Everyone feels anxiety at some point. It can actually help you notice danger or threat and keep you safe. Anxiety is not your fault. Anxiety disorders are when anxiety becomes extreme and affects parts of your life like work, school, or relationships.
SOME STATS
Anxiety is the most common mental illness in the U.S.
Over 40 million American adults have anxiety.
40% of American adults have experienced anxiety at some point in their lives.
Only 1/3 of adults suffering from anxiety receive treatment.
Only 1/5 of teenagers suffering anxiety receive treatment.
TYPES OF ANXIETY
Separation Anxiety: Anxiety about being away from parents or caregivers. This is more often found in children.
Selective Mutism: Failure to speak in certain places like in the classroom.
Specific Phobia: Fear of things like flying, heights, animals, toilets, or seeing blood.
Agoraphobia: Fear of being in places where escape might be hard or help might not be available.
Examples include:
1. riding in cars, buses, or planes
2. being in open spaces like parking lots or bridges
3. being in enclosed spaces like shops, or in a movie theater
4. standing in line or being in a crowd
5. being outside the home alone
Social Anxiety: Fear of becoming embarrassed in social situations
Panic Disorder: Sudden panic symptoms and worry that the panic symptoms will return. You might feel a pounding heart, sweaty, weak, faint, dizzy, tingling or numbness in your hands, feel flushed, feel like you’re losing control or “going crazy”. You might even feel like there id something physically wrong like a heart attack or stroke.
Generalized Anxiety: Worry over events and activities and possible negative outcomes. Anxiety or worry about things even when nothing is wrong.
Substance-Induced Anxiety: Anxiety or fear caused by the effects of a medication, illegal drug or alcohol.
CAUSES
If you have a history of anxiety in your family, it is likely you have a higher chance of having anxiety.
Shyness in childhood can increase your risk of developing anxiety. Stressful events like abuse in your childhood or a death in the family can increase your risk of having an anxiety disorder.
Your own illness or a loved one’s illness can increase your risk for anxiety.
Tobacco or caffeine use can increase anxiety.
~https://www.anxiety.org/what-is-anxiety
The above information should not be used to diagnose any condition without first seeing a professional like your family doctor or a therapist. If any of the above symptoms seem familiar to you, therapy may help. Please contact me via email at: