The Neurotransmitters Involved In Anxiety Disorder

Anxiety disorder is one of the most common mental disorders in the United States. There are different types of this disorder such as obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), generalized anxiety disorder(GAD), and post traumatic stress disorder(PTSD). There are several causes for an anxiety disorder. Mostly, it is due to abnormal levels of certain chemicals, which are known as neurotransmitters, in the brain.

The brain continuously secretes neurotransmitters to balance mood levels and keep them stable. When mood levels are not stable, a person faces mood problems, such as anxiety, stress and depression. Anxiety is also often seen as a sign of depression. Most of these mood disorders can be treated with help of various medications. However, it is important to consult a doctor before taking any medications.

Serotonin is one of the chemicals that plays an important role in maintaining stress levels. A decreased level of serotonin as well as reduced activity of this neurotransmitter can result in anxiety, according to the US Surgeon General. If the anxiety disorder is due to low serotonin levels, it can be treated with the help of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). In fact, these medications are better treatment options for people suffering from OCD and PTSD.

Gamma amino butyric acid, or GABA, is a neurotransmitter that has a calming effect on people. Like serotonin a deficiency in this neurotransmitter can cause anxiety disorders. To treat lowered levels of GABA, benzodiazepines are frequently prescribed. These medications bind with the GABA receptors and boost the inhibitory response of the neurotransmitter. As a result the person gets quick relief from anxiety. However, these medications are not meant for long-term use, as they can be addictive.

Norepinephrine is another neurotransmitter that can cause anxiety disorders, if not found in right levels. This neurotransmitter is also known as nonadrenaline. It excites a person and prepares him/her for the flight-or-fight response. When the body perceives a stressful situation, this neurotransmitter is released by the adrenaline gland. However, if the person is under chronic stress, norepinephrine is constantly produced by the adrenal glands and the body is always in the state of flight-or-fight response. As the result, the person is always stressed out and jumpy. This type of anxiety disorder can be treated with the help of SNRIs or serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors. These drugs are approved by the US FDA for treating depression, but they can also be used for anxiety disorders, according to Mayo Clinic. Some of the side effects of these drugs include dryness of the mouth, tremors, nausea and insomnia.

Corticotrophin releasing hormone (CRH) plays a very important role in managing stress disorders, according to the Surgeon General of the United States. CRH is released in increased quantities in the case of anxiety disorder. An article published in 2008 in the European Journal of Pharmacology states that drugs that target CRH receptors in the cells could hold the key to effective treatment of depression as well as other anxiety disorders.

Anxiety Disorders and the Media

One of the most powerful sources of information in society today is the media. The media not only reflects society but also drives it. It guides and shapes every single one of us in believing what is right, good and successful. Media-driven ideals regarding success are worshiped: we aspire to the examples of successful living they create. If we cannot achieve similar success we are deemed a failure and, even worse, made to feel a failure.

Hand-in-hand with success and failure comes criticism. Today's society is also one of criticism. We love to criticize; to build people up then knock them down. Perhaps the negative feelings we all felt when criticized as a child find expression later in life by such means.

The media is extremely powerful; TV sits there in the corner of the room, day in and day out, bombarding us with messages, many of which are negative. (An interesting aside: many psychotic problems involve 'hearing strange voices' - well we all hear strange voices everyday, they travel through the air as radio waves and come out of small electronic boxes in our homes). Bad role models abound (their 'badness' often celebrated), ratings of the more base TV shows soar and sex and violence rules - perhaps reflecting the true human instincts rebelling against society's constraints?

Culturally defined ideals are often shaped by the media and one of the most insidious, negative influences in our lives comes from advertising. Here, human nature is often prayed upon: we are deliberately made to feel inadequate and that nothing we have is quite good enough. But we can feel better, indeed we can be perfect and have perfect lives, just like those attractive people we see in the adverts - if only we buy the product!

The effect of advertising can lead to every single one of us feeling constricted and pressurized by an invisible force constantly driving us to have more in order to be better, in order to feel better.

One of the most disastrous effects of media on people's lives (particularly women's lives) is the preoccupation with body image.

Society is now obsessed with body image. Most adverts play on our deep instincts relating to attraction and procreation. We all have instinctual concepts of beauty (even infants) for it is seen as an indicator of health and good genes and advertisers use this for profit. Combining winning and losing and possessing with attractiveness and beauty, the media and society forge a strong bond between body image and success in our minds. One study in 1999, by Anne Becker (an Anthropologist at Harvard Medical School) reported a five-fold increase in the symptoms associated with eating disorders among Fijian girls (normally robust and happy about it) since the arrival of TV to Fiji in 1995. In Western society today, 80% of women are unhappy with their bodies and girls of nine and ten are going on diets.

If we don't conform to these society-and-media-imposed standards of attractiveness, age and weight we feel different and are treated differently and may feel 'not good enough' - our inner feelings enhanced by manufactured images and ideals. And how we feel about ourselves, deep down, flows through all anxiety disorders and depression.

Anxiety Disorders in Children

It is perhaps surprising and somewhat disturbing to discover that children can suffer a range of anxiety disorders like adults. We normally think of childhood as being a carefree time, the one time in a child's life when they don't have the concerns of earning a living or taking on the responsibilities of property ownership.

If we think about it a little more however, we may come to realise that a child growing up has to meet and overcome a number of challenges before he or she even gets to school leaving age. A young child has to come to terms with being separated from its mother, it has to learn about potty training, and how to interact socially with other children, within the first few years of life.

Once primary school age is reached there begins the challenge of education and the need to pass exams, to achieve at sport perhaps and to be popular amongst peers. A certain amount of anxiety along the way is normal. We can expect a child to worry even at a fairly early age if they have an exam coming up or are to perform in the school play. An anxiety disorder is said to occur when a child is worrying beyond the norm and hence shows some signs of distress or fails to function in a normal manner.

Children can exhibit a range of symptoms associated with excessive anxiety, such as inability to sleep or eat properly, bed wetting, irritability, lack of concentration, headaches, stomach pains or nausea, or just an unwillingness to go to school. These are all symptoms that something is wrong in the child's life and it is not always easy to know exactly what the cause is.

In an attempt to help and treat anxiety in children it is classified into several different types: Generalised anxiety disorder, panic disorder, separation disorder, social disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder. Sometimes there may be an overlap, as for example when a child suffers general anxiety plus panic attacks, or general anxiety with a particular fear of social activity.

Generalised Anxiety

This is similar to that which an adult might experience in that the child worries excessively across the board and is depressed often and irritable. A child with excessive anxiety may not sleep well or perform well at school which unfortunately tends to exacerbate the problem. There might be one specific reason such as being bullied at school, but if none can be found the help of a professional is advised.

Panic Disorder

This is characterised by repeated short bursts of intense anxiety and fear. The attacks usually only last a few minutes or up to half an hour but can occur quite frequently and are very distressing. The feelings of fear are so strong that they cause actual physical symptoms such as a pounding heart, shortness of breath or vomiting. Sometimes children can overcome these themselves with careful parental support but sometimes they can lead to withdrawal and not wanting to go out much. If this happens or your child is depressed over a period of time, you should see your doctor.

Separation disorder

Separation from its mother can be slightly traumatic for a child the first time but usually if its only for a short time they cope well and soon get used to it.. However when a child goes to school and is away from mum all day, he or she may exhibit signs of undue anxiety. This may result in a clinging behaviour, stomach or headaches, or nightmares. With continued reassurance and support the child may well in time, overcome these fears.

Social Disorder

Social disorder usually becomes apparent during the teens when most youngsters are keen to mix with their peers. A teenager with a social phobia will shun these activities and be generally unwilling or too embarrassed to join in. Social phobia need not necessarily interfere with school work but does undermine the normal building up of social skills.

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)

A child with OCD tends to have obsessive thoughts which they can't get out of its head. In an attempt to distract from these, often unpleasant thoughts, a child will set itself the task of performing a ritual in connection with some normal activity, where every step has to done in a certain order or certain way. Often this means that an excessive amount of time is spent on normal routines which wastes time and makes the child preoccupied with trivial things.

Post-traumatic stress disorder

A traumatic event can be especially damaging for a child and cause an emotional upset that can last a long time and be difficult to overcome. The symptoms are those of a generalised anxiety, with sometimes nightmares, sleep problems, loss of appetite and a constant anxious state of mind. Professional help may well be necessary to help a child overcome these anxieties.

Anxiety - A Disabling Disorder

Anxiety is a reaction to any stress. It helps one deal with a tense situation in the office, or having harder study for an exam. Generally, it helps one cope but when anxiety becomes an excessive, irrational dread of everyday situations, it has become a disabling disorder.

Anxiety Disorders affect about 40 million American and mainly adults age 18 years and older in a given year. It also causes them to be filled with fearfulness and uncertainty. Unlike the relatively mild, brief anxiety caused by a stressful event and this can be anything such as speaking in public or a first date, anxiety disorders last at least 6 months. This may be reached to worse condition if they are not treated.

Causes: Many studies suggest there is a relation between anxiety disorder and difficulty in maintaining balance. There is a possible mechanism, which is malfunction in the parabrachial nucleus, which is a structure in the brain among other functions; it also coordinates signals from the amygdale with input concerning balance. The amygdale is involved in the emotion of fear. Some times in some cases, biochemical factors come into play major role in causing disorder.

Symptoms: Anxiety disorders commonly occur along with other mental or physical illnesses, including alcohol or substance abuse, which may mask anxiety symptoms or make them worse. In some cases, these other illnesses need to be treated before a person will respond to treatment for the anxiety disorder. Effective therapies for anxiety disorders are available, and research is uncovering new treatments that can help most people with anxiety disorders lead productive, fulfilling lives.

Treatment: Anxiety is the most common and most treatable mental disorders. Effective treatments include cognitive behavioral therapy, relaxation techniques, and biofeedback to control muscle tension are used to treat this problem. Medication, most commonly anti-anxiety drugs, such as benzodiazepine and its derivatives, also may be required in some cases. Some commonly prescribed anti-anxiety medications are diazepam, alprazolam, and lorazepam. The non-benzodiazepine anti-anxiety medication buspirone can be helpful for some individuals.

Anxiety Disorders in Children

For most children, fear and anxiety is a part of the natural process of growing up, but if these conditions develop into patterns, they can lead to anxiety disorders in children that can be debilitating and can also cause a fair amount of other emotional problems that inhibit their ability to enjoy life. Some anxiety disorders in children begin as small anxieties such as starting school or having to take a test. In most cases, these small fears or concerns pass as quickly as they arrive and don't develop into anxiety disorders in children, but for some, they become a form of panic disorder.

As adults, we tend to want to protect our children and help preserve their innocence, but this isn't always possible. Anxiety disorders in children can often be very similar to those experienced by adults and can be as debilitating. Children may obsess over certain everyday occurrences at school or at home, and one common characteristic is that they tend to be perfectionists and very hard on themselves. They may actually continue to work on something until they deem it is perfect and if they can't achieve their envisioned level of perfection, become irrationally upset and frustrated by their efforts.

Anxiety disorders in children can manifest as obsessive-compulsive disorders or panic disorders. A panic disorder in children is usually indicated by two panic attacks that were not expected followed by constant fear of having another one that lasts for at least one month. In most cases, young children don't exhibit this panic disorder but adolescents are more likely to develop symptoms.

OCD, or obsessive-compulsive disorder, is an anxiety disorder that entails intrusive thoughts or obsessions about certain behaviors or events that can't seem to be eliminated from the person's mind. They may develop repetitive behaviors, such as repeated washing of their hands or opening and closing a door they walk through several times. There are numerous behaviors that develop from OCD and should not be limited to these examples. Usually, children younger than ten are not diagnosed with OCD, but it has been known to be diagnosed in children as young as two or three. OCD can also manifest itself as a sense of terror a child feels if they do something wrong.

Anxiety disorders in children can also come across through phobias, which are irrational fears about certain situations, locations or objects. Most children will have fears throughout their youth, but it is the persistent fear, even when the situation is not present, that can lead to anxiety disorders in children.

Children sometimes must endure the loss of a parent, a natural disaster, an assault, an abuse, or other traumatic event and this can lead to post traumatic stress disorders, which is another kind of anxiety disorder. Children who suffer from PTSD may not eat well, have trouble sleeping, suffer nightmares that persist, or worry about the same thing happening again.

Anxiety disorders experienced most commonly in children can also be seen in adults, but the physical and emotional symptoms can be quite different. Children often do not understand or realize that their fears are irrational and they may not have the ability to express their emotions effectively. Children with anxiety disorders may exhibit tantrums, clinginess, or cry excessively and should be seen by professional medical personnel.

Panic Attacks Information - Panic's Role in Anxiety Disorders

Humans experience anxiety as a natural part of life. The world is a busy place with activities occurring all around us. Since most of us do not live in a bubble, we frequently come across circumstances that may not be comfortable. These situations may seem large or small, depending upon the viewpoint of the participant. That viewpoint determines whether or not the situation will precipitate a panic attack.

Choosing a dress for an important date may seem minor to most people, but to someone who suffers from an anxiety disorder, this decision may occupy their waking thoughts for days or weeks prior to the event and cause great anxiety. When the feelings of excessive worrying, abnormal fear, or continually feeling out of control in life continue to the point a person's ability to live a normal life is affected, this is called an anxiety disorder. There are several types of these disorders, each with their own set of symptoms, causes, and treatments. The most common ones include:

• Specific Phobias


• Panic Disorder


• Social Anxiety Disorder


• Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD)


• Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)


• Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)

One of the ties that binds all of these disorders together is that sufferers may endure some minor form of panic attacks as part of their condition. The sets of attack symptoms are not always the same between the different categories, but there are a lot of similarities, such as dizziness, difficulty breathing and a racing heartbeat.

How do you know what kind of anxiety disorder you have? Psychologists, psychiatrists, and medical doctors have spent decades of time and millions of dollars discovering the best ways to classify mental illnesses. Does it really matter if you know which anxiety disorder you suffer from? Once you identify the problem, treating it becomes much easier. This is why it is important to consult with a health care professional who is trained to recognize and treat symptoms of anxiety and panic attacks. Why prolong your healing if it is not necessary?

The 5 Types of Anxiety Disorders

Overview of Anxiety Disorders

Today, many people face acute anxiety. And, with this said, many people have found significant relief and have even been cured of their anxiety. So, in all cases, there is hope.

This article provides an overview of the 5 different types of anxiety disorders. If you believe you are suffering from anxiety, maybe you will be able to identify which type of anxiety you may be suffering from (this article is in no way a substitute for professional care.)

In the realm of human emotional and physical conditions, there are various problems which are harmful to our well-being. Anxiety is one such condition.

The problem of anxiety is often related to the issue of fear control. In general, our ingrained flight or fight response gets put into high gear, and no longer functions properly. The result is anxiety.

Types of Anxiety Disorders

Generally, there are 5 types of anxiety disorders which are based on psychical and emotional symptoms. Each type of anxiety have their respective characteristic which often need different forms of treatments.

1. One of the common type of anxiety disorder is generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) which is the most common type. It is characterized by long-lasting anxiety leading to continuous stress, worry and chronic depression.

2. Phobias are another type of anxiety. Here a specific situation is likely to cause fear. For example, the fear of enclosed spaces in called claustrophobia.

3. Another type of anxiety disorder is Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). It is largely associated with an individual experiencing a certain traumatic event, such as a life threatening situation. The aftermath of the event can bring upon flashbacks, as well as avoidance of any stimuli which reminds an individual of the event.

4. Panic attacks are another form of anxiety. Panic attacks are largely characterized by sudden panic and feelings of dread. Often, an individuals feels as though the may be experiencing a heart attack. Trembling, shaking, sweating and feeling as though one is going crazy are all possible symptoms of a panic attack.

5. Finally, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is also considered an anxiety disorder. The major symptoms of OCD include an individual experiencing intrusive and unwanted thoughts, sometimes of a sexual or aggressive nature. In order to try and avoid, or negate such thoughts (either consciously or unconsciously) a person then begins to engage in rituals (compulsions) which are repeated behaviors such, as is a common example, of washing one's hands over and over again.

The above explanations are broad strokes which outline the types of anxiety disorders. To learn more, I recommend you visit some government website's like the National Institute for Mental Health, which provides extensive free and highly reliable information. The American Psychological Association in another good source of information.