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Anxiety disorders
Anxietydisordersareagroupofmentalhealthproblems.Theyincludegeneralisedanxiety disorders,socialphobias,specificphobias(forexample,agoraphobiaandclaustrophobia),panic disorders,obsessivecompulsivedisorder(OCD)andposttraumaticstressdisorder.Untreated, anxietydisorderscanleadtodepression. Anxietydisordersarecommonmentalhealthproblemsthataffectmanypeople.Approximately25 percentofthepopulationhaveananxietydisorderthatwarrantstreatmentatsometimeintheir lifeanduptoanother25percenthavelesssevereanxietiessuchasfearsofspiderandsnakes. Not all anxiety is a disorder Everyoneexperiencesanxietyandfearattimes;theyarenormalandhelpfulhumanemotionsthat helpusdealwithdanger.However,somepeopleexperienceexcessiveandirrationalanxiety,and worriesthatbecomeongoinganddistressingandthatinterferewiththeirdailylives.Thismay indicateananxietydisorder.Oftenthereappearstobenoobviousorlogicalreasonforthewaythe personfeels.Thismaymakeananxietydisorderevenmoreworryingtothesufferer. Symptoms of anxiety disorders Themainfeaturesofananxietydisorderarefearsorthoughtsthatarechronic(constant)and distressingandthatinterferewithdailyliving.Othersymptomsofananxietydisordermayinclude: Panicoranxietyattacksorafearoftheseattacks Physicalanxietyreactionsforexampletrembling,sweating,faintness,rapidheartbeat, difficultiesbreathingornausea Avoidancebehaviourapersonmaygotoextremelengthstoavoidasituationthatthey thinkcouldbringonanxietyorpanic.

Ima ge des crip

Panic attacks are a common symptom Apanicattackisasuddenfeelingofintenseterrorthatmayoccurincertainsituationsorforno apparentreason.Apanicattackdoesnotmeanapersonisnecessarilysufferingananxiety disorder.However,apanicattackisacommonfeatureofeachtypeofanxietydisorder.Symptoms ofapanicattackmayinclude: Shortnessofbreath Dizziness Rapidheartbeat Choking Nausea.

Thecauseofpanicattacksisunknownbuttheymayberelatedtoachemicalresponseinthebrain, causedbyactualthreateningorstressfuleventsorbythinkingaboutstressfulevents.Thebrain responseleadstophysiologicalchangesinthebody,suchasshallowbreathingandrapid heartbeat. Panicattackscanbefrightening.Somepeoplesaytheyfeelliketheyaregoingtodieorgocrazy. Peopleaffectedbypanicattacksmayavoidsituationsinwhichtheythinkattacksmightoccur.In somecases,thismayleadtothedevelopmentofotheranxietydisordersincludingagoraphobia. Types of anxiety disorders Anxietybecomesadisorderwhenitisirrational,excessive,toopersistentandattachedto situationsthatdonotwarrantitandwhenitinterfereswiththepersonsdailylife.Anxiety disordersinclude: Generalisedanxietydisorder Socialphobiasfearofsocialsituations

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Specificphobiasforexampleafearofopenspaces(agoraphobia)orenclosedspaces (claustrophobia) Panicdisordersfrequentanddebilitatingpanicattacks Obsessivecompulsivedisorder Posttraumaticstressdisorder.

Generalised anxiety disorder Generalisedanxietyisexcessiveanxietyandworryaboutcommonissues.Thefocusoftheanxiety mightbefamilyorfriends,health,work,moneyorforgettingimportantappointments.Aperson maybediagnosedwithageneralisedanxietydisorderif: Theanxietyandworryhasbeenpresentmostdaysoverasix-monthperiod Thepersonfindsitdifficulttocontroltheiranxiety.

Social phobias Peoplewithsocialphobiaareafraidofbeingnegativelyjudgedorevaluatedbyothers.Thisleads tofearofdoingsomethingthatmayhumiliatetheminpublicforexamplepublicspeaking,using publictoilets,eatinganddrinkinginpublic,writinginpublic,oranysocialencounterssuchas partiesorworkplaces. Somesocialphobiasufferersmayonlyfearonetypeofsituation.Othersmaybeconcernedabout severaltypesofsituations.Thiscanleadthemtoavoidthefearedsituations,whichcanleadto severeisolation. Specific phobias Apersonwithaspecificphobiahasapersistentandirrationalfearofaparticularobjector situation.Theymayfearanimals,placesorpeople.Fearoftheobjectorsituationissoseverethat apersonmayexperiencephysicalsymptomsandpanicattacks.Fearsmayincludedogs,blood, storms,spidersorotherobjectsorsituationsbut,inallcases,theanxietyisbothexcessiveand interfering. Theadultphobiasuffererusuallyknowsthattheirfearisexcessiveorunreasonable.However, theirneedtoavoidtheobject,placeorpersoncansignificantlyrestricttheirlife. Panic disorders Panicoranxietyattacksarecommon.Panicdisordersarelesscommon;theyaffectabouttwoper centofthepopulation.Forapersontobediagnosedwithapanicdisorder,theywouldusuallyhave hadatleastfourpanicattackseachmonthoveranextendedperiodoftime.Oftenpanicattacks maynotberelatedtoasituationbutcomeonspontaneously. Panicdisordermaybediagnosedifpanicattacksarefrequentandifthereisastrongand persistentfearofanotherattackoccurring. Obsessive compulsive disorder Peoplewithobsessivecompulsivedisorder(OCD)haveintrusive,unwantedandinvoluntary thoughtsorimpulses(obsessions). Theyalsofeelcompelledtoperformbehaviouralandmental rituals(compulsions)suchasexcessivehandwashing,showeringorchecking.Theyareusually awareoftheirrationalandexcessivenatureoftheirbehaviour. Post traumatic stress disorder Posttraumaticstressdisorderdevelopsaftersomeoneisexposedtoanextremelytraumaticevent. Theeventmayberecent,suchasacaraccidentorphysicalassault,oritmayhaveoccurredinthe past,suchaschildhoodsexualassault. Reactionsofgrief,shockandangerarenormalaftertraumaticevents.However,peoplewithpost traumaticstressdisorderexperiencesevere,prolongedandintrusivereactionsthatdramatically affecttheirdailylife.Thesemayincludeintrusivethoughtsorimagesofthetraumaticsituation thatareasdistressing,ormoredistressing,thantheoriginalevent.Oftenpeoplebegintoavoid remindersofthetrauma,includingplacesorsimilarsituations. Anxiety disorders can have serious effects Ananxietydisordermayleadtosocialisolationandclinicaldepression,andcanimpairapersons abilitytowork,studyanddoroutineactivities.Itmayalsohurtrelationshipswithfriends,family andcolleagues.Depressioncanbeaseriousillnesswithahighriskofself-harmandsuicide. Recovery is possible with treatment

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Recoveryfromananxietydisorderispossiblewiththerighttreatmentandsupport.Effective treatmentsforanxietydisordersmayinclude: Cognitive behavioural therapyaimstochangepatternsofthinking,beliefsand behavioursthatmaytriggeranxiety.Partofthetherapymayinvolvegraduallyexposinga persontosituationsthattriggeranxiety:thisiscalleddesensitisation. Anxiety management and relaxation techniquesforexamplehypnotherapy, meditation,breathingexercisesandcounselling. Medicationthismayincludeantidepressantsandtranquillisers.

Where to get help Yourdoctor Clinicalpsychologist Psychiatrist Yourlocalcommunityhealthcentre ARAFEMI(AssociationofRelativesandFriendsoftheEmotionallyandMentallyIll)Tel.(03) 98891777 MentalHealthFoundationofAustralia(Victoria)Tel.(03)94270406 AnxietyRecoveryCentreVictoriaTel.(03)98869377

Things to remember

Anxietydisorderscanbesuccessfullytreated. Panicattacksareacommonsymptomofanxietydisorders. Untreatedanxietydisorderscanhaveseriouseffectsonapersonslifeandrelationships.

This page has been produced in consultation with, and approved by:

MentalHealthFoundationofAustralia

Copyight 1999/2009StateofVictoria.ReproducedfromtheBetterHealthChannel(www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au)at nocostwithpermissionoftheVictorianMinisterforHealth.Unauthorisedreproductionandotherusescomprisedinthe copyrightareprohibitedwithoutpermission. ThisBetterHealthChannelfactsheethaspassedthrougharigorousapprovalprocess.Forthelatestupdatesandmore informationvisitwww.betterhealth.vic.gov.au.

Anxietydisorders

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