Definition:

Anxiety is a normal human emotion that everyone experiences at times. Many people feel anxious or nervous when faced with a problem at school, or work, or when making a tough decision. Anxiety disorders, however, are different. They cause such distress that it interferes with a person's ability to lead a normal life. (also link to Post Traumatic Stress Disorder).

Symptoms:

• Ongoing difficulty with anxiety or tension
• Excessive worry about things over and over
• Inability to sleep due to feeling tense or on edge
• General fears that something terrible with happen

Treatment Options:

Treatment Options for Anxiety Disorders: Although the exact treatment approach depends on the specific type of disorder, one or a combination of the following therapies may be used for most anxiety disorders:

Medication: Medicines used to reduce the symptoms of anxiety disorders include anti-depressants and anxiety-reducing medications.

Psychotherapy: Psychotherapy (a type of counseling) addresses the emotional response to mental illness. It is a process in which trained mental health professionals help people by talking through strategies for understanding and dealing with their disorder.

Cognitive-behavioral therapy: People suffering from anxiety disorders often participate in this type of psychotherapy in which the person learns to recognize and change thought patterns and behaviors that lead to troublesome feelings.

Progressive-Desensitization: Individuals are assisted in developing a hierarchy of progressive steps to increase exposure to the thing that creates fear or panic. This can be done in role-plays or in an actual real life exposure and allows the client to can mastery over the fear or phobia.

Links:

• OSF Anxiety Webpage
• WebMD Anxiety Pages
• Link to anxiety and disorder treatment

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