Anxiety Disorders cause persistent, intense fears about real or perceived threats. When a person has an anxiety disorder, these feelings will cause behavior changes to the point of disrupting regular functioning. If left untreated, anxiety disorders can worsen over time. According to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), there are several types of anxiety disorders, including generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder, and various phobia-related disorders. It is not known what causes anxiety disorders, however they may be the result of a complex set of risk factors, including genetics, brain chemistry, personality, and life events.

Common Types of Anxiety Disorders

  1. Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) – characterized by persistent and excessive worry about a number of different things such as personal health, work, social interactions, and everyday routines (Anxiety facts, n.d.). Symptoms include:
    • Feeling restless, wound-up, or on-edge
    • Being easily fatigued
    • Having difficulty concentrating; mind going blank
    • Being irritable
    • Having muscle tension
    • Difficulty controlling feelings of worry
    • Having sleep problems
  2. Panic Disorder (PD) – When a person has repeated, unexpected panic attacks—sudden rushes of intense fear including a racing heart, sweating or shaking; dizziness or nausea; hot or cold sensations; feeling of choking; and feelings of unreality (Anxiety facts, n.d.). Symptoms include:
    • Heart palpitations, a pounding heartbeat, or an accelerated heart rate
    • Sweating
    • Trembling or shaking
    • Sensations of shortness of breath, smothering, or choking
    • Feelings of impending doom
    • Feelings of being out of control
  3. Separation Anxiety Disorder – Difficulty being away from someone, typically a child from parents (Anxiety facts, n.d.).
  4. Social Anxiety Disorder – Fear and avoidance of social situations (Anxiety facts, n.d.).
  5. Selective Mutism – Remaining silent in situations where speaking is encouraged (Anxiety facts, n.d.).

Anxiety Facts from Anxiety and Depression Association of America (ADAA)
• Anxiety disorders are the most common mental illness in the U.S., affecting 40 million adults in the United States age 18 and older, or 18.1% of the population every year.
• People with an anxiety disorder are three to five times more likely to go to the doctor and six times more likely to be hospitalized for psychiatric disorders than those who do not suffer from anxiety disorders.
• GAD affects 6.8 million adults, or 3.1% of the U.S. population, in any given year.
• Social anxiety disorder affects 15 million adults and is equally common among men and women, and typically begins around age 13.

Resources

  1. Websites
    • https://adaa.org/
    • https://www.anxiety.org/
    • http://www.worrywisekids.org/
    • https://www.anxietycanada.com/
    • https://socialphobia.org/
    • https://www.calmclinic.com/
  2. Books
    • Dare: The New Way to End Anxiety and Stop Panic Attacks by Barry McDonagh
    • Declutter Your Mind: How to Stop Worrying, Relieve Anxiety, and Eliminate Negative Thinking by S.J. Scott and Barrie Davenport
    • My Age of Anxiety: Fear, Hope, Dread, and the Search for Peace of Mind by Scott Stossel
    • From Panic to Power: Proven Techniques to Calm Your Anxieties, Conquer Your Fears, and Put You in Control of Your Life by Lucinda Bassett
    • The Anxiety and Worry Workbook: The Cognitive Behavioral Solution by David A. Clark  and Aaron T. Beck 
    • Hope and Help for Your Nerves: End Anxiety Now by Claire Weekes
    • Panic Attacks Workbook: A Guided Program for Beating the Panic Trick by David Carbonell
  3. Applications
    • Dare: Anxiety & Panic Relief
    • Nature Sounds: Relax and Sleep
    • Breathwrk: Breathing Exercises
    • Shine: Calm Anxiety & Stress
    • AntiStress Anxiety Relief Game
    • Moodnotes – Mood Tracker
    • Calm

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References
Anxiety facts. Rogers Behavioral Health. (n.d.). https://rogersbh.org/anxiety-facts.
Facts & statistics: Anxiety and Depression Association of America, ADAA. Facts & Statistics | Anxiety and Depression Association of America, ADAA. (n.d.). https://adaa.org/understanding-anxiety/facts-statistics.
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (2018). Nimh ” anxiety disorders. National Institute of Mental Health. https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/anxiety-disorders.