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Anxiety and the Anxiety Disorders
What is anxiety?
 Anxiety is a normal part of being human. It is a state of apprehension, uneasiness, and/or tension that everyone experiences at one time or another. Anxiety is a mechanism of the brain that alerts us to things that can potentially cause us harm. Without the warning signs of anxiety, we might uncaringly decide to drive on the wrong side of the road, ignore studying for a critical exam, pay no attention to paying taxes, or try petting a tiger in the wild. A certain amount of anxiety in our lives is not only normal, it's necessary!
What is an anxiety disorder?
When anxious thoughts and feelings occur excessively and persistently and interfere with our everyday functioning, we may have what is called an anxiety disorder. Anxiety disorders can occur at any age, though they often first appear in the teen years. About one in every eight people in the U.S. experiences a significant anxiety problem at some point in their life. More than 19 million people in the U.S. alone are diagnosed with an anxiety disorder every year. Almost a third of all women (twice as many as men) will have some kind of anxiety disorder during their lifetime.
How do people experience anxiety?
Everyone experiences anxiety differently. Anxiety can take the form of discomfort, apprehension, worry, fear, panic, or terror. Physical signs of anxiety include things such as a quickened heartbeat and breathing, sweating, dizziness, and the feeling of being "in a fog." It's not uncommon for people with extreme anxiety to imagine that something horrific is going to happen. They may think that they are going to go "crazy" or even that they are going to die. Anxiety can be mildly annoying. It can also be paralyzing.
How do I know if I have a specific kind of anxiety disorder?
Although no two people experience anxiety in exactly the same way, the mental health profession recognizes several distinct kinds of anxiety problems. Often, it is not uncommon to experience more than one kind of anxiety at a time. It's important, however, to distinguish between "normal" anxiety and an anxiety disorder. Though the following examples are not meant to take the place of a professional evaluation, what appears below may help you determine the kind of anxiety that you may be experiencing and whether it's "normal" or warrants attention.
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Do you feel a little uncomfortable unless things are done "just so," such as arranging things neatly on your desk, checking the locks on all doors before going to bed, or always washing your hands before eating a meal... |
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OR... |
| B. |
Do you feel overwhelming discomfort brought on by certain thoughts, followed by an irresistible urge to do something to relieve your discomfort, such as having to wash your hands repeatedly when you think about germs to the point at which the skin becomes red, or having to mentally recite a particular set of words after having an "immoral" thought, or having to tap a doorknob a specific number of times before you can open the door?
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If you answered "B," you may be experiencing Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder. (More on OCD below.) |
| A. |
Do you experience mild anxiety that comes and goes, such as the discomfort you may feel while you're stuck in traffic on the way to an important appointment... |
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OR... |
| B. |
Do you experience constant, excessive concern about a number of things, such as worrying about whether your car is going to start, if you're going to be late to work, if you're going to run out of gas, if you're going to get a ticket, if your car insurance is going to double, if your car is going to be dented in the parking lot or towed away, if you're going to make a mistake at work and be fired, if you're going to be able to pay the rent, etc., etc?
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If you answered "B," you may be experiencing Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD). |
| A. |
Do you experience some nervousness in certain social situations, such when giving a speech, going on a first date, or playing a music recital... |
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OR... |
| B. |
Do you experience excessive discomfort in almost all social situations, to the point at which you are unable to go to a party that you really want to go to because you are afraid you will say or do something that will cause you to be ridiculed or "die" of embarrassment? |
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If you answered "B," you may be experiencing Social Phobia (Social Anxiety Disorder). |
| A. |
Do you experience occasional occurrences of getting "rattled" or "flustered," such as when you realize that you are completely lost on the way to a job interview or a wedding ceremony... |
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OR... |
| B. |
Do you experience sudden occurrences of extremely uncomfortable physical sensations and intense worry for no apparent reason, such as having an abrupt onset of rapid heartbeat, sweating, quickened breathing, light-headedness, and thinking that you're going to lose control, go "crazy," or die? |
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If you answered "B," you may be experiencing panic attacks. If you repeatedly have panic attacks and/or worry a lot about having them, you may be experiencing Panic Disorder. |
| A. |
Do you experience some discomfort in crowded situations, such as when you're "stuck" in a mob of people after a sporting event or concert when everyone is trying to leave at the same time... |
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OR... |
| B. |
Do you find yourself staying home in order to avoid the uncomfortable feelings that you get in crowds, despite the fact that you want to go out, such as wanting to go to a sale at the mall, but choosing to stay home because you worry that if you go, you may have a panic attack, have no way to get out, and become completely embarrassed in front of everyone? |
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If you answered "B," you may be experiencing Agoraphobia. |
| A. |
Do you feel some discomfort in potentially harmful situations, such as when unexpectedly coming upon a snake on a hiking trip or when looking down over a balcony on the 20th floor of a tall building... |
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OR... |
| B. |
Do you have to completely avoid certain things or places (or else experience severe anxiety), such as going into a room in which there's a spider, taking a room on the 13th floor of a hotel, or entering enclosed spaces like elevators? |
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If you answered "B," you may be experiencing a Specific Phobia. |
| A. |
Do you experience brief discomfort after having an alarming experience, such as feeling "shaken up a bit" after having been startled by a large, loudly barking dog... |
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OR... |
| B. |
Do you experience sudden, considerable, recurring distress, even long after having had a terrifying experience, such as having "flashbacks," vivid memories, nightmares, or emotional numbness months or years after having been physically or sexually abused, after having served in combat, or after having survived a fire or natural disaster? |
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If you answered "B," you may be experiencing Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. |
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