Anxiety Disorders & Therapy

Anxiety and fears are sometimes a normal part of life. For example, it is usual to feel some anxiety just before speaking in public. It may cause you to become more alert, pay more attention to your actions, and thus add a positive dimension to your presentation.

Other types of anxiety are adaptive to a specific situation. These are sometimes called “signal anxiety” and again, can be natural. For example, being anxious when walking down a dimly lit street may guide you to be more alert, and thus enhance your safety.

Anxiety becomes a problem when it is overwhelming or interferes with your functioning in life. If you feel anxious much of the time, and it is having a negative impact on your career, family, social life or general quality of life that may be a good reason for concern. Anxiety Attacks – or what are commonly called Panic Attacks – are also NOT a normal part of life.

If anxiety is having a negative effect on your life, please contact me to set up a consultation to discuss your concerns.

Types of Anxiety Disorders

Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD)

People with Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) suffer with anxiety that is both excessive and persistent; exaggerated worry and tension, even when there is little or nothing to provoke it.

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Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is characterized by recurrent, unwanted thoughts (obsessions) and/or repetitive behaviors (compulsions). Rituals such as hand washing, counting, or cleaning are often performed with the hope of preventing obsessive thoughts or making them go away, and not performing them markedly increases anxiety.

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Panic Disorder

Panic Disorder manifests as unexpected and repeated episodes of intense fear accompanied by physical symptoms that may include chest pain, heart palpitations, shortness of breath, dizziness, or abdominal distress.

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Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, PTSD, is an anxiety disorder that can develop after exposure to a terrifying event or ordeal in which grave physical harm occurred or was threatened; e.g. violent personal assaults, natural or human-caused disasters, accidents, or military combat.

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Social Anxiety Disorder

For people with Social Phobia, or Social Anxiety Disorder, everyday social situations cause overwhelming anxiety and excessive self-consciousness. Social phobia can be limited to only one type of situation – such as a fear of public speaking – or may be so broad that a person experiences symptoms almost anytime they are around other people.

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Phobia-related Disorder (Specific Phobias)

A phobia is an excessive fear of, or aversion to, specific objects or situations. The fear people with phobias feel is both irrational and disproportional to the actual danger caused by the feared situation or object.

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Body Dysmorphic Disorder

BDD is a body-image disorder characterized by persistent and intrusive preoccupations with an imagined or slight defect in one’s appearance.

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Health Anxiety Disorder

Health anxiety, once called hypochondria, involves a preoccupation with the belief that one has, or is in danger of developing, a serious illness.

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Anxiety Disorders in Children & Teens

Anxiety is a normal part of childhood and adolescence, and every child goes through phases that are usually harmless and temporary. But children who suffer from an anxiety disorder experience fear, nervousness, and shyness, they start to avoid places and activities, and they are at higher risk to perform poorly in school, miss out on important social experiences, and engage in substance abuse.

Learn more about Anxiety Disorders in Children & Teens.

Symptoms of Anxiety Disorders

Common anxiety signs and symptoms include:

• Feeling nervous, restless or tense
• A sense of impending danger, panic or doom
• Difficulty controlling worry
• Difficulty concentrating or thinking
• The urge to avoid things that trigger anxiety
• Increased heart rate
• Rapid breathing (hyperventilation)
• Sweating
• Trembling
• Weakness
• Tiredness
• Difficulty sleeping
• Gastrointestinal (GI) problems

Risk Factors for Anxiety Disorders

• Trauma. Adults who experience a traumatic event also can develop anxiety disorders. Children who endured abuse or trauma or witnessed traumatic events are at higher risk of developing an anxiety disorder.
• Health-related Stress. A health condition or serious illness can cause significant worry about specific issues such as medical treatment, and general anxiety about the future. Stress buildup. A single major triggering event or a buildup of small stressful life situations may trigger excessive anxiety; for example, work stress, financial concerns, a death in the family.
• Personality. People with certain personality types are more susceptible to anxiety disorders than others.
• Other mental health disorders. People with other mental health disorders, such as depression, often also have an anxiety disorder.
• Blood relatives with an anxiety disorder. Anxiety disorders can run in families.
• Drugs or alcohol. Drug or alcohol use can cause or worsen anxiety.

Complications of Anxiety Disorders

Anxiety disorders can also lead to, or worsen, other mental and physical conditions, such as:

• Depression or other mental health disorders
• Substance abuse
• Difficulty sleeping
• Digestive problems
• Chronic pain and/or headaches
• Social isolation
• Difficulty functioning at school or work
• Poor quality of life
• Suicide

Treatment for Anxiety Disorders

Psychotherapy, sometimes referred to as “talk therapy” or counseling, is a vital component of treating anxiety disorders. There are a variety of specific psychotherapeutic approaches that can be explored in the treatment of anxiety disorders, including:

• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
• Mindfulness-based Psychotherapy
• Mindfulness-based Cognitive Therapy
• Virtual Reality Therapy
• Integrative Psychotherapy

Medication does not cure anxiety disorders but can help relieve their symptoms. Antidepressants and/or anti-anxiety medications may be used to treat the symptoms of panic disorder. Every individual will react to various medications in their own way, and several different medications, or combinations of medications, may be tried before finding one that improves symptoms with manageable side effects.