Anxiety is a feeling of unease. Anxiety is only considered to be a mental health problem when it is prolonged, severe and is interfering with everyday activities. Fortunately, most anxiety disorders are highly treatable with psychotherapy, drugs, or a combination of both. There are at least nine identified types of anxiety disorders, include generalized anxiety disorder, social anxiety, obsessive compulsive disorder, panic disorder, post traumatic stress disorder, specific phobia, separation anxiety, school avoidance, and agoraphobia. Anxiety disorders in children can range from a simple adjustment disorder to more difficult and debilitating disorders such as panic disorder and posttraumatic stress disorder. It’s normal to feel anxious when facing something difficult or dangerous, and mild anxiety can be a positive and useful experience. Excessive anxiety is often associated with other mental health problems, such as depression. Unfortunately, many people with anxiety disorders don’t seek treatment because they do not believe they have a legitimate illness, or they fear the reaction of family and friends.

Sometimes anxiety can be associated with a physical illness, such as thyroid disorder. For this reason it’s advisable to see your GP in order to rule out a physical cause. Symptoms occur with varying frequency and intensity but may include all of those listed above as well as trembling, chest pain, nausea, and fear. You may fear you are going crazy or dying. Some people may also have a sense of being detached from reality. Anxiety can be a long-term disorder where you feel worried most of the time about things that might go wrong. Cognitive behavioral therapy is often used, as is psychotherapy and stress management techniques. Drugs used to treat anxiety include selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, tricyclic antidepressants, beta-blockers, and monoamine oxidase inhibitors. Often, a combination of therapies works best.

There are several different anxiety disorders:

• Generalized Anxiety Disorder – an anxiety disorder characterized by chronic, exaggerated worry and tension that is unfounded or much more severe than the normal anxiety most people experience. Worrying is difficult to control. Symptoms of generalized anxiety disorder include muscle tension, trembling, shortness of breath, fast heartbeat, dry mouth, dizziness, nausea, irritability, loss of sleep and not being able to concentrate.
• Panic Attacks and Panic Disorder – an anxiety disorder characterized by unexpected and repeated panic attacks along with intense anxiety between attacks and possible avoidance of situations where attacks may occur. Panic attacks last about 5 to 30 minutes. Panic attacks can lead to phobias if they aren’t treated.
• Phobias. A phobia is an extreme, unreasonable fear in response to something specific. Examples include fear of crowds, bridges, snakes, spiders, heights, open places or social embarrassment. A phobia is only considered a problem when it keeps you from living a normal life.
• Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder – an anxiety disorder characterized by recurrent, unwanted thoughts (obsessions) or rituals (compulsions), which feel uncontrollable to the sufferer.
• Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - a debilitating anxiety disorder that may develop following a terrifying event. It is characterized by persistent frightening thoughts and memories of the ordeal.
• Social Anxiety Disorder or Social Phobia – an anxiety disorder characterized by a persistent, intense, and chronic fear of being watched and judged by others and of being embarrassed or humiliated by one’s actions.

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