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High Anxiety?
by Amy Thomas, 03.07.03
More than 19 million people are affected by anxiety disorders each year. |
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Every day, Preeti wakes up with a sense of dread. She feels nervous about EVERYTHING — from what to wear, to how she's going to make conversation at lunch, to not being able to fall asleep at night. Last week she was so worried she was getting sick, she actually made herself exhausted and sick to her stomach. She thought these feelings might go away, but last night, as she willed herself to sleep, she started to feel chest pains, her heart was racing, and she felt like she couldn't breathe.
A Common Condition
While lots of people experience feelings of anxiety before an important event, like a big exam, a school presentation, or a first date, people who have experiences similar to Preeti's are usually experiencing symptoms of an anxiety disorder. Anxiety disorders are illnesses that cause people to feel scared, distressed, and uneasy for no apparent reason. It's important to understand anxiety disorders and recognize the symptoms because if left untreated, an anxiety disorder can tremendously affect a person's quality of life.
Believe it or not, anxiety disorders are the most common mental illness in America — more than 19 million people are affected by anxiety disorders each year!
There are many different kinds of anxiety disorders, including
- panic disorder
- obsessive-compulsive disorder, which involves anxious thoughts or rituals you feel you can't control
- post-traumatic stress disorder
- social phobia (or social anxiety disorder)
- specific phobias, such as fear of being in closed in spaces
- generalized anxiety disorder
While these anxiety disorders have different symptoms, they all produce a sense of excessive, irrational fear, and dread.
Getting Treatment
Before a person can be treated for an anxiety disorder, a trained clinician, such as a psychiatrist, psychologist, clinical social worker, or psychiatric nurse, must conduct a careful evaluation to determine whether the symptoms are due to an anxiety disorder and if so, which anxiety disorder. Also, other factors, like drug or alcohol abuse, must be identified because they often contribute to the disorder.
Preeti decided to turn to her guidance counselor for help. Her counselor made her an appointment with the school psychiatrist. The psychiatrist diagnosed Preeti with generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) and panic disorder. The psychiatrist explained that anxiety disorders are highly treatable.
In general, two types of treatment are available for an anxiety disorder. Preeti can choose to talk to a psychotherapist to examine her feelings and learn to separate realistic from unrealistic thoughts. She can also choose to take medication. Many people choose to use both methods of treatment.
Since Preeti isn't yet 18, she'll need to consult with her parents and her therapist about which treatment would be best for her. Anti-depressants or anxiolytics (anti-anxiety medications) are used to treat severe symptoms so that the patient feels OK enough to go through other forms of therapy. Medication is effective for many people and can be either a short-term or long-term treatment option, depending on the person. The choice of medication or therapy, or both, depends on the patient's and the health care provider's preference, and also on the particular anxiety disorder.
Dr. David Carbonell, a clinical psychologist who specializes in anxiety disorders, suggests that in addition to various medications, teens should go through a type of therapy that "helps them find a different way of thinking about and responding to their anxiety so that they are able to gradually lessen the effect it has on them."
Needless to say, anxiety isn't something you should try diagnosing yourself. If you think your fear of certain situations is disrupting your daily life, talk to an adult you trust — like your parents, a guidance counselor, or teacher. Ultimately, you should speak with a health care provider who is familiar with anxiety disorders and can diagnose whether you have one and, more importantly, prescribe the best treatment if you do. |
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