Anxiety disorder is a mental disorder categorized by continuous and uncontrollable feeling of nervousness, restlessness, excessive worriedness, uneasiness that interfere with one’s daily life.

People with anxiety disorder may avoid places or situations to prevent these feelings. Symptoms may start during childhood or the teen years and continue into adulthood.

Examples of anxiety disorders include generalized anxiety disorder, social anxiety disorder (social phobia), specific phobias, separation anxiety disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder.

TYPES OF ANXIETY DISORDER

1) Generalized anxiety disorder: Continuous and overwhelming feeling of excessive, unrealistic worry and tension with little or no reason.

2) Panic disorder: Feeling of sudden, intense fear that brings on a panic attack. During a panic attack one may break out in a sweat, have chest pain, and have a pounding heartbeat (palpitations). Sometimes you may feel like you’re choking or having a heart attack.

3) Specific anxiety disorder (phobias): Feeling of intense fear of a specific object or situation, such as heights or flying. The fear goes beyond what’s appropriate and may cause a person to avoid ordinary situations.

4) Social anxiety disorder: Also called social phobia, includes overwhelming worriedness and self-consciousness about everyday social situations. A person having social phobia obsessively worries about others judging him or being embarrassed or ridiculed.

5) Post-traumatic stress disorder: Triggered by a terrifying event — either experiencing it or witnessing it. Symptoms may include flashbacks, nightmares and severe anxiety, as well as uncontrollable thoughts about the event.

Symptoms

Common anxiety signs and symptoms include:

· Feeling restless, nervous or tense

· Having a sense of impending fear or danger

· Increased heart rate

· Breathing rapidly/ Heavy breaths

· Feeling suffocated and heaviness in chest

· Feeling hot or cold suddenly

· Excessive sweating

· Trembling or shivering

· Feeling tired or weak

· Trouble concentrating or thinking about anything other than the present worry

· Disturbed sleep pattern

· Upset stomach

· Having difficulty controlling worry

CAUSES

• Chemical imbalance: Severe or long-lasting stress can change the chemical balance that controls your mood. Experiencing a lot of stress over a long period can lead to an anxiety disorder.

• Environmental factors: Experiencing a trauma might trigger an anxiety disorder, especially in someone who has inherited a higher risk to start.

• Heredity: Anxiety disorders tend to run in families. You may inherit them from one or both parents, like eye color.

TREATMENTS

• Medication: Several types of drugs are used to treat anxiety disorders. Like, Antidepressants, Benzodiazepines, and Beta-blockers.

• Psychotherapy: This is a type of counseling that helps you learn how your emotions affect your behaviors. It’s sometimes called talk therapy. Like, Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT).

• Self-Treatment: Stress management , Relaxation technique, Supporting Network