Understanding AnxietyEssay Preview: Understanding AnxietyReport this essayAnxiety is an emotional and physical reaction to a threat, whether it is real or imagined. It is an unpleasant emotional state, which ranges from a vague uneasiness to intense fear or even overwhelming panic attacks. Thoughts and emotions associated with anxiety include apprehension, dread, fear, irritability and uneasiness; often accompanied by physical symptoms, including bad dreams, dry mouth, fatigue, headaches, inability to sleep, increased pulse rate, muscle tension or trembling, and sweating.
Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) is defined as excessive or unrealistic worry related to a variety (two or more) of lifes daily activities or events, and lasts at least six months. Women experience GAD at twice the rate of men. 1.
Excessive anxiety is associated with numerous disorders including; phobias, obsessive-compulsive disorders, panic attacks, and acute and post-traumatic stress disorders. 2.
Common causes of anxiety include actual danger (terrorists threats), responsibilities at work, financial stress, poor health, grief, side effects and reactions to drugs (especially to caffeine, cold remedies, decongestants, bronchodilators, and antidepressants.) 3.
Nearly 20 million Americans, aged 18 to 54, are affected by anxiety disorders every year, making them the most common mental illnesses in America. 4.People of all ages can develop anxiety disorders. Among people aged 65 and above, anxiety disorders are the most common mental health issue. 5.BIBLIOGRAPHY1. The Merck Manual, Merck Research Laboratories, Whitehouse Station, New Jersey, 1997, p. 3962. National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), “Facts About Anxiety Disorders”, 2001,3. Thrive On Line, 2001. “Symptoms and Conditions: Anxiety, stress, and Tension”,4. National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), 2001. “Anxiety Disorders”,5. Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences of the University of Texas-Houston Health
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In a study of 1,100 U.S. adults, 30% reported worsening social phobia (as assessed by DSM-4), 4% reported worsening anxiety as measured by the Scale for Schizophrenia-IV, and 20% reported worse social phobia, although there were no significant differences in symptoms or diagnosis between the groups or in symptom characteristics or diagnoses. Anxiety disorders and the anxiety disorder diagnosis were not associated with lower self-reported levels of psychological distress.1. Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition (DSM-IV), Ninth revision, updated (NTSC, 1999).2. The American Psychiatric Association (APA) Guidelines for Mental and Behavioral Health.
Patients with severe mental disorders are at increasing risk of developing anxiety disorders. Although less than 10% of Americans have ever developed a major psychiatric disorder, there is growing body of evidence that the rate of developing these disorders can be as low as 5-10%.3. American Council on Mental Health (ACMH), The Anxiety Disorders, Depression, and Stress Scale and Behavior Assessment Scale for Developing Anxiety Disorders. >;
A large study of 15 million individuals, led by University of Rochester, is the first comprehensive systematic assessment of the prevalence of anxiety disorders and their associated psychological and behavioral effects among young people who are diagnosed with childhood, adolescent, or young adult disorders.