Anxiety

Anxiety is a normal reaction to stress. It helps one deal with a tense situation in the office, study harder for an exam, keep focused on an important speech. In general, it helps one cope. But when anxiety becomes an excessive, irrational dread of everyday situations, it has become a disabling disorder.

Prevalence: In a given year, anxiety affects 18.1% of the US population (almost 57 million people). Of these, 22.8% are severe. It has been found that 28.8% of people have been or will be affected with depression sometime during their lifetime (nearly 90 million people). With an average age-of-onset at 11 years.

• Women are 60% more likely than men to experience anxiety during their lifetime.

• Non-Hispanic blacks are 20% less likely, and Hispanics are 30% less likely, than non-Hispanic whites to experience anxiety during their lifetime.

For children and adolescents (age 13 to 18) research shows that lifetime prevalence is 25.1% with 5.9% diagnosed as severe.

Types of Anxiety: The Diagnostic Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV) identify five types of anxiety.

• Generalized Anxiety Disorder

• Obsessive Compulsive Disorder

• Panic Disorder

• Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

• Social Phobia (Social Anxiety Disorder)
  
  

Symptoms: Because the anxiety disorders are a group of related conditions rather than a single disorder, they can look very different from person to person. One individual may suffer from intense anxiety attacks that strike without warning, while another gets panicky at the thought of mingling at a party. Someone else may struggle with a disabling fear of driving or uncontrollable, intrusive thoughts. Still another may live in a constant state of tension, worrying about anything and everything. But despite their different forms, all anxiety disorders share one major symptom: persistent or severe fear or worry in situations where most people wouldn’t feel threatened. Emotional symptoms of anxiety include:

• Feelings of apprehension or dread

• Trouble concentrating

• Feeling tense and jumpy

• Anticipating the worst

• Irritability

• Restlessness

• Watching for signs of danger

• Feeling like your mind's gone blank

Anxiety is more than just a feeling. As a product of the body’s fight-or-flight response, anxiety involves a wide range of physical symptoms. Because of the numerous physical symptoms, anxiety sufferers often mistake their disorder for a medical illness. They may visit many doctors and make numerous trips to the hospital before their anxiety disorder is discovered. Common physical symptoms of anxiety include:

• Pounding heart

• Sweating

• Stomach upset or dizziness

• Frequent urination or diarrhea

• Shortness of breath

• Tremors and twitches

• Muscle tension

• Headaches

• Fatigue

• Insomnia
  
  

Anxiety Assessment: This self-assessment is provided for your general information and is designed for educational purposes only. This information is not intended to replace "traditional" mental health therapy/counseling. If you have questions or concerns about your physical and/or mental health ... contact your family physician and/or mental health professional in your area. In case of a life-threatening emergency ... dial 911 for assistance.

Anxiety Assessment

 

 

Sources:

National Institute of Mental Health retrieved August 20, 2011 from http://www.nimh.nih.gov/statistics/index.shtml

Helpguide.org retrieved August 20, 2011 from http://helpguide.org/mental/anxiety_types_symptoms_treatment.htm

eMedicine Health retrieved August 20, 2011 from
http://www.emedicinehealth.com/anxiety/page9_em.htm