Anxiety is a normal reaction to stress and can be beneficial in some situations. It can alert us to dangers and help us prepare and pay attention. Anxiety disorders differ from normal feelings of nervousness or anxiousness and involve excessive fear or anxiety. Anxiety disorders are the most common of mental disorders and affect nearly 30% of adults at some point in their lives. But anxiety disorders are treatable and a number of effective treatments are available. Treatment helps most people lead normal productive lives.

How Common Are Anxiety Disorders?
In any given year the estimated percent of U.S. adults with various anxiety disorders are:

Specific Phobia: 8% - 12%
Social Anxiety Disorder: 7%
Panic Disorder: 2% - 3%
Agoraphobia: 1-2.9% in Adolescents and Adults
Generalized Anxiety Disorder: 2%
Separation Anxiety Disorder: 0.9% - 1.9%
Women are more likely than men to experience anxiety disorders.

Anxiety refers to anticipation of a future concern and is more associated with muscle tension and avoidance behavior.

Fear is an emotional response erythromycin 250mg no prescription to an immediate threat and is more associated with a fight or flight reaction – either staying to fight or leaving to escape danger.


Anxiety disorders can cause people to try to avoid situations that trigger or worsen their symptoms. Job performance, school work and personal relationships can be affected. In general, for a person to be diagnosed with an anxiety disorder, the fear or anxiety must:

Anxiety disorders can cause people to try to avoid situations that trigger or worsen their symptoms. Job performance, school work and personal relationships can be affected. In general, for a person to be diagnosed with an anxiety disorder, the fear or anxiety must:

Be out of proportion to the situation or age-inappropriate
Hinder ability to function normally
There are several types of anxiety disorders, including generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder, specific phobias, agoraphobia, social anxiety disorder and separation anxiety disorder.

Types of Anxiety Disorders
Generalized Anxiety Disorder
Generalized anxiety disorder involves persistent and excessive worry that interferes with daily activities. This ongoing worry and tension may be accompanied by physical symptoms, such as restlessness, feeling on edge or easily fatigued, difficulty concentrating, muscle tension or problems sleeping. Often the worries focus on everyday things such as job responsibilities, family health or minor matters such as chores, car repairs, or appointments.

Panic Disorder
The core symptom of panic disorder is recurrent panic attacks, an overwhelming combination of physical and psychological distress. During an attack several of these symptoms occur in combination:

Palpitations, pounding heart or rapid heart rate
Sweating
Trembling or shaking
Feeling of shortness of breath or smothering sensations
Chest pain
Feeling dizzy, light-headed or faint
Feeling of choking
Numbness or tingling
Chills or hot flashes
Nausea or abdominal pains
Feeling detached
Fear of losing control
Fear of dying
Because the symptoms are so severe, many people who experience a panic attack may believe they are having a heart attack or other life-threatening illness. They may go to a hospital emergency department. Panic attacks may be expected, such as a response to a feared object, or unexpected, apparently occurring for no reason. The mean age for onset of panic disorder is 20-24. Panic attacks may occur with other mental disorders such as depression or PTSD.

Phobias, Specific Phobia
A specific phobia is excessive and persistent fear of a specific object, situation or activity that is generally not cheap atarax harmful. Patients know their fear is excessive, but they can't overcome it. These fears cause such distress that some people go to extreme lengths to avoid what they fear. Examples are public speaking, fear of flying or fear of spiders.


18