How OCD, Social Anxiety, And More Affect Well- Being. If you’ve ever had a panic attack, you’ve likely branded yourself an “anxious” person at some point. But there is no such thing as one anxiety disease: There are several different types, and it’s possible to suffer from a few of them at the same time. Anxiety disorders affect some 4. U. S., according to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America (ADAA). That’s as high as 1. If you suffer from anxiety, you’re certainly not alone. Here are the different types, what they mean for your mental health, and the best ways to battle them. Generalized Anxiety Disorder. Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) affects over 3 percent of the U. S. People with GAD will typically worry excessively and chronically, meaning there will always be fear in the back of their minds for months and even years. Having this chronic worrying is mentally exhausting, which often means people with the disorder will feel fatigued and drained, have difficulty concentrating, experience muscle tension, or be unable to sleep well. ![]() Fortunately, it can be treated with medication like anti- anxiety meds or antidepressants, as well as cognitive behavioral therapy. Panic Disorder. Panic disorder refers to a condition in which sudden, debilitating attacks of fear or panic impair a person’s daily life. During a panic attack, a person will experience intense physical symptoms including hyperventilation, increased pulse, dizziness or lightheadedness, tingling limbs, chest pain, or abdominal pain. Such physical symptoms can often be scary, since they share qualities with symptoms of heart attacks or strokes, and typically exacerbate the panic attack. Fortunately, like GAD, panic disorder can be treated with medication and psychotherapy. Obsessive- Compulsive Disorder (OCD)OCD may be one of the most poorly understood mental disorders out there: It’s easy to stereotype people with OCD as being excessively clean or orderly. In fact, many myths about OCD can be debunked by science. There are two pillars of OCD: obsessions, which are thoughts or images that repeat in the person’s mind, and compulsions. The person will feel out of control and find the thoughts disturbing, and experience accompanying feelings of fear or worry. These obsessions can involve fears of contamination, unwanted sexual thoughts, religious fears of offending God or morality, or being worried they will harm someone they care about. Compulsions involve the actions and “rituals” that follow the obsessive thought. Ritualistic steps often make the person feel like they have more control over their thought by allowing them to “cancel” it out. OCD can be complicated to treat, but there are cognitive behavioral therapies that help people face their fears and overcome their obsessions and compulsions, such as Exposure and Response Prevention. Phobia. Surprisingly, phobias affect nearly 9 percent of the population, mainly women. Phobias involve the overwhelming fear of an object, organism, or situation that is objectively harmless. Phobias like the fear of open spaces, close spaces, snakes, and elevators, among others, can be damaging to a person’s daily life and relationships. Getting help can include being prescribed beta blockers, antidepressants, or sedatives as well as participating in cognitive behavioral therapy or desensitization or exposure therapy. Social Anxiety Disorder. It’s one thing to be shy or an introvert, but in extreme cases, a person may suffer from social anxiety disorder — the fear of being judged or scrutinized in social situations. This can prevent sufferers from socializing, going to work, or even leaving their homes. Conquering social anxiety disorder might involve exposure therapy to overcome the feelings of nervous “stage fright,” as well as anti- anxiety meds. Post- Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)PTSD is often listed as a mental illness entirely on its own, but it is often linked to the anxiety umbrella and it may be one of the most serious anxiety disorders. PTSD stems from a traumatic incident or even a brain injury that damages a person’s mental health and results in severe flashbacks, depression, and anxiety. Because of the complexity of the condition, there are various types of treatments that can be individualized based on the person. For more ways to build defenses against anxiety, check out these helpful small tips. DSM- 5 Criteria for Generalized Anxiety Disorder. When does worry reach the point of being an anxiety disorder? Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) is defined for mental health professionals in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th Edition or the DSM- 5 for short. This manual allows all behavioral and mental health providers to use the same criteria when they assess you and enables them to make a diagnosis of GAD or other psychiatric conditions. Learn how your provider uses this manual and assessment tools to diagnose GAD. Symptoms of Generalized Anxiety Disorder From the DSM- 5. The DSM- 5 criteria that are used to diagnose GAD are as follows: 1. The presence of excessive anxiety and worry about a variety of topics, events, or activities. Worry occurs more often than not for at least 6 months and is clearly excessive. Excessive worry means worrying even when there is nothing wrong or in a manner that is disproportionate to the actual risk. This typically involves spending a high percentage of waking hours worrying about something. The worry may be accompanied by reassurance- seeking from others. ![]() ![]() In adults, the worry can be about job responsibilities or performance, one’s own health or the health of family members, financial matters, and other everyday, typical life circumstances. Of note, in children, the worry is more likely to be about their abilities or the quality of their performance (for example, in school). The worry is experienced as very challenging to control. ![]() ![]() By the symptoms Excessive sweating and Weight loss. Generalized anxiety disorder and. When does worry become anxiety disorder? Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) is defined for mental health professionals in the "Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of. The worry in both adults and children may shift from one topic to another. The anxiety and worry are associated with at least three of the following physical or cognitive symptoms (In children, only one symptom is necessary for a diagnosis of GAD): Edginess or restlessness. Tiring easily; more fatigued than usual. Impaired concentration or feeling as though the mind goes blank. Irritability (which may or may not be observable to others)Increased muscle aches or soreness. Difficulty sleeping (due to trouble falling asleep or staying asleep, restlessness at night, or unsatisfying sleep)Many individuals with GAD also experience symptoms such as sweating, nausea, or diarrhea. The anxiety, worry, or associated symptoms make it hard to carry out day- to- day activities and responsibilities. They may cause problems in relationships, at work, or in other important areas.
![]() ![]() These symptoms are unrelated to any other medical conditions and cannot be explained by the effect of substances including a prescription medication, alcohol, or recreational drugs. These symptoms are not better explained by a different mental disorder. Assessing GAD Symptoms. If you are wondering whether you or your child might suffer from GAD, consider completing a brief online self- screening tool for adults or for children provided by the Anxiety and Depression Association of America (ADAA) and speaking with a mental health professional or your physician. ![]() Your clinician will meet with you and ask about your symptoms in an open- ended way. They use the diagnostic criteria, standardized assessments, and their clinical judgment to make a diagnosis. You may also be asked to complete self- report questionnaires. These typically brief measures can help determine the diagnosis (as the Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale- 7 does) or severity of symptoms. Standardized Assessment Tools. In specialized care settings, like an anxiety disorders clinic, standardized assessment tools are sometimes used to evaluate symptoms. In this case, your clinician gives you a semi- structured interview. The interview is likely to include a standardized set of questions, and your answers will help your clinician to make an accurate diagnosis. Commonly used and well- validated diagnostic interviews for adults include the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM Disorders (SCID) and the Anxiety and Related Disorders Interview Schedule for DSM- 5 (ADIS- 5). There is a child version of the ADIS, in which both parent and child are asked about the child’s symptoms. These interviews also evaluate the presence of other associated conditions such as depression. A Word From Verywell. Remember, GAD is a treatable condition. There is no need for you (or your child) to worry in silence. Treatment, particularly psychotherapy, self- help approaches or other therapies, will teach you a variety of ways to cope with your anxiety. There are also medications that can help with persistent anxiety. Sources: American Psychiatric Association. Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (Fifth edition). Washington, D. C.: American Psychiatric Association; 2. Brown, TA, Barlow DH. Treatments that Work: Anxiety and Related Disorders Interview Schedule for DSM- 5. New York: Oxford University Press, 2. First MB, Williams JBW, Benjamin LS, Spitzer RL, First MB. SCID- 5- PD: structured clinical interview for DSM- 5. Arlington, VA: American Psychiatric Association Publishing; 2.
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