Anxiety and Panic Attack Disorder

In today's society anxiety disorders are more understood and effectively diagnosed and treated than at any other time in human history. These disorders are debilitating and can lead to other illnesses such as substance abuse, depression, and another mental illness called agoraphobia. Treatments are effective and have cured many anxiety disorder sufferers.

Anxiety disorders are America's most common mental illness. Unlike in past centuries, it is now more socially understood. Sufferers should seek out help. It is fear induced and can put the sufferer in serious mental and physical trauma.

For many, panic attacks are the most frightening thing they have ever experienced. It is usually sudden and provoked by an unreal or imagined threat. Some symptoms are chest tightening, hyperventilation, fast pulse, intense fear or the feeling that something bad is about to happen. Many feel they are having a heart attack and about to die. Symptoms usually last 10 minuets sometimes more. It becomes a disorder when this happens multiple times and not just once or twice in a lifetime.

Other disorders are associated with panic attacks. Generalized anxiety disorder(GAD) is usually a pre-requisite to suffering panic attacks. If the issue persists, agoraphobia can become and issue. Interpreted as a "fear of the market place" the individual avoids situations or places were panic attacks make them feel embarrassed or trapped. This is usually in open places and in public. Agoraphobia can happen without first having panic attacks. Social anxiety and obsessive compulsive disorder have similar symptoms to agoraphobia.

If someone has excessive worry about multiple things for at least six months, than they may have GAD. In ancient times anxiety was thought to be just nerves and stress and was only a women issue. Today it is common knowledge that GAD is more than just nerves and stress and that it can happen to both men and women. Women do have a higher chance of being diagnosed with anxiety than men.

The exact cause of anxiety disorders are not well defined. It could be related to generic inheritance. If a persons family has a history of anxiety disorders than they are more likely to have it themselves. Anxiety disorders occur most often in adolescence but can happen at any age. Substance, physical and mental abuse may also be a cause. Traumatic situations may also cause anxiety. Anxiety stems from fear so anything associated with fear may be a trigger for an anxiety disorder. In the 19th and 20th century laxatives were prescribed as anxiety medication because it was thought that it was caused by toxins in the bowels.

Treatments are out there. There is medication that is best prescribed by a medical doctor and then there is therapy. There is professional therapy that can be prescribed by a doctor or there is self help therapy from people like Charles Linden, Joe Berry, and John Mercer. Anxiety can be cured. Sufferers can put get the help they need and put their anxiety behind them.