize the signs of the disease as early as possible and consult a doctor.

Symptoms of an anxiety disorder

Main symptoms of anxiety disorder:

  1. Psychological:

    • excessive anxiety and tension in connection with current affairs or for no particular reason;
    • unreasonable fear for your life and the lives of loved ones;
    • stress, inability to relax;
    • decreased performance, difficulty concentrating;
    • irritability.

  2. Physical:

    • constant feeling of fatigue and weakness;
    • muscle tension;
    • pain in the head and abdomen;
    • trembling, chills;
    • sleep disorders;
    • increased sweating;
    • shortness of breath up to a feeling of suffocation;
    • nausea and vomiting;
    • stool disorders.

The degree of manifestation of symptoms or their combinations depends on the form of anxiety disorder and the degree of neglect of the disease.

Forms of anxiety disorder

The following forms of anxiety disorder are distinguished:

  • Adaptive Anxiety Disorder - Excessive anxiety and other emotional reactions arise from the difficulty of adapting to a particular stressful situation.
  • Generalized anxiety disorder (also known as anxiety-depressive disorder) - excessive anxiety persists constantly and is associated with a large number of life circumstances - the patient regularly experiences unreasonable fear for his life, work, family, etc.
  • Anxiety-phobic disorder - causes panic attacks that cause extreme fear and a sense of impending death; fear of people and their large crowds; fear of some serious illness.

All these obsessive thoughts are unpleasant and alien to patients, often they themselves are not aware of the cause of their occurrence. Seeing a doctor as soon as possible will solve this problem and return the person to a normal life.

Anxiety treatment

Treatment of anxiety disorder is carried out in a complex, in several directions. It includes:

  1. Drug therapy - based on the characteristics of the patient's body and the disease, the doctor will prescribe a set of medications to eliminate symptoms: