{"id":3958,"date":"2020-08-03T19:47:53","date_gmt":"2020-08-03T19:47:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/vistasolmedicalgroup.com\/?p=3958"},"modified":"2020-08-03T19:47:55","modified_gmt":"2020-08-03T19:47:55","slug":"anxiety-disorder","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/vistasolmedicalgroup.com\/anxiety-disorder\/","title":{"rendered":"Anxiety disorder"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Everyone feels anxious from time to time, but people with anxiety disorders experience frequent and severe worry that disrupts their normal life.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

What is anxiety?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Feeling anxiety before a specific event, such as a test, is normal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Usually, anxiety is temporary. But someone with an anxiety disorder experiences regular, severe worry. The anxiety may be debilitating and prevent them from doing their normal activities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Anxiety disorders are common. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, approximately 19.1% of adults in the United States have an anxiety disorder.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Types of anxiety disorder<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Agoraphobia<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Agoraphobia is the fear of space where it is difficult to escape or receive help if something goes wrong.People with this type of phobia tend to avoid specific places or situations. For example, they might avoid crowds or public transport. Some people may become housebound in severe cases.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Generalized anxiety disorder<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) involves constant worrying over everyday things. The anxiety might have no clear cause or trigger. This chronic condition can cause trouble sleeping, irritability, and muscle tension.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Obsessive-compulsive disorder<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) causes distressing, intrusive thoughts that a person may manage by carrying out repetitive behaviors that provide temporary relief.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Examples include compulsively washing the hands in fear of contamination. If a person does not perform the compulsion, they may feel more anxious as a result.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Phobias<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Agoraphobia is one type of phobia, or fear. However, many other phobias exist. Some are common and relatively mild, such as a fear of spiders, or arachnophobia. Others may be more disruptive to a person\u2019s life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Panic disorder<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Those with panic disorder are prone to panic attacks. These panic attacks cause physical symptoms similar to a heart attack.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Post-traumatic stress disorder<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) can develop after a person experiences trauma. For example, someone may develop PTSD after an accident, assault, or a natural disaster.In some people, symptoms are temporary. But others will experience PTSD over long periods.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Selective mutism<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

People who have this rare disorder avoid speaking, despite having the ability to do so. Those with selective mutism are typically very shy. They fear social judgment and embarrassment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Separation anxiety<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Separation anxiety is common in children, but adults also experience it. People with this type of anxiety disorder have an intense fear of separation from the people who are close to them in their lives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Social anxiety disorder<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

People with this anxiety disorder have an intense fear of social interactions. They typically fear social humiliation and worry about judgment from others.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What is an anxiety attack?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

An anxiety or panic attack involves a sudden burst of intense anxiety that produces physical symptoms. The symptoms might include difficulty breathing, chest pain, and dizziness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some people use the terms anxiety attack and panic attack interchangeably. Panic attacks can last as long as anywhere from 5\u201330 minutes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Having a panic attack is frightening, and people who experience them are usually fearful of triggering another. Some people go to great lengths to avoid certain situations that might produce another episode.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Symptoms of a panic attack<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Symptoms of a panic attack are not life threatening despite their intensity. They include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n