Anxiety Disorder Is A Common Mental Illness
According to the Anxiety Disorders Association of America, anxiety is the most common mental illness in America, with nearly 20% of the adult population affected. Woman are twice as likely to experience life disrupting general anxiety disorder, GAD, and specific phobias than men are, however the numbers for those suffering with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder are equal for the sexes.
It is interesting to note that approximately 1/3 of all adult sufferers of anxiety disorders had experienced some symptoms when they were children. Women also hold the dubious honor of being far more likely to experience Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, and twice as likely to suffer with Panic Disorders. In these studies it is noted that childhood sexual abuse is often a precursor for PTSD, and regardless of the age of the attack, rape will trigger PTSD in 65% of the men and almost 46% of the woman who experienced it.
We all face anxiety producing events in our daily lives, beginning when we were an infant and we realized our mother had left the room. From that day on the stress in our lives continues to be experienced, overcome, and the knowledge of our successes helps us move on to the next challenge.
The child goes to school for the first day and both the parents and the child are anxious. The first sleepover, away camp, learning to drive, and going away to college are all important milestones that can cause normal anxiety in the parties involved, even though there may well be an undercurrent of excitement, also.
For adults, the list for potentially stressful situations is virtually endless. Losing a job, serious debt, awaiting medical test results, the imminent death of a loved one are just a few. All of these and more are legitimate causes for anxiety. It is only when the anxiety becomes the defining factor in a person’s life, dictating their every move in some cases, that it is time to seek professional help. If the fears are no longer based in logic, if the affected person’s daily life is seriously diminished, and if no amount of reassurance will ease their fears, it is time to obtain an evaluation from a mental health professional.
There should be no stigma associated with seeking help with for mental health concerns. It is no different than hypertension or diabetes, in that, left untreated will severely impact the suffering person’s ability to interact with their family, friends and co workers, and possibly escalate to where the affected person is unable to even leave their home.
When basic daily functioning is impacted by the anxiety disorder, and the ability to enjoy life is disrupted, a family member may need to seek advice on how to best encourage their loved one to obtain necessary help. The need for this intervention is a vital one. An anxiety disorder left untreated can easily escalate to include other mental health concerns, including depression and suicidal thoughts.
As dismal as this may all sound, help is readily available, and cost or lack of insurance does not need to be a factor. Resources for help are as close as the phone book or the computer, and many state and county mental health clinics accept sliding payments based on ability to pay.
J. Lloyd
http://www.articlesbase.com/health-articles/anxiety-disorder-is-a-common-mental-illness-139150.html
Anxiety Disorder Explained – 6 Facts Revealed
American public service departments are increasingly calling upon people to offer friendship and support to friends and relatives who are suffering from mental disorders, such as anxiety. The television airs programs instructing people with anxiety disorders to seek help instead of isolating themselves from society.
1. Anxiety Disorders in America
The Anxiety Disorders Association of America has said that anxiety is a collective condition that affects around forty million Americans. It has a number of forms, ranging from generalized manifestations to precise phobias.
Here is a list of some anxiety disorders.
2. Generalized Disorders
In the United States, around 6.8 million people aged 18 or above suffer from this condition, which is characterized by an intense, almost irrational, worry about everyday matters. People with anxiety disorders cannot enjoy life due to baseless fears. More intense forms of this disorder include panic attacks. A patient having a panic attack actually feels that he or she is at the threshold of death.
3. Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
Affecting around 2.2 million people in America, it is the least common of all anxiety disorders. People suffering from obsessive compulsive disorder find themselves compelled to perform certain actions in a ritualistic fashion. A person suffering from obsessive compulsive disorder, for example, might wash his or her hands several times a day.
4. Panic Disorder
Around 6 million people are victims of panic disoder, which is characterized by panic attacks, a condition that can be quite debilitating. Panic attacks are an imitation of serious medical conditions such as heart attacks, and people who get panic attacks seriously believe that they are close to death. Some people who get panic attacks will, at any cost, avoid the place and the situation in which they had an attack in the past; for example, eating in a restaurat, driving, and so on.
5. Post Traumatic Stress
It is believed that around 7.7 million Americans are victims of post traumatic stress. Extremely traumatic incidents such as rape, physical abuse, or the sight of a violent act can trigger post traumatic stress.
6. Phobias
People with phobias have an irrational terror of snakes, fires, heights, spiders, and so on. It is estimated that 19 million Americans suffer from one phobia or the other.
Anxiety disorders are quite common; more common that any of us realizes. The symptoms of an anxiety disorder are powerful. In case they interfere with your daily life, you need to seek help. Medical professionals, such as psychologists, therapists, and medical doctors, are well-qualified to help you in a number of ways.
By: Abhishek Agarwal (Free Download Anxiety Treatment eBook)
About the Author:
Abhishek has got some great Anger Management Secrets up his sleeves! Download his FREE 97 Pages Ebook, “How To Effectively Control Your Anger” from his website http://www.Positive-You.com/553/index.htm . Only limited Free Copies available.
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