Anxiety is a normal emotion that everyone experiences at times. Many people feel anxious or nervous when there is a problem at work, before taking a test, or making an important decision. Anxiety disorders are different, they are a serious mental illness. People who have an anxiety disorder are often so filled with worry and fear that it has the potential to become crippling.
The causes of anxiety disorders are not fully known. Most experts do agree that it is probably a combination of brain chemistry, environment, life experiences, and hereditary. There are a few risk factors that increase the chance of a person developing an anxiety disorder. Anxiety is more likely to occur if you do not have an outlet for your feelings, especially feelings of anger and frustration. People with low self esteem are at a higher risk. Trauma of some type is a common risk factor. Even a lack of finances can increase a person’s risk of developing an anxiety disorder. A more complete list of risk factors can be found at Panic Survivor
There are five major types of anxiety disorders. It is common for a person to have more than one type of an anxiety disorder. Panic Disorder causes an intense fear that strikes unpredictably, in addition it can also cause heart palpitations, chest pain, and dizziness. Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is characterized by recurrent, unwanted thoughts (obsessions) and repetitive behaviors (compulsions). Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) can develop after being exposed to a terrifying ordeal, in which serious physical harm occurred or was threatened. Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) is an anxiety disorder that causes a person to have chronic anxiety, and exaggerated worry, even when there is little or nothing to worry about. Social Anxiety Disorder is characterized by an overwhelming anxiety and self consciousness in social situations.
The good news is that all of these anxiety disorders are treatable. There are many different types of treatments available. Each person needs to find what works for them and stick with it. If the appropriate treatment is found and the person follows through with the treatment plan, they can regain some if not all of their ability to function on a day to day basis.
If you believe you or a loved one has an anxiety disorder, please seek help immediately. Family physicians, nurses, religious leaders, mental health specialists, state hospital out patient clinics are some of the places you can go to get help. For a more complete list of places you can get help from go to National Institute of Mental Health
To find a mental health provider in your area you can use the National Mental Health Information Center