Anxiety Disorders
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General Anxiety Disorder (GAD)Defined as chronic anxiety for greater than or equal to six months without compulsions, obsessions, phobias or panic attacks. People classified with this particular disorder must exhibit at least 3 of the following symptoms; restlessness fatigued easily, difficulty concentrating, muscle tension, insomnia and excessive worry. I often compare this disorder to the feelings exhibited when consuming too much caffeine.
Social PhobiaOne of the most common phobias and is defined as a fear of embarrassment or humiliation. People who suffer from social phobias cannot interact in social situations such as public speaking, eating-out, crowds, school, public toilets and more. People with this disorder tend to focus on the "what if" statements and therefore avoid any situation that may potentially cause an embarrassing situation. Why do you think each of the above situations might be avoided? What may cause the humiliation or embarrassment?
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Panic DisorderPanic Disorder is having an intense fear that comes “out of the blue”. People who suffer with Panic Disorder must be persistent for at least 6 months and must include at least 4 of the following symptoms; shakiness, heart palpation, dizziness, lightheaded, sweating, hot/cold flashes, fear of dying, fear of losing control, choking feeling, nausea/abdominal distress, numbness, disconnected from reality, feeling of detachment and or chest pain. These symptoms come in waves for us to 2 hours as the body continues to release epinephrine. Why do you think the body would continue to release epinephrine? Does your perception of what's going on have an effect?
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)Obsessive Compulsive Disorder changes the physical view of gray matter that exists in the brain. An obsessive compulsion is a recurring thought, idea or fear where a ritual is performed to remove that particular fear. The most common compulsions are checking, counting and washing. OCD, left untreated, progressively gets worse over time. Many people with this disorder suffer with a fear of germs or hyper focus on numbers, colors, etc. Can you name two famous people who suffer with OCD?
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AgoraphobiaAgoraphobia is defined as a fear of open spaces. It is one of the most common anxiety disorders. People who suffer from this disorder are usually attached to a “safe” person or place and can be confined to a single room. Imagine having so much fear that you cannot leave a room? 5% of the population suffers from Agoraphobia; the majority are female. This disorder is often associated with Panic disorder and OCD.
Specific PhobiasSpecific phobias are “intense or irrational” fears to a person, place or thing. This is NOT the same as being afraid or not liking something like snakes. A phobia is a sweat-inducing, paralyzing fear that causes a person to act without thinking. They often freeze or have complete avoidance of the trigger. Many phobias are triggered by an event that was perceived as frightening and can be overcome by a treatment called desensitization. What is desensitization? Check out the phobia link below!!
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Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)People who have PTSD often have reoccurring thoughts, images and nightmares of past events that have involved trauma. Symptoms include anxiety, depression, survivor’s guilt, substance abuse and must persist greater than 1 month. This is a very difficult disorder to treat and war victims and veterans are the majority of the population who suffer.
Acute Stress DisorderAcute Stress Disorder often has reoccurring thoughts, images and nightmares of past events that have involved trauma. Symptoms include anxiety, depression, survivor’s guilt, substance abuse and must persist less than 1 month.
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