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Healthinmind/Mental Health Disorders The anxiety disorders are classified together because fearfulness is a central feature of each disorder. The fear ranges from acute in the panic disorders to chronic and diffuse in generalized anxiety. Obsessive-compulsive disorder belongs here because the person is afraid not to perform the cognitive or behavioral ritual. The origin of the fearfulness may be clear, as in post-traumatic stress disorder, or vague and generalized, as in generalized anxiety disorder. Nevertheless, their common bond unites these disorders and provides a focus for the medical and psychosocial interventions that, in combination, are often successful treatments for this spectrum of conditions. In the United States, more people are diagnosed with anxiety disorders than with any other group of disorders, including mood disorders. People with anxiety disorders often seek help for their problems and are treated for surface symptoms like heart palpitations because the underlying cause for the symptoms is not recognized by either the physician or the patient. The categories are: Acute Stress Disorder If you or someone you love has an anxiety disorder, you should consult a mental health professional (clinician, therapist). A mental health professional will conduct a thorough evaluation to first understand what is happening and then will discuss treatment options, including medications. There are many ways family members or loved ones can help individuals to deal with their disorder better. Click here to read a personal account of a complex anxiety disorder. Read a book on the subject: Visit
the Anxiety Disorders of
America home page.
Last updated 12/19/03 |
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