Anxiety disorder

Anxiety disorder is a blanket term covering several different forms of fear, phobia and nervous condition, that come on suddenly and prevent pursuing normal daily routines including:

• General anxiety disorder
• Social anxiety, sometimes known as "social phobia" or "social anxiety disorder" (SAD)
• Specific phobias
• Obsessive-compulsive disorder
• Agoraphobia
• Claustrophobia
• Panic disorder
• Separation anxiety disorder
• Post-traumatic stress disorder

See also anxiety for more information.

Treatment

Anxiety disorders are often debilitating chronic conditions, which can be present from an early age or begin suddenly after a triggering event. They are prone to flare up at times of high stress.

Pharmaceutical companies have created a number of drugs to combat these disorders. These include antidepressants SSRI's (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors), TCA's (tricyclic antidepressants), MAOI's (monoamine oxidase inhibitors), which act on neurotransmitters such as serotonin; and traquilizers BZD's (benzodiazepines), which act on the central nervous system.

Many of these disorders can also be treated with the aid of a good counselor and behavioural therapies such as cognitive therapy.

External Links

• Anxiety Disorders: Types, Symptoms and Treatment