Anxiety Disorders

Generalized Anxiety Disorder: There is excessive worry and anxiety lasting for several months. Restlessness, fatigue, irritability, muscle tension and sleeplessness are associated with it.

Panic Disorder: Some psychiatrists describe it as an extreme form of “generalized anxiety” while others categorize it as a separate disorder. It occurs in the form of “panic attacks”, where each episode lasts usually for half an hour. Every attack is a period of intense fear and anxiety along with some of the following symptoms: heart pounding, sweating, shaking, feeling choked or breathless, nausea, dizziness and painful thoughts like fear of losing control, death, or some other dreadful possibility.

Agoraphobia: It may be defined as an irrational fear of being caught in a situation from which graceful (non-embarrassing) and speedy flight to safety would be difficult: for example, a locked bathroom, shop, public transport vehicle, a car’s backseat, etc. This fear in such a situation commonly leads to a panic attack, and to avoid it at any cost, the patient may even refuse to leave home.

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD): In this disorder, a person has recurrent and persistent thoughts called “obsessions”. In addition, repetitive behavior (actions like repeatedly washing hands, checking on things, etc.), which are called “compulsions”, may also be present. The patient perceives these problems as being abnormal, and attempts are made to ignore or suppress them. Refraining from a compulsive act also leads to anxiety. Many people have mild forms of OCD, but for others, the symptoms are distressing enough that they seek treatment.

Other anxiety disorders are “social phobia” and “specific phobia”. Anxiety disorders, in general, are treated with psychotherapy, behavior therapy, and/or medications.