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At times, do you feel more anxious than you would like? Are you often nervous in social situations? Do you feel like you’re frequently consumed with worry? Many people have butterflies in their stomach when asked to sing on stage or speak in front of a group of their peers. However, if this happens to you often, you might have a mild anxiety disorder. Anxiety disorders often consume people with overpowering nervousness, frequent worry and fear. These symptoms are persistent, and can become increasingly worse. People with more serious forms of anxiety are plagued by obsessive thoughts, panic attacks, nightmares, flashbacks of disturbing events or innumerable upsetting physical symptoms. For some people, the anxiety becomes so strong that they are unable to leave their homes. Does this sound like you or someone you know? Luckily, there are now treatments that can relieve your symptoms of anxiety.
No, you certainly are not alone. Anxiety disorders are the most frequent mental illnesses facing individuals in the United States. Over 19 million American adults deal with anxiety, in addition to the many children and adolescents that develop anxiety disorders.
What kinds of anxiety disorders exist?
Your anxiety can appear in many different forms. They include:
- Panic Disorder
- Generalized Anxiety Disorder
- Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder
- Social Anxiety Disorder
- Phobias
- Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
Panic Disorder
Do you find yourself struggling with recurring incidents of strong anxiety that occur unexpectedly for no apparent reason? If so, you might have panic disorder. Physically, you may feel any of the following:
- Heart palpitations
- Chest pain
- Shortness of breath
- Lightheadedness
- Abdominal pain
- Sweating
- Feelings of unreality
- Fear of dying or fear of going crazy
- Chills
- Numbing sensations
- Hot flushes
For example, you may be unconsciously worried about your finances and your body might suddenly react to your stress by causing you to feel the symptoms of a heart attack. Your body is simply trying to tell you that something is wrong. Panic disorder may happen for no reason at all. It is common for people with panic disorder to also have anticipatory anxiety, namely, worrying that a panic attack will occur.
It is important for such individuals to seek psychological treatment as soon as possible with a certified psychologist, psychiatrist, psychotherapist, counselor or psychiatrist nurse practitioner to help them deal with their anxiety in a healthier way. Treatment for panic disorder may include cognitive behavioral therapy, response prevention, relaxation therapy, hypnotherapy and/or medication. See the section below, “How Can I Treat My Anxiety?” for more information.
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder
Do you feel like you’re preoccupied with a few returning unwanted thoughts? You might try to get rid of these thoughts by engaging in ritualistic behavior. If this is the case, you may be suffering from obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Those with OCD may have reoccurring, distressing or disturbing thoughts and/or repetitious actions, which relieve the anxiety associated with certain thoughts. For example, you may be obsessed with cleanliness and germs, which would cause you to go through rituals of repeatedly washing your hands.
It is important for such individuals to seek psychological treatment as soon as possible with a certified psychologist, psychiatrist, psychotherapist, counselor or psychiatrist nurse practitioner to help them deal with their anxiety in a healthier way. Treatment for OCD may include cognitive behavioral therapy, response prevention, relaxation therapy, hypnotherapy and/or medication. See the section below, “How Can I Treat My Anxiety?” for more information.
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
Are you still haunted by something that happened in your childhood? Do you find yourself reliving the horrific sights you witnessed during your military service? If this is the case, post-traumatic stress disorder (or PTSD) might be the cause. In addition to the victim, it is not uncommon for victims’ family members to also develop this disorder. It is possible for symptoms to occur months or years after the upsetting incident and may include one or more unrelenting symptoms:
- Nightmares
- Numbing of emotions
- Depression
- Flashbacks
- Feeling irritable, angry, or distracted
- Being startled easily
Common events that might trigger such a response include:
- War
- Criminal assault
- Rape
- Child abuse
- Natural or human-caused disasters
- Crashes, such as car accidents
For example, an individual might have lost his best friend fighting alongside each other in the jungles of Vietnam. This may suffer from constant flashbacks or they may feel as though they may lose someone close to them.
It is important for such individuals to seek psychological treatment as soon as possible with a certified psychologist, psychiatrist, psychotherapist, counselor or psychiatrist nurse practitioner to help them deal with their anxiety in a healthier way. Treatment for PTSD may include cognitive behavioral therapy, response prevention, relaxation therapy, hypnotherapy and/or medication. See the section below, “How Can I Treat My Anxiety?” for more information.
Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD)
Do you feel extremely nervous during parties? Are you afraid that others are always judging you? If you answered “yes,” you might be battling social anxiety disorder. Someone with social anxiety may feel overwhelmed or even disabled by a fear of humiliation, scrutiny, or degradation when put into a social situation. This can lead to the avoidance of many potentially enjoyable and significant activities. For example, you might avoid eating in a cafeteria for fear that people will judge the food you eat, or fear that you’ll trip while balancing the trays or fear that no one will want you to sit at their table. As early as adolescence, an individual might become anxious when going to a party, a social event or a large gathering. This person might also find that taking a drink of alcohol is calming and alleviates their nervousness and anxiety. They might find that alcohol actually makes them relaxed, less inhibited, and the life of the party (funny, more of a conversationalist, more outgoing, more sociable, less shy). This lays the foundation for such an individual to develop an alcohol problem, because they now associate social events with drinking. Such an individual doesn’t even realize that they have an alcohol problem that has developed secondarily to a social anxiety disorder. It is important for people to recognize that most people do not need to drink in order to feel relaxed in a social situation.
It is important for such individuals to seek psychological treatment as soon as possible with a certified psychologist, psychiatrist, psychotherapist, counselor or psychiatrist nurse practitioner to help them deal with their social anxiety disorder in a healthier way. Treatment for social anxiety disorder may include cognitive behavioral therapy, response prevention, relaxation therapy, hypnotherapy and/or medication. See the section below, “How Can I Treat My Anxiety?” for more information.
Phobias and Fears
Is that fear of flying starting to impede your activities? Do you feel like your fear is somewhat unfounded? Your natural trepidations have probably developed into phobias, or acute, disabling and illogical fears of something that is hardly dangerous. Your phobia might lead to avoidance of objects or situations, which can limit your life either slightly, or, in some cases, far more drastically. For example, if you fear enclosed spaces, you might shy away from taking an elevator, riding a bus or even sitting in a car.
It is important for such individuals to seek psychological treatment as soon as possible with a certified psychologist, psychiatrist, psychotherapist, counselor or psychiatrist nurse practitioner to help them deal with their anxiety in a healthier way. Treatment for phobias may include cognitive behavioral therapy, response prevention, relaxation therapy, hypnotherapy and/or medication. See the section below, “How Can I Treat My Anxiety?” for more information.
Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD)
Do you feel like you worry more than necessary? Is nervousness beginning to fill the moments of your life? If so, you might be facing generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). If you have generalized anxiety disorder, you might go through the day filled with exaggerated worry and tension, even though there is little or nothing to provoke it. You might anticipate disaster and are overly concerned about health issues, money, family problems or difficulties at work. Sometimes just the thought of getting through the day produces anxiety. Symptoms may include anticipating the worst even though there is little reason to expect it, and might be accompanied by physical symptoms, such as trembling, nausea, muscle tension, headache or fatigue.
It is important for such individuals to seek psychological treatment as soon as possible with a certified psychologist, psychiatrist, psychotherapist, counselor or psychiatrist nurse practitioner to help them deal with their anxiety in a healthier way. Treatment for generalized anxiety disorder may include cognitive behavioral therapy, response prevention, relaxation therapy, hypnotherapy and/or medication. See the section below, “How Can I Treat My Anxiety?” for more information.
Can My Anxiety Disorder Co-Exist With Other Physical or Mental Disorders?
It is common for an anxiety disorder to accompany depression, substance abuse, eating disorders, and another anxiety disorder condition. In such situations, the accompanying disorders will also need to be treated. However, before starting any treatment, it is vital to have a careful medical assessment to rule out other possible causes of symptoms.
How Can I Treat My Anxiety?
Are you ready to take steps to eliminate that anxiety? Numerous types of psychotherapy have been shown to be effective in treating a variety of types of anxiety disorders, particularly behavioral, cognitive behavioral and interpersonal. Behavioral therapy utilizes several techniques to stop unwelcome behaviors, such as response prevention, invivo desensitization and/or exposure therapy. With cognitive behavioral therapy, patients are taught to recognize and modify their thought patterns so that they can react differently to the situations that cause them anxiety. Relaxation training, imagery, hypnotherapy, psychoeducation, psychotherapy and other stress reduction techniques can also be useful, as well as interpersonal psychotherapy, which focuses on social interactions. Several medications have also been found to be effective for anxiety disorders.
It is important for someone with an anxiety disorder to seek psychotherapy and/or medication as soon as possible from a licensed psychologist, clinical social worker, psychotherapist, counselor, psychiatric nurse practitioner or psychiatrist. In a confidential, supportive, non-judgmental atmosphere, psychotherapy or counseling with a licensed psychologist or psychotherapist can help the individual gain awareness, achieve positive behavioral change, and improve overall functioning. Medication can be prescribed by a psychiatric nurse practitioner or psychiatrist. The sooner treatment is begun, the sooner the anxiety can go into remission.
If you or someone you know is suffering from an anxiety disorder, panic disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), social anxiety disorder, phobias, fears, constant worry, or generalized anxiety disorder, and you would like more information about treatment for anxiety, want to discuss your specific needs, or make an appointment, call our office today to speak to someone.
We have licensed psychologists, psychotherapists, psychiatrists, counselors, clinical social workers, and psychiatric nurse practitioners, qualified and experienced in effectively treating anxiety disorders, and we can help suggest the therapist that best meets your needs. Call us at 212-996-3939.
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