Anxiety Disorders
Anxiety disorders are a group of mental health conditions characterized by excessive worry, fear, and apprehension. Common types include generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder, social anxiety disorder, and specific phobias. Symptoms can range from mild to severe and may significantly impact daily functioning. Treatment often involves a combination of therapy, medication, and lifestyle changes.
8 Key excerpts on "Anxiety Disorders"
eBook - ePubDual Disorders
Essentials for Assessment and Treatment
- David F O'Connell(Author)
- 2014(Publication Date)
- Routledge(Publisher)
...Chapter 4 Anxiety Disorders Anxiety Disorders are characterized by anxiety and avoidant behavior. They affect about 15 percent of the general population, making them the most common psychiatric illness. Anxiety is probably the most painful emotional state a human being can experience. Individuals who suffer from Anxiety Disorders often report that they would prefer the most intense physical pain over the extreme anxiety to which they are prone. Everyone is familiar with the experience of anxiety, which is a symptom of nearly every psychiatric disturbance. In mild anxiety states the person may feel only moderate bodily tension, worrisome thoughts, or a feeling of vague apprehension. In extreme anxiety states the patient experiences unparalleled terror and a sense of doom and despair, as well as extreme physical discomfort. Researchers and theorists have devoted considerable attention to understanding Anxiety Disorders. Psychodynamic theorists view anxiety as a sign that the ego is in danger from an aggressive or sexual impulse. Anxiety acts as a cue to the ego to mobilize defenses and contain the threat. Social learning theorists conceptualize anxiety as a conditioned response to a fearful situation. Cognitive therapists view anxiety as a misinterpretation of physiological sensations associated with the fight or flight response that accompanies normal fear. Attachment theorists hold that anxiety is biologically based, related to a disruption in maternal attachment, and signals fear of loss or separation in significant relationships. Through recent research the physiology of Anxiety Disorders is becoming better understood (Charney, 1990). Specific areas of the brain—for example, the amygdala, hypothalamus, and locus ceruleous—are being implicated in the development of various Anxiety Disorders, along with neurochemical systems such as the norepinephrine system...
eBook - ePub- Karen J. Carlson M.D., Stephanie A. Eisenstat M.D., Terra Ziporyn Ph.D.(Authors)
- 2004(Publication Date)
- Belknap Press(Publisher)
...Anxiety Disorders Anxiety in common parlance is similar to worry. But the kind of anxiety that concerns physicians takes on large enough proportions to interfere with daily activities and is often accompanied by various physical symptoms. One way to think of anxiety is to regard it as a fight-or-flight response gone awry. In this involuntary response—which developed in animals as a way to prepare themselves for danger—chemicals called catecholamines stimulate the central nervous system and produce increased alertness, quickened heart rate, and tensed muscles. In anxiety the physical and emotional reactions are identical, except that there is often no obvious or true danger—just the response itself. Women with Anxiety Disorders may notice fluctuation of symptoms in conjunction with the menstrual cycle. Some women notice that symptoms worsen just before their menstrual period, although evidence so far is mixed. Some of these changes may be linked to premenstrual syndrome (see entry). Types of Anxiety Disorders Psychiatrists recognize several broad categories of Anxiety Disorders, including anxiety states (generalized anxiety disorder, panic attacks, and panic disorder), phobias, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and posttraumatic stress disorder. Generalized anxiety disorder. Unlike the similar emotion of fear, generalized anxiety disorder often involves free-floating anxiety that does not seem to be tied to any particular situation or object. Often generalized anxiety is punctuated by more acute and short-lived panic attacks, but people with this disorder also have less intense, ongoing symptoms that continue apart from the attacks and are not the direct result of some well-defined irrational fear (phobia). Panic attacks. These are brief, unexpected episodes of intense fear accompanied by various physical symptoms such as heart palpitations, shortness of breath, and dizziness...
eBook - ePubClinical Case Management for People with Mental Illness
A Biopsychosocial Vulnerability-Stress Model
- Daniel Fu Keung Wong(Author)
- 2014(Publication Date)
- Routledge(Publisher)
...Chapter 5 Anxiety Disorders INTRODUCTION Anxiety Disorders refer to a cluster of anxiety problems, including panic disorder (panicky sensations that appear suddenly, and often without an obvious trigger), generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) (feeling anxious all the time, without a specific source, but can generally be traced back to at least two life events that occur during the six months that the person has the anxious feelings), social or specific phobias (fear of certain objects and social situations), obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) (anxiety over uncontrollable thoughts and compulsions), and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) (anxiety over a traumatic experience). The dominant feelings that cut across these disorders are anxiety and fear. About 14.6 percent of the U.S. population has or has had anxiety problems in their lifetime, and it is the second major mental illness in the United States (Peurifoy, 1995). In Hong Kong, the Rehabilitation Programme Plan Review estimates that about 77,400 people suffer from anxiety problems and about 1.5 percent need rehabilitation services (Health and Welfare Bureau, 1999). Another study suggests that Anxiety Disorders rank first as a major mental illness in Hong Kong (Chen et al., 1993). Similar to depression, many people with anxiety problems receive private medical and psychosocial treatment provided by medical doctors, psychologists, and social workers. Very few are being treated by the mental health care system in Hong Kong. NATURE OF ANXIETY Anxiety is a tense emotional state and is often marked by bodily symptoms such as tension, tremor, sweating, and palpitations. It is a reaction to physical or psychological threat (Beck, Emery, & Greenberg, 1985)...
- Amy E. Wenzel(Author)
- 2017(Publication Date)
- SAGE Publications, Inc(Publisher)
...Vincenzo G. Roma Vincenzo G. Roma Roma, Vincenzo G. Debra A. Hope Debra A. Hope Hope, Debra A. Anxiety Disorders: Overview Anxiety Disorders: Overview 226 236 Anxiety Disorders: Overview Currently, there are seven recognized Anxiety Disorders in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5). They are (1) generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), (2) panic disorder, (3) agoraphobia, (4) specific phobia, (5) separation anxiety disorder, (6) social anxiety disorder (social phobia), and (7) selective mutism. These Anxiety Disorders all share the core feature of anxiety or fear, but the specific manifestation of the anxiety or fear and/or the circumstances that elicit the emotional response vary widely. All of these disorders are found across the lifespan, but some are more common at certain ages. Before discussing the symptoms, history, prevalence, and etiology of each recognized anxiety disorder, this entry provides essential definitions, the historical context, and overviews of the etiology, comorbidity, and treatment of Anxiety Disorders. Anxiety, Fear, and Panic: Some Definitions Anxiety is a negative mood state characterized by bodily symptoms of physical tension and by apprehension about the future. It can be a subjective sense of discomfort, a set of behaviors (i.e., appearing anxious or fidgeting), or a physiological response such as increased heart rate and muscle tension. Most often, the subjective sense of anxiety, behaviors, and physiological response occur at the same time, especially if the anxiety is more severe, but sometimes, only one or two aspects of anxiety are present. The level of anxiety experienced can have differing effects on performance. Anxiety is considered beneficial for us in moderate amounts, such that we perform better in social, physical, or intellectual challenges when we are a little anxious. For example, a person might better prepare for a test or job interview if he or she is a little anxious...
eBook - ePubSupporting Children and Young People with Anxiety
A Practical Guide
- Elizabeth Herrick, Barbara Redman-White(Authors)
- 2018(Publication Date)
- Routledge(Publisher)
...Part 1 Understanding anxiety 1 What is anxiety? What do we mean by anxiety? Psychologists consider anxiety to be an emotion closely related to fear. Fear is one of the five basic emotions along with sadness, happiness, anger and disgust. There is no single definition of anxiety, but some that the authors have found helpful are highlighted below: ‘the anticipation of a future concern associated with muscle tension and avoidance behaviour’ (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 2015) ‘a nervous disorder marked by excessive uneasiness’ (Oxford Dictionary 10 th edition) ‘an uncomfortable feeling of nervousness or worry about something that is happening or might happen in the future.’ (Cambridge Dictionary) Anxiety is sometimes described as fear, worry, unease and nervousness. Some researchers make a distinction between fear and anxiety. Fear is usually considered to have a clear object; for example, a fierce, snarling dog invokes a ‘fight or flight’ response, either staying to fight or leaving to escape danger, with the response disappearing once the threat has passed. Worry has a specific object which may or may not be real/present. Anxiety is often less specific, we may not know why we feel anxious, and it may persist over time. Everybody has worries but anxiety becomes a problem when the fear or anxiety is: out of proportion to the situation or age-inappropriate (see Chapter 3) persisting for six months or longer interfering with the ability to function normally. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders – 5 th Edition (DSM 5) separates Anxiety Disorders into three separate categories: Anxiety Disorders Obsessive compulsive disorders Trauma and stressor-related disorders. Problem anxiety will manifest in different forms, vary in intensity and duration and may include feelings of powerlessness and panic...
eBook - ePubClinical Psychology
An Introduction
- Alan Carr(Author)
- 2012(Publication Date)
- Routledge(Publisher)
...5 Anxiety Disorders Learning objectives After studying this chapter you will be able to: • distinguish between separation anxiety, phobias, generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder, posttraumatic stress disorder and obsessive compulsive disorder in terms of their main clinical features • summarize the epidemiology of Anxiety Disorders • list the risk factors for Anxiety Disorders • outline the main biological and psychological theories of Anxiety Disorders • name the main evidence-based approaches to assessment and treatment of Anxiety Disorders • give a considered view on the medicalization of fear. Introduction While normal fear is adaptive and prevents people from entering threatening situations, with Anxiety Disorders people develop irrational fears of situations that do not threaten their survival (Antony & Stein, 2009a). They also develop non-adaptive behavioural patterns associated with avoidance of feared situations or experiences. For people with Anxiety Disorders, their fears are accompanied by intense physiological arousal shown by some or all of the following features: accelerated heart rate, sweating, trembling, sensations of shortness of breath or smothering, feelings of choking, chest pain, nausea, numbness or tingling, and chills or hot flushes. The person may also experience dizziness, derealization (feelings of unreality) or depersonalization (feelings of being detached from the self). Within DSM-IV-TR (American Psychiatric Association, 2000) and ICD-10 (World Health Organization, 1992), distinctions are made between a variety of Anxiety Disorders based on the developmental timing of their emergence, the classes of stimuli that elicit the anxiety, the pervasiveness and topography of the anxiety response, and the role of clearly identifiable factors in the aetiology of the anxiety...
eBook - ePubThe Routledge International Encyclopedia of Sport and Exercise Psychology
Volume 2: Applied and Practical Measures
- Dieter Hackfort, Robert Schinke, Dieter Hackfort, Robert J. Schinke(Authors)
- 2020(Publication Date)
- Routledge(Publisher)
...3 ANXIETY DISORDER AND TREATMENT William D. Parham Introduction Varying definitions of anxiety exist (e.g., Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th edition (DSM-5), American Psychiatric Association (APA), 2013; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC); the International Classification of Diseases, 11th revision (ICD-11)), and research on anxiety, partly owing to methodological challenges, including definitional, has contributed to the lack of clarity (Hanin, 2000). However, despite the lack of definition and conceptual clarity, there appears to be some agreement regarding its key features. Anxiety is a natural, adaptive, self-protective, emotional, and physiological survival response. It is experienced by many athletes, domestic and global, across gender, age, culture, race, ethnicity, sports, and other dimensions of personal identity, within the context of their everyday life challenges (Hackfort & Schwenkmezger, 1993; Hackfort & Spielberger, 1989). Some life challenges are experienced as minor inconveniences, daily hassles and situations athletes choose to put up with temporarily. When seen in this way, anxiety may be experienced as “normal”, with minimal physiological arousal and, overall, clearly manageable (Henriksen et al., 2019). At the other end of the spectrum are life challenges that can surface as fear, dread, confusion, emotional disequilibrium, obsessive ruminations, increased irritability, compromised decision-making, and a host of physiological reactions including, but not limited to, nausea, muscle tension, and increased blood pressure (ICD-11, WHO, 2018; DSM-5). When this latter constellation of symptoms emerges, also known as the “fight or flight” response, first coined by Walter B. Cannon (1932, 1963), athletes have perceived their immediate environment and personal space as being attacked, under threat, and in danger...
eBook - ePub- Sidney Bloch, Bruce S. Singh(Authors)
- 2013(Publication Date)
- Melbourne University Press Digital(Publisher)
...8 Anxiety Disorders Fiona Judd and Graham Burrows A NXIETY IS EXPERIENCED universally—a diffuse, unpleasant and vague sense of apprehension, together with physical discomfort which may affect all parts of the body. At least in a mild and transient form, we all encounter it periodically. Anxiety is regarded as a normal, adaptive response to danger. Most animals, including humans, have a tendency to be frightened and alerted by sudden, unexpected or noxious stimuli. Charles Darwin noted in his The Expression of the Emotions in Man and Animals that, as animals have evolved, they have acquired a predisposition to avoid and fear particular stimuli (e.g. dangerous predators) and also to disregard neutral stimuli. Freud and Pavlov were of the view that such defensive responses could be modified by experience and that the ability to anticipate dangerous or threatening situations through warning signals was biologically advantageous. We owe the concept of ‘anxiety neurosis’ to Freud who saw the role of anxiety as a ‘signal of danger’, emanating from the external world (normal or objective anxiety) or from the imminent eruption of repressed, conflict-laden ideas into consciousness (neurotic anxiety). Ernest Jones, an English psychoanalyst, later drew attention to the allied concepts of anxiety, fear, dread, fright, panic and apprehensiveness. He described two features which distinguish fear from anxiety: a disproportion between the external stimulus and the response to it, and a disproportion between bodily and mental manifestations. Fear is generally regarded today as a normal emotional response that prepares us for realistic, anticipated dangers and so has survival value. By contrast, anxiety feels like fear but occurs in the absence of immediate or obvious threat. The term ‘anxiety’ has been given a variety of meanings and definitions...
