| What is an Anxiety Disorder? | | | | addiction may contribute to anxiety |
| "Anxiety disorder" is a term that covers | | | | disorders in some people. And, not |
| many different types of nervous | | | | surprisingly, most alcoholics and drug |
| conditions that cause anxiousness, | | | | addicts had some sort of disorder before |
| feelings of fear or other unwanted, | | | | they became addicted. The addictive |
| counterproductive or irrational | | | | substance was a coping mechanism for a |
| feelings. These feelings of anxiety can | | | | time against the anxious, out of control |
| be due to a particular phobia, to a | | | | feelings. |
| particular event or happening earlier in | | | | Medical ailments: Certain disorders, |
| life, or may be due to pathological | | | | like eating or sleeping disorders, |
| (medical) uneasiness. There may be no | | | | depression and other nervous ailments, |
| warning of the onset of your anxiety | | | | may contribute to more anxiety |
| disorders. They can be sudden, or | | | | disorders, and possible medical |
| develop gradually over many years and | | | | problems. These disorders do not allow |
| such events are likely to cause profound | | | | the body to function normally. Without |
| disturbance of the sufferer's normal | | | | proper sleep or nutrition, anyone is |
| daily routine. In the 21st Century, the | | | | likely to become very anxious. |
| occurrence of anxiety disorders is | | | | Personality: Whether a person is born |
| assuming alarming proportions. They | | | | with low self-esteem or develops it in |
| afflict more than forty million American | | | | later life, they are likely to become |
| adults. Many adolescents, and even | | | | anxious. |
| children, also develop these disorders. | | | | Social and Economic Issues: Believe it |
| Most patients are seriously affected, | | | | or not, the rich are not immune to |
| with the disorder(s) affecting them for | | | | anxiety, peer pressure and stress. Life |
| several months, or even years. You may | | | | is stressful at all levels of human |
| suffer frequent bouts of fear, concern, | | | | society. Being poor gives you may put |
| or apprehension of some worrying event. | | | | more pressure on you - just to survive |
| Why Do People Get Anxiety Disorders? | | | | and try to improve your situation for |
| Many factors may contribute to the | | | | yourself and your family. |
| occurrence of anxiety disorders. There | | | | Brain abnormalities: Medications |
| is not just one cause for all anxiety | | | | prescribed to alleviate symptoms of some |
| disorders. They may occur as the result | | | | ailments can sometimes affect the |
| of a combination of many different | | | | chemical balance in the brain and cause |
| factors. | | | | an anxiety disorder. Allergic reactions |
| Those factors may include: | | | | to certain medicines might also lead to |
| Childhood events: Disturbing and | | | | an anxiety disorder. |
| traumatic events in childhood, such as | | | | Treatments |
| child abuse, loss of parents, separation | | | | There are innumerable therapies and |
| from family, accident or illness, can | | | | treatments available for anxiety |
| leave a lasting effect on the mind. Even | | | | disorders. Certain drugs may help to |
| having been bullied, embarrassed, or | | | | provide some relief or even the |
| made fun of at school can produce | | | | possibility of a complete cure in some |
| lasting anxieties that manifest into a | | | | cases. Some patients have had good |
| serious anxiety disorder later in life. | | | | results when the advice of their |
| Genetic: Parents with anxiety disorder | | | | personal medical doctor was combined |
| can pass it on to, or cause their | | | | with various cognitive therapies (forms |
| children to be more likely to suffer | | | | of psychotherapy that are based on the |
| from this type of condition, because of | | | | belief that the way we think may have a |
| genetic factors or the environment that | | | | positive or negative effect on they way |
| they provide in the family home. | | | | we feel and deal with our life |
| Stress and Trauma: Stressful, traumatic | | | | experiences.) You can become a stronger |
| events can contribute to anxiety | | | | and more effective person by developing |
| disorders. Domestic violence, rape (or | | | | an optimistic attitude and learning to |
| other forms of sexual molestation), | | | | accept the tragedies of life. Additional |
| physical assault, death of a family | | | | knowledge can be gathered from many |
| member or loss due to natural disasters | | | | different sources, like the Internet, |
| like floods or earthquakes, leaves a | | | | books, magazines and journals. |
| person feeling helpless. This feeling of | | | | Increasing your knowledge about your |
| powerlessness leads to fear and | | | | condition can be a very important factor |
| resultant anxiousness. | | | | in keeping most anxiety disorders at |
| Substance abuse: Alcoholism and drug | | | | bay. |