Running head: ANXIETY DISORDERS DIAGNOSIS AND TREATMENTS 1

Anxiety Disorders Diagnosis and Treatments

Tiffany Nicole Cooper

University of Phoenix

BEH

225

Joan Mason

December 03, 2010

 Anxiety Disorders Diagnosis and Treatments

It's normal to feel anxious from time to time, especially if you have stress in your life.

However, if you have ongoing anxiety that interferes with your relationships and the activities

you do from day-to-day, it can make your life very hard to enjoy life. “Approximately 40 million

American adults ages 18 and older, or about 18.1 percent of people in this age group in a given

year, have an anxiety disorder.” (U.S. Census Bureau, June 9, 2005.) And nearly three-quarters

of people with a type of anxiety disorder will have their first attack by the time they are 21.

The main types of anxiety disorders that we will be discussing today will be; specific

phobias, panic disorder, generalized-anxiety disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder and

obsessive-compulsive disorder. When discussing them you will learn their symptoms, and the

current treatment options. Effective treatments for anxiety disorders are available, and research is

yielding new, improved therapies that can help most people with anxiety disorders lead

productive, fulfilling lives.

When it comes to specific phobias, it involves marked and persistent fear and avoidance

of a specific object or situation. This can include things like spiders, cotton, heights, dust, and

many, many more objects. In a salutary situation, people with phobias are gradually introduced

into the very situation that normally causes them anxiety. They learn that they can control their

anxiety while gaining greater and greater exposure to their phobic situation. Cognitive or

behavior therapy may also be extremely effective when used in conjunction with relaxation

training.

When talking about panic disorders, it is characterized by recurring severe panic attacks.

Once a person has had a panic attack in a specific place, they are more likely to develop
irrational fears known as phobias. Panic attack symptoms include; racing heartbeat, chest pains,

stomach upset, dizziness, lightheadedness, nausea, difficulty breathing, numbness in the hands,

trembling or shaking, a need to escape, or even dreamlike sensations. A panic attack can usually

last for more than ten minutes, and the symptoms are close to mimicking a heart attack. Research

has shown us that there are a variety of treatments including several effective medications, and

specific forms of psychotherapy. It seems that with a combination of medications and

psychotherapy, improvement can be shown in a short period of time like three to four months.

It is possible to develop generalized anxiety disorder as a child or as an adult.

Generalized anxiety disorder has similar symptoms as panic disorder, obsessive-compulsive

disorder and other types of anxiety, but they are all different conditions. Living with generalized

anxiety disorder can be a long-term challenge. In many cases, it occurs along with other anxiety

or mood disorders. People that have been diagnosed with generalized anxiety disorder may have

a few symptoms that cannot seem to shake their concerns. Their worries are accompanied by

physical symptoms, especially fatigue, headaches, muscle tension, muscle aches, difficulty

swallowing, trembling, twitching, irritability, sweating, and hot flashes. Treatment for

generalized anxiety disorder (also known as GAD) is varied and a number of approaches work

equally well. Typically the most effective treatment will be an approach which incorporates both

psychological and psychopharmacologic approaches. Medications, while usually helpful in

treating the bodily symptoms of acute anxiety (e.g., panic attacks), are best used for this disorder

as a short-term treatment only (a few months).

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is an emotional illness that that is classified as an

anxiety disorder and usually develops as a result of a terribly frightening, life-threatening, or

otherwise highly unsafe experience. PTSD sufferers re-experience the traumatic event or events
in some way, tend to avoid places, people, or other things that remind them of the event.

Treatments for PTSD usually include psychological therapy and medicines.

Obsessive-compulsive disorder is characterized by either obsessions or compulsions:

obsessions are defined as “recurrent and persistent thoughts, impulses, or images that are

experienced, at some time during the disturbance, as intrusive and inappropriate and that cause

marked anxiety or distress.” (Psych Central, June 2010). Compulsions as defined by: Repetitive

behaviors (e.g., hand washing, ordering, checking) or mental acts (e.g., praying, counting,

repeating words silently) that the person feels driven to perform in response to an obsession, or

according to rules that must be applied rigidly. Treatment can include: behavior therapy or

medications. Unfortunately, not everyone responds to treatment for OCD. Despite recent

advances in behavior and medication treatment, about one-third of people with OCD fail to

experience improvement.

With all the different types of anxiety disorders that have been discussed today, I

hope that this information will help someone who has one of these disorders, and help them

realize that they cannot go without treatment, and they cannot do it on their own. In most cases,

medications are not enough, but when combined with specific types of psychotherapy, the results

can really help the person through difficult situations. In most cases, some of the anxiety

disorders can improve with medications, psychotherapy, or even some various insight therapies.

Making lifestyle changes, learning coping skills and using relaxation techniques also can help. I

hope that in time, doctors will find more treatments for these disorders.
 REFERENCE PAGE:
1. Morris, C.G., & Maisto, A.A. (2002). Psychology: An Introduction (12th ed.). Upper Saddle River,
NJ: Prentice Hall.

2. Kessler RC, Chiu WT, Demler O, Walters EE. Prevalence, severity, and comorbidity of
twelve-month DSM-IV disorders in the National Comorbidity Survey Replication (NCS-R).
Archives of General Psychiatry, 2005 Jun;62(6):617-27.

3. U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates by Demographic Characteristics. Table 2: Annual

Estimates of the Population by Selected Age Groups and Sex for the United States: April 1, 2000
to July 1, 2004 (NC-EST2004-02) Source: Population Division, U.S. Census Bureau Release
Date: June 9, 2005. http://www.census.gov/popest/national/asrh/

4. Psych Central. (June 2010). Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder. Retrieved from

http://psychcentral.com/disorders/sx25.htm