Anxiety disorders refer to a group of psychiatric conditions characterized by excessive and persistent feelings of fear, worry, and apprehension. These disorders are associated with various physical and psychological symptoms that significantly impair a person's daily functioning and quality of life. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) identifies several specific anxiety disorders, including generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), panic disorder, social anxiety disorder (SAD), specific phobias, and separation anxiety disorder, among others.
The underlying causes of anxiety disorders can involve a combination of genetic, environmental, and neurobiological factors. Dysregulation of neurotransmitters, such as serotonin, norepinephrine, and gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), has been implicated in the development and maintenance of anxiety disorders.
Generalized anxiety disorder
You feel worried and stressed about many everyday events and activities. This goes on for several months and disrupts your life on most days.
Symptoms may include:
Panic disorder
You may have repeated panic attacks when there is no reason for feeling afraid. You may change your daily activities because you worry that you will have another attack.
Symptoms may include:
Social Anxiety disorder
You feel very anxious about what you will say or do in front of people. For example, you may be scared to talk or eat in public. This problem affects your daily life.
Symptoms may include:
Phobias
You are very scared of a specific object, situation, or activity. For example, you may fear spiders, high places, or small spaces.
Symptoms may include:
Get the right treatment for you.
Your doctor will ask about your health and how often you worry or feel anxious. People with anxiety disorders have more worry and stress than normal. They feel worried and stressed about many things almost every day. And these feelings have lasted for at least 6 months.
Your doctor also may ask about other symptoms, like whether you:
A physical exam and tests can help make sure that your symptoms aren't caused by a different condition, such as a thyroid problem.
Treatment for anxiety disorders typically involves a multimodal approach, which may include psychotherapy, pharmacotherapy, or a combination of both. Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) is commonly utilized and focuses on identifying and modifying maladaptive thoughts and behaviors associated with anxiety. Medications, such as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs), or benzodiazepines, may be prescribed to help manage symptoms.
Medicines may include:
Antidepressants (SSRIs and SNRIs):
Antidepressants are a class of medications used to treat major depressive disorder and anxiety disorders. These may help your symptoms by keeping chemicals in your brain in balance.
Benzodiazepines:
These may give you short-term relief of your symptoms.
Some people use cognitive-behavioral therapy. A therapist helps you learn to change stressful or bad thoughts into helpful thoughts.
Follow-up care is a key part of your treatment and safety.
Be sure to make and go to all appointments, and call your doctor if you are having problems. It's also a good idea to know your test results and keep a list of the medicines you take.
Our Mental health professionals are committed to providing personalized care and innovative treatments to ensure you receive the best possible outcome.
Copyright © 2023 Happy Sol Health - All Rights Reserved.
We use cookies to analyze website traffic and optimize your website experience. By accepting our use of cookies, your data will be aggregated with all other user data.