Life is never completely free of anxiety and fear. Butterflies flutter in your stomach before you sit for a test - in the classroom, a driving test or a job interview - your fears in these situations is whether or not you pass or fail. You experience fear and apprehension as you walk down a lonely street in the dead of night. But these are normal fears that that alerts your sense of survival lest what you fear become real - it's the fight or flight situation human and animals experience.
There is another kind of fear known as anxiety disorders making life a living hell for almost 20 million Americans each year. These sufferers struggle through certain phases of their lives with persistent crushing anxiety - sometimes intense and crippling. Even children and teenagers are not spared from this mental affliction.
Aware of the social and economic impact of this mental disorder affecting American lives the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) has conducted extensive research and to a large degree found several effective treatments for this psychological ailment.
Anxiety disorders come in different forms such as:
1 Panic attack - the sufferer is repeatedly gripped by intense fear quite suddenly and without warning. Frequent attacks in time will stimulate physiological changes such as chest pain, increased heart palpitations, shortness of breath, dizziness, abdominal discomfort, hot flashes, and in extreme cases fear of dying. Bodily reaction is evident in the form of involuntary movements such as twitching or constant flexing of the fingers (for more information on panic attacks here)
2 Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - A harrowing experience of a particular incident as a witness or victim of violence, physical and mental pain such as rape, criminal assault, war, child abuse, natural or human-caused disasters or crashes. The symptoms of these traumatic experiences include nightmares, flashbacks, stifling emotions, depression, intense deep-seated anger, irritability and jumpy. This type of disorder can also afflict family members of the victim.
3 Phobias - then there are those overcome by phobias - social and specific phobias the two common ones. The symptoms of social phobia include fear of scrutiny, embarrassment, and timidity in social situations. Thus afflicted the sufferer will avoid social activities which could otherwise be wholesome, consequential and enjoyable. Avoidance will cause him/her to sink deeper into this social chasm leading to absolute recluse. Victims of specific phobia suffer from irrational fear of a unreal danger or threat. Such fears cause the victim to avoid situations, places or objects responsible for triggering the phobia in the first place. Such people too will lead restricted social existence.
4 Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder - The sufferer is mentally besieged by unwanted thoughts that trigger compulsive behaviors apparently unstoppable.
5 Generalized Anxiety Disorder - persistent and exaggerated apprehensive thoughts and constant tension accompany he victims routine daily existence and activities. Such afflictions generally last for up to six months. These sufferers always appear apprehensive at every turn, fearing the worst of what's to come, disregarding the lack of logic of their apparent misgivings. Along with their distorted expectations sufferers exhibit symptoms such as fatigue, trembling, muscle tension, headache and nausea.
Source: National Institute of Mental Health, USA
Coming Next: Panic Attacks
The 10 Best-Ever Anxiety Management Techniques: Understanding How Your Brain Makes You Anxious and What You Can Do to Change It
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