Anxiety Disorders Case

1. Introduction

Anxiety Disorders are one of the most common mental illnesses.. There are five different types of anxiety disorders –post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), phobias, social anxiety disorder, panic disorders, and generalized anxiety disorders. (Insert statistic about the occurrence of anxiety disorders here). Individuals with such anxiety disorders have a hard time coping with life. The physical effects, depression, and distress that accompany anxiety disorders make it hard for people with the disorders to live normal lives. A wide variety of treatments options are available for those who have fallen victim to the horrible effects of anxiety disorders. Some of the most common treatments include psychotherapy and medication, and other alternative treatments. Seeing as though anxiety disorders are crippling to daily lives, maybe even a loved one, or in my case yourself, it is necessary to understand anxiety disorders.

2. What Anxiety Disorders are

A. Anxiety disorders in general:

- Anxiety is a normal part of live. It is not only a tool for motivation, but is also essential to the survival of mankind.

-When anxiety becomes crippling, to the point where one cannot function normally, theywould then be considered to have an anxiety disorder.

- Anxiety Disorders are classified into six types: PTSD, OCD, phobias, social anxiety disorder, panic disorder, and generalized anxiety disorder.

B. Specific types of anxiety disorders :

+PTSD

-“People with PTSD continue to be severely depressed and anxious for months or even years following a tragic event” (ADAA)

- In order to be diagnosed with PTSD, the victim must meet certain criteria

-The patient must have experienced a tragic event that is of abnormal human experience, the patient must continually re-experience the event (this re-experience usually happens through nightmares or flashbacks), the patient must have developed an avoidance-behavior pattern which cripples their daily life, and finally the patient must have enduring symptoms of anxiety or arousal (including anger, irritability, and fear of reoccurrence of the event) (Butler).

- “7.7 million Americans age 18 and older have PTSD.67 percent of people exposed to mass violence have been shown to develop PTSD, a higher rate than those exposed to natural disasters or other types of traumatic events” (ADAA).

+ OCD

- “People with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) suffer from unwanted and intrusive thoughts that they can't seem to get out of their heads (obsessions), often compelling them to repeatedly perform ritualistic behaviors and routines (compulsions) to try and ease their anxiety” (ADAA)

- Most people with anxiety disorders are aware that their behavior is abnormal, yet they cannot stop doing it. Their obsessive and compulsive behavior takes over their life and generates it into a ritualistic type of lifestyle.

- Obsessions associated with OCD usually include intrusive and unrelenting thoughts.

-Compulsions usually include ritualistic routines such as uncontrollable hand washing, counting.

- OCD takes a lot from a person’s life because they spend so much of their time doing senseless rituals and focusing on obsessive ideas. For example, OCD can weaken ones performance at school, work, relationship, or social life.

-People with OCD try to control what they’re thinking, which only makes matter worse.Therefore, they are essentially obsessing about their obsessions.

+ Phobias

- Most people feel uneasy and a bit fearful in situations that are new or uncomfortable. Their fears do not interfere with their daily routine, nor do they become a part of that person’s lifestyle. But when one has a phobia, their fear is unrelenting, and seemingly life threatening to the individual. Their fear controls so much of their life that it begins to define who they are.

-“People with specific phobias, or strong irrational fear reactions, work hard to avoid common places, situations, or objects even though they know there's no threat or danger. The fear may not make any sense, but they feel powerless to stop it” (ADAA).

- Just as people who have OCD develop avoidance behavior, so do people with phobias. They will do anything, no matter how irrational, to avoid a situation involving their fear.

- Phobias are usually focused on situations including heights, animals, public transportation, bugs, flying, medical procedures, or elevators.

+Panic disorder

- “Panic disorder is diagnosed in people who experience spontaneous seemingly out-of-the-blue panic attacks and are preoccupied with the fear of a recurring attack” (ADAA)

- Since panic attacks are so sudden, and are usually accompanied by a lot of physical effects, they are often falsely diagnosed, if diagnosed at all. Such symptoms typically include “respiratory (shortness of breath), cardiovascular (fast heart rate), gastrointestinal (nausea), and occulovestibular (dizziness) symptoms” (Carey).

-Two criteria must be met in order for one to be diagnosed with having panic disorder. One is that there must be sudden, recurring panic attacks (attacks of anxiety) and those attacks must be followed by preoccupation, distress, and behavioral change related to the attacks.

(Sullivan)

-Panic disorders are typically accompanied by agoraphobia, which is the fear of returning to the situation in which the panic attack occurred.(ADAA) Agoraphobia can be debilitating because it hinders people from facing situations necessary in their everyday lives, for example going to work, to school, or even driving.

+Generalized Anxiety Disorder

-“Generalized anxiety disorder is a condition characterized by "free floating" anxiety or apprehension not linked to a specific cause or situation” (Dinsmoor)

- People with generalized anxiety disorder worry about things that seem to pose no real threat or danger to them.

-Generalized anxiety disorder afflicts about 3.1% of the general population, typically affecting women more than men.(ADAA)

- Generalized anxiety disorder can compromise the effectiveness of the