Anxiety disorders

It’s a normal part of life to experience the feeling of being anxious every once in a while. Many people feel anxious about things like health, relationships and money. However, not everyone who experiences anxiety has an anxiety disorder. Having an anxiety disorder is much more than temporary fear or worry. Anxiety disorders don’t just go away and can get worse over time, lasting several months or years. Many people with anxiety disorders experience crippling symptoms that can negatively impact relationships and make accomplishing everyday tasks and responsibilities difficult. What you should know is that anxiety disorders are very common. In fact, they affect nearly 30% of the adult population at least once in their lifetime, making it the most common type of mental health disorder.

Anxiety disorder types

Not every anxiety disorder is the same. There are several different types characterized by varying feelings, symptoms and triggers.

Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD)

GAD is the most common type of anxiety disorder, affecting almost 4 million U.S. adults yearly. It involves a persistent feeling of anxiety and worry, often with little to no reason why. It is common for GAD to begin in adolescence, though adults can develop it as well. Like any anxiety disorder, feelings caused by generalized anxiety disorder can interfere with everyday tasks and negatively impact someone’s overall quality of life.

You may experience the following symptoms with GAD:

• Persistent worry or fear with little to no reason
• Having a hard time relaxing or concentrating
• Feeling irritable or on-edge
• Difficulty letting go of anxious feelings
• Difficulty in making decisions
• Feeling tired and fatigued
• Having a hard time falling or staying asleep

Panic disorder

Extreme fear or terror that seems to come out of nowhere is common in people with panic disorder. These feelings, also known as panic attacks, are crippling and typically come on suddenly with little to no warning. However, not everyone who has experienced a panic attack has panic disorder. It is common for people with panic disorder to have repeated regular panic attacks characterized by feelings of impending doom, chest tightness, difficulty breathing, sweating and uncontrollable trembling.

Social anxiety disorder

Of the U.S. adult population, it is estimated that just above 12% have experienced or will experience social anxiety at some point in their lifetime. People with social anxiety disorder often experience extreme discomfort, self-consciousness and worry when it comes to day-to-day social situations. These feelings are typically caused by a fear of embarrassment or judgment from others. People with social anxiety disorder may experience a fear of eating or drinking in public, meeting new people or public speaking.

Separation anxiety disorder

Separation anxiety disorder involves an intense worry or fear of being separated from someone a person is attached to. It is characterized by feelings and thoughts that something bad will happen to the person they are attached to once they are separated. It’s a common misconception that this is something only children experience, as adults can also be diagnosed with separation anxiety as well. During childhood development, children with social anxiety disorder typically display signs when being separated from parents or a parental figure.

Agoraphobia anxiety disorder

People with agoraphobia anxiety disorder experience an overwhelming fear and active avoidance of certain places or situations that may cause them to panic. They typically display fear of two or more of the following:

• Being in open spaces
• Being in closed spaces
• Using any public transportation
• Standing in line or in a crowd
• Being alone after leaving the house

Agoraphobia may cause people to fear these situations because they don’t want to feel embarrassed, helpless or trapped.

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)

OCD typically involves overwhelming impulses, repetitive behaviors and unreasonable thoughts and fears (obsessions) that can drastically affect everyday life. It is a common chronic disorder that can last for years. OCD is characterized by two main symptoms – obsessions and compulsions.

Obsessive behavior examples:

• Constant fear that you or a loved one may be harmed
• Extreme fear and cautiousness of being contaminated
• Disturbing violent, sexual or religious thoughts
• Overwhelming need to do things correctly or perfectly

Compulsive behavior examples:

• Repeatedly checking things like stoves, light switches and locks
• Repeatedly creating lists, counting, aligning or arranging things
• Holding on to or hoarding objects, having a strong emotional attachment to the objects and finding it difficult to organize or discard them
• Excessively repeating routine actions
• Unnecessary re-reading and re-writing
• Mentally repeating phrases

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)

Most people experience a variety of physical and mental reactions and changes after enduring a traumatic event. Most people recover from these changes naturally, however, those who continue to encounter problems as a result of a trauma may be diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder. PTSD is typically caused by experiencing a traumatic, shocking, scary or dangerous event. It is normal for someone to react, feel fear and defend themselves against the threat of danger. PTSD can be characterized by mental symptoms such as reliving trauma, avoiding friends and family, becoming angry and irritable and having overall negative thoughts. It can also be characterized by physical symptoms like chest pain, dizziness, headaches and stomach issues.

Anxiety disorder symptoms

Anxiety disorders can cause a variety of cognitive, emotional and physical symptoms. Although different anxiety disorders may cause different symptoms, people diagnosed with any anxiety disorder can experience any of the following symptoms:

Anxiety disorder causes and risk factors

To this day, researchers still haven’t discovered a definitive explanation for what causes anxiety disorders. What we do understand is that there are a variety of factors that can play a role in who develops an anxiety disorder.

Women are more likely to have anxiety disorders than men, as 5.2% of females and 2.8% of males in the population have reported experiencing an anxiety disorder. Other factors like serious illness, stress, depression and traumatic experiences or abuse can increase the likelihood of someone developing an anxiety disorder. Drug and alcohol abuse, genetics and family history have been linked to anxiety disorders as well. Some research suggests brain chemistry imbalances involving fear and emotion can heighten the risk.

Particular physical health conditions like thyroid issues, heart arrhythmias or diabetes can aid in the development or triggering of anxiety symptoms. Certain medications as well as caffeine have also been linked to the increase of anxiety symptoms.

Anxiety disorder diagnosis

Contact your doctor if you believe you could be experiencing any of the symptoms of an anxiety disorder. For anxiety disorder diagnosis, your doctor will begin by collecting your medical history and conducting a physical examination to rule out any physical issues that may be causing your anxiety symptoms. Although there are no lab tests that can specifically test for and diagnose anxiety disorders, certain tests such as a blood test can help determine if your anxiety could be caused by an underlying issue such as hyperthyroidism.

If your doctor diagnoses you with an anxiety disorder, they may refer you to a mental health professional. Our behavioral health specialists will work with you to determine the best treatment path to improve your symptoms and overall well-being.

Anxiety disorder treatment

Sometimes anxiety disorder symptoms can feel overwhelming and like they will never end. Advocate’s behavioral health experts are here to help you treat your anxiety symptoms so you can feel calm and in control again.

Most anxiety disorders are treated with anti-anxiety medication, therapy or both. However, there are no medications that can completely cure anxiety. They can significantly reduce symptoms and help you get back to your everyday activities and responsibilities. Other treatments that may help reduce anxiety symptoms include relaxation techniques such as meditation, deep breathing exercises, yoga and light exercise.

Psychotherapy

Also known as “talk therapy” or counseling, psychotherapy is commonly recommended for those diagnosed with an anxiety disorder. It is a customizable treatment and has been found to significantly help people with anxiety.

Cognitive behavioral therapy

Cognitive behavioral therapy is a type of psychotherapy where the patient is taught and practices new ways of thinking, behaving and reacting to their anxiety triggers in order to reduce their anxiety symptoms.

Exposure therapy

Exposure therapy is a type of psychotherapy method that works by exposing the patient to the source of their anxiety. It utilizes a confrontation strategy that can at first be difficult for the patient. The goal of exposure therapy is to overcome the fear and discomfort of the source of anxiety so they no longer have to avoid it.

Anxiety disorder services

Advocate Health Care has an experienced team of doctors and counselors that want to help you find the best way to manage and reduce your anxiety so you can get back to living well. We offer adult behavioral health services as well as an intensive outpatient program at the Adult Day Hospital located at Advocate Lutheran General Hospital.

If you think you may have an anxiety disorder, contact us at (847) 723-5896 to schedule a consultation.

Locations

Advocate Health Care operates behavioral health centers across the state. Use our online search tools to find a behavioral health location.