Countless adults from around the globe are suffering from one form of anxiety disorder or another. Anxiety disorders are recognized by having strong emotions of fear or panic and excessive worrying about possible negative events.
According to WebMD.com, an anxiety disorder “is a serious mental illness. The disorder may affect the everyday life of the sufferer as a person experiences recurring feelings of fear and anxiety. However, there are different forms of anxiety disorder. Knowing which type of disorder a person is afflicted with can greatly help in treating and coping with the condition.
1. Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. This disorder is associated with obsessive rituals and behaviors that help the person reduce feelings of fear or anxiety when they’re performed. For example, a person may feel a constant need to wash their hand because the person fears germs and infections.
2. Social anxiety disorder. This anxiety disorder is also known as a social phobia, and involves extreme self-consciousness or worry about what other people are thinking about the person. They are anxious about being in social situations because they fear being judged, shamed and denied by others. In some cases, sufferers try to avoid being in public altogether.
3. Generalized anxiety disorder. This type of anxiety disorder is the most common among adult men and women in the United States, and consists of constant worry, angst or tension about situations that may not be in proportion with the actual circumstance or event. This can turn into a problem when it interferes with relationships, work or the person’s emotional health.
4. Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. This anxiety disorder typically occurs after someone has survived a particularly terrifying or traumatic event. Post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD, may interfere in the everyday life of a person as he or she may experience nightmares or constant recollection of the event. In some cases, mildly stressful situations can trigger extreme anxiety, fear or anger, because the person is reliving the traumatic experience and reacting to it in the present time.
5. Agoraphobia and other irrational fears. A person with agoraphobia is afraid of being embarrassed by having a panic attack in public. It is found that persons with panic disorder are likely to have other anxiety-related phobias. Fear of driving is a phobia that falls in this category.
These are just some of the most common anxiety and panic disorders afflicting people all over the globe. People who have undergone a traumatic incidence, have a difficulty dealing with stress, and those with a family history of anxiety issues are more prone to these disorders. The good news is, there are several options available for treating these problems. Acknowledging and identifying the type of disorder is just the first step towards a solution to the problem.
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