Anxiety Disorders

Anxiety is a natural reaction, one that helps us cope with stress and focus to get a job done. Excessive anxiety, however, is a psychological problem, a type of depression disorder. There are five major types of anxiety disorder. They are: generalized anxiety disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, panic disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, and social anxiety disorder. The major symptoms of all these types of anxiety disorders are extreme, overwhelming feelings of anxiety and fear.

While some anxiety disorders arise organically, many of them require some sort of trigger event. The therapist will take a complete medical history and interview the patient extensively to find the trigger, if there is any, and make the diagnosis. Depending upon the diagnosis, the doctor can prescribe anti-anxiety medication, therapy, or both. The treatment depends on the preferences of the patients and the doctors as well as the type and severity of the anxiety disorder. For example, a mild case of social anxiety disorder may be treated solely with therapy while more severe cases of obsessive-compulsive disorder generally require medication.

While there is a still a social stigma surrounding psychological disorders, most patients and their families are relieved that there is a diagnosis and a treatment for the problem. Often times, patients have been feeling unwell for so long, they have almost forgotten what it is like to be well. Many people find that with treatment, their lives improve very quickly. They are no longer seized by fear, but instead can go about their lives in a relatively normal way. The drugs alleviate some of the symptoms associated with anxiety disorder and the therapy teaches people think about their lives and their problems in healthier and more constructive ways.