Anxiety Disorders



Anxiety DisordersCauses and TreatmentsKatelyn Airhardt11/18/2013Student ID 4196777Anxiety is a common mental disorder that people experience every day. Some people can be affected by it differently than others and for some it can affect the way that they live their life. It’s estimated that as many as 17% of adults will develop an anxiety disorder at some point in their life CITATION Placeholder1 \l 1033 (Nevid, Greene, Johnson, Taylor, & Macnab, 2013), not to be confused with every day anxiety which is a very common occurrence. Anxiety can come in many forms and the best word to describe anxiety is fear, the fear of danger and of what might happen. A few of the major types of anxiety disorders are: Panic disorder, phobic disorder, adjustment disorder and acute and posttraumatic stress disorder. The first type of anxiety disorder that I am going to discuss is panic disorder. Panic disorder is a common form of anxiety that many people experience. This form of anxiety disorder can result in unexpected panic attacks that can occur on a regular basis for some people. Panic attacks are a physical reaction to the anxiety and people may start to develop symptoms such as pounding heart, shortness of breath, difficulty breathing, weakness and dizziness. These attacks are usually followed by feelings of danger and terror. Some panic attacks can become so severe that a person might think they are experiencing a heart attack when really they are just going through a panic attack. A panic attack may last up to twenty minutes and usually happens suddenly. For some people panic attacks can spark out of nowhere or from the smallest form of anxiety like being late for work. After experiencing a panic attack, a person will feel weak and tired and feel like they have just gone through the worst experience possible. When panic attacks start to occur on a regular basis and start affecting your everyday life is when it could start to develop into a panic disorder. Even though a panic attack can happen for no reason there are many things that can help it develop into a panic disorder such as major life transitions like a death in the family, or getting married CITATION Placeholder1 \l 1033 (Nevid, Greene, Johnson, Taylor, & Macnab, 2013).Panic attacks and panic disorder may seem like an ongoing and scary thing but it can be treated with a variety of therapy sessions. Cognitive therapy is known to be the most effective treatment for panic disorder because it focusses on the thinking and behavior that triggers the panic attacks. It allows people to look at their fears in a more realistic viewpoint and eventually helps them to overcome their fears. Another form of treatment for panic disorders is exposure treatment. In this treatment you are given physical exercises to help you cope with your anxiety. For example people may be asked to do things like hold their breath, make themselves dizzy, or hyperventilate. These exercises help the person to be less afraid when they are having a panic attack and learn how to deal with it. Medical treatment can be used as well if needed during severe circumstances. Even though medical treatment may reduce some of the physical symptoms, it will not get rid of the problem and shall therefor not be the only treatment used CITATION Mel13 \l 1033 (Smith & Segal, Panic Attacks and Panic Disorder: Symptoms Causes and Treatments, 2013).The second form of anxiety that I am going to discuss is phobic disorder. The word phobia derives from the Greek phobos, meaning fear CITATION Placeholder1 \l 1033 (Nevid, Greene, Johnson, Taylor, & Macnab, 2013). To have a phobic disorder is to have a great fear of a situation or an object and feel like you are being put into danger. An example of this could be a person who has a driving phobia and is terribly afraid even when the weather is sunny and there are no cars around them. The phobia can get so severe that the person may not drive or even ride in a vehicle. Most people that have a phobia however recognize it and understand that they are being unreasonable. Most of the phobias that people have are ones that wouldn’t be expected. Riding the elevator is something that people do every day yet is one of the most common phobias. The most common phobias are things that most people do on a regular basis. Phobias become serious and hard to handle when they start to affect your everyday life. An example of this is when a person is always late for school or work because they have a phobia of taking the bus or subway. People may experience specific phobias such as acrophobia which is a fear of heights and claustrophobia which is a fear of small spaces. The fear that people encounter in these situations can lead to them having a full breakdown, or affect their life on a daily basis, either severely or in minor circumstances. Specific phobias usually start at a young age and develop as a person grows up. The symptoms of a phobia can be both physical and mental. The physical symptoms include shortness of breath, racing of the heart, shaking, chest pains, hot or cold flashes, and dizziness. Some of the mental or emotional symptoms include intense need to escape, fear of going crazy, feeling like you’re going to die or pass out, and panic. Everyone generally has a fear or something and phobias are not one to be worried about unless they start to affect your everyday life. Self-help is great for you to try and defeat your phobia because it gives you a feeling of control, but in some cases it does not always work and therapy is needed as well. Therapy is fast and effective and sometimes the only thing that people need is proper guidance and assurance. The most effective way over overcoming your phobia is to slowly expose yourself to it over again until you become able to control your fear. CITATION Smi13 \l 1033 (Smith, Segal, & Segal, Phobias and Fears: Symptoms, Treatments, and Self-Help, 2013)The third disorder that I am going to discuss is adjustment disorders. This particular disorder occurs when a person cannot deal or cope with changes in their life. It could be from a major loss in the family or moving to a different city. Adjustment disorder is usually developed because of stress like the loss of a job, having an accident, or the ending of a relationship or marriage. The symptoms for adjustment disorder are a lot like those of depression. They may experience symptoms such as; Feelings of hopelessness, frequent crying, constant worry, headaches, stomach pains, self-isolation from people and social activities, change in appetite, increase in alcohol or drug use. These symptoms generally start to appear about three months following to the event and rarely exceed for longer than six months afterwards. A person with adjustment disorder is known to hold onto and have a stronger reaction to a situation than what would normally be expected. There are different ways to treat people with adjustment disorder depending on how severe it is but the most common treatment is psychotherapy. Psychotherapy allows the person to become aware of why they are so stressed and helps them address the issue directly. It also shows the person how to develop sufficient coping skills to help with their disorder. Support groups are also a great source of treatment for people suffering with adjustment disorder. It is great to be able to talk with other people who have been through similar situations as you and to learn about how they cope. It is a good feeling knowing that you are not alone and not the only one that goes through these situations. Depending on how severe your symptoms are, it is advised to seek medical attention because your adjustment disorder could end up leading to major depression. It is very common for people that get treatment to fully recover and be able to have a better life because of it. CITATION Web12 \l 1033 (WebMD, 2012) The last major anxiety disorder that I am going to discuss is acute and posttraumatic stress disorder. This disorder relates specifically on the stress that follows a traumatic event. This type of disorder is very common with soldiers after they return from war and other traumatic events such as rape victims or major accidents. It generally appears after a life turning event. Death, physical injury and threatening circumstances against one’s self or another’s safety are what cause people to go through acute and posttraumatic stress. The sense of fear and helplessness that follows the traumatic event is what triggers the disorder. Studies have shown that women are at a higher risk of developing acute and post traumatic disorder due to their reactions of the trauma. Even though men are more likely to experience traumatic stressors, they tend to have a better reaction to it than women do. However, not everyone who experiences a traumatic event will develop acute or posttraumatic stress. Many of the symptoms for this disorder include; anxiety, restlessness, flashbacks, and problems focusing. There is no proper cure for acute and posttraumatic stress but there are many things that people can do to help deal with this disorder. The treatments include medication if needed, therapy, and simply time to heal. Cognitive – behavior therapy is commonly used in in this type of situation because it helps the victims to change the way they think and how they see things. It helps minimize their symptoms and look at things with better understanding. CITATION Wit11 \l 1033 (Witnessjustice, 2011)In conclusion, there are many different forms of anxiety that affect millions of lives every day. Whether it’s every day anxiety, or medically determined to be a panic disorder, phobic disorder, adjustment disorder or acute and posttraumatic stress disorder, chances are that you or someone you know or love has experienced anxiety in some way. Even though people face these disorders every day, they are not permanent and can be cured with the proper care or medical treatment if need be. Sometimes the help and support from a loved one, or someone in general is all the person needs to overcome their fears and rid themselves of their anxiety.Works Cited BIBLIOGRAPHY Nevid, J. S., Greene, B., Johnson, P. A., Taylor, S., & Macnab, M. (2013). Essentials of Abnormal Psychology in a Changing World Third Canadian Edition. Pearson Education Canada.Smith, M., & Segal, J. (2013, November). Panic Attacks and Panic Disorder: Symptoms Causes and Treatments. Retrieved November 26, 2013, from Helpguide: , M., Segal, R., & Segal, J. (2013, November). Phobias and Fears: Symptoms, Treatments, and Self-Help. Retrieved November 28, 2013, from Helpguide: . (2012, October 10). Mental Health: Adjustment Disorder. Retrieved November 28th, 2013, from WebMD: . (2011, November 15). Witness Justice: Survivor Resources - Health and Wellness: Acute Stress Disorder and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Retrieved November 29, 2013, from Witnessjustice: ................
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