Anxiety Disorders
An anxiety disorder involves more than just feeling stressed - it’s a serious illness. People with anxiety disorders find it hard to function at work, study or play. Anxiety disorders are the most common mental disorders in Australia. Almost 10% of people will experience some type of anxiety disorder in any one year with a ratio of about 1.5:1 women to men. About 45% of people will experience an anxiety disorder at some stage for in their lives. Combinations of factors are believed to be the main causes triggering anxiety disorders which include a family history of mental health problems, stressful life events, ongoing physical illness and personality factors are potentially at play. Anxiety disorders may include one or more of the following: Generalised anxiety disorder (G.A.D.) This involves feeling anxious and consumed with worry on most days over an extended period. If for six months or more, more days than not people are worried, dysfunctional due to shortcomings in fulfilling everyday activities, and restless and on edge to name a few criteria, may be suffering from G.A.D. phobias. These phobias cause a person to feel extremely fearful about particular objects or situations including flying, proximity to a feared animal, fear of rejection and very nervous about attending social event. Situational avoidance is also common in order to minimise their fearful anxiety. Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) This problem tends to occur when people have ongoing unwanted/intrusive thoughts and fears that caused anxiety - often called obsessions. These obsessions make people feel they need to carry out certain rituals in order to feel less anxious and these are known as compulsion. A person may have OCD if they have repetitive thoughts or concerns that are not about real-life problems (e.g. thoughts that the person or people close to them will be harmed), or if they have performed the same activity repeatedly and in a very ordered, precise and similar way each time (e.g. constantly washing hands or clothes, showering or brushing of teeth), constantly cleaning, tidying or rearranging in a particular way things at home, at work or in the car, or costly checking the doors and windows are locked and/or appliances are turned off. Individuals feel relief in the short-term by doing these things but soon feel the need to repeat them. They recognise that these feelings, thoughts and behaviour patterns are unreasonable and they take up an unreasonable amount of every day. Post-traumatic stress disorder This problem involves experiencing bursts of anxiety that occur after a person has a major emotional shock following a stressful event i.e. a trauma. The person may be experiencing PTSD if they have experienced or seen something that involved death or injury followed by upsetting memories or dreams ongoing and as a result of these issues found it hard to go about daily life. The person may subsequently avoid activities that are reminders of the event or have trouble remembering parts of the event. They may be less motivated and interested in enjoyable activities, have trouble experiencing intensive positive emotions and be less future oriented. They may also have difficulty sleeping and they become angry or irritated easily, have problems concentrating and are easily startled. Panic Disorder This problem involves having panic attacks on a frequent basis. Panic attacks are intense feelings of anxiety that seem like they cannot be brought under control. A person may have panic disorder if within a 10 minute period they feel a prescribed number of the following experiences. Sweating, shakiness, increased heart rate, shortness of breath, choking feeling, noisy or pain in the stomach, dizzy, lightheaded or faint, numb or tingly, detach from themselves or their surroundings, hot or cold flushes, afraid of going crazy, afraid of dying, miss believing a heart attack. As with all mental health issues it’s important to realise that these checklist items just provide a rough guide as to whether someone has an anxiety disorder. You will need to start with your GP on the rightful diagnosis and treatment. Treatment for Anxiety Disorders Psychological treatment may not only help a person to recover but can also help to prevent a recurrence of anxiety generally - it has been found to be the most effective way of treating anxiety disorders. Psychological treatment can help a person change their thought patterns and the way they react to certain situations. This can help their recovery and prevent illness returning. Psychological therapy is usually administered by a clinical psychologist or psychiatrist. While psychological treatment is generally the first choice for treating anxiety disorders, medical treatment can also be very helpful. Some types of antidepressants can be helpful for the management of anxiety disorders. Helping yourself or another For yourself, postpone major life changes, resolve personal conflicts as they arise, take part in enjoyable activities, seek help from your GP, psychiatrist, and psychologist, practice breathing muscle relaxation, establish good sleeping patterns, exercise regularly, reduce alcohol and other drugs. If you think another person may have an anxiety disorder let them know gently that you’ve noticed a change in the behaviour, suggest the person seeks professional help, go with a person to that help if necessary, encourage good habits, invite the person out and to keep in touch and engaged in the community. Above all assure them that successful treatment is possible. Other anxiety complaints include Separation Anxiety, Selective Mutism, Social Anxiety Disorder, Agoraphobia, Substance/Medication-Induced Anxiety Disorder and Anxiety Disorder Due to Another Medical Condition. If you are feeling suicidal or in need of help please contact Lifeline’s 24-hour crisis support service on 13 11 14. If you would like to see a psychologist, give me a call 0400 809 050 to make an appointment. We are committed to help you. |
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