Anxiety
Most people experience a certain amount of anxiety and fear in their lifetimes. It is a normal part of living. For 40 million adult Americans, however, anxieties and fear are persistent and overwhelming, and can interfere with daily life. These people suffer from anxiety disorders, a group of psychiatric disorders that can be terrifying and crippling. Experts believe that anxiety disorders are caused by a combination of biological and environmental factors, much like physical disorders such as heart disease or diabetes. Anxiety disorders are identified as:generalized anxiety disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, panic disorder, posttraumatic stress disorder, social anxiety disorder (or social phobia) and specific phobias.
Normal anxiety or an anxiety disorder?
Anxiety is hardwired into all of our brains. It is part of the body's "fight or flight" response. This prepares us to act quickly in the face of danger. It is a normal response to situations of uncertainty, trouble or feeling unprepared. However, if common everyday events bring on severe and persistent anxiety or panic that interferes with life, you may have an anxiety disorder.
What's the Difference?
Normal Anxiety / Anxiety Disorder?
See yourself? If you relate to any of these anxiety disorder descriptions, talk to someone who can help ASAP.
Normal anxiety or an anxiety disorder?
Anxiety is hardwired into all of our brains. It is part of the body's "fight or flight" response. This prepares us to act quickly in the face of danger. It is a normal response to situations of uncertainty, trouble or feeling unprepared. However, if common everyday events bring on severe and persistent anxiety or panic that interferes with life, you may have an anxiety disorder.
What's the Difference?
Normal Anxiety / Anxiety Disorder?
- Occasional worry about circumstantial events, a break-up or bills, that may leave you upset
- Constant, chronic and unsubstantiated worry that causes significant distress, disturbs your life and interferes with work
- Embarrassment or self-consciousness in the face of an uncomfortable social situation
- Avoidance of common social situations for fear of being judged, embarrassed or humiliated
- Random case of "nerves" or jitters, dizziness and/or sweating over an important event like a business presentation
- Repeated, random panic attacks that leave you with feelings of terror or impending doom and persistent worry about another panic attack
- Realistic fear of a threatening object, place or situation
- Irrational fear or avoidance of an object, place or situation that poses little or no threat of danger
- Wanting to be sure that you are healthy and living in a safe, hazard-free environment
- Performing uncontrollable, repetitive actions, such as washing your hands repeatedly or checking things over and over
- Anxiety, sadness or difficulty sleeping immediately following a traumatic event
- Ongoing and recurring nightmares, flashbacks, or emotional numbing relating to a traumatic event in your life that occurred several months or years ago
See yourself? If you relate to any of these anxiety disorder descriptions, talk to someone who can help ASAP.
