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INFOBITS
40 million American adults age 18 years and older in a given year are affected by anxiety disorders.1
6.8 million American adults age 18 years and older are affected by general anxiety disorder (GAD)2 and approximately twice as many women as men.3 Onset is gradual and can start anytime across the life cycle, but risk is highest between childhood and middle.4
6 million American adults age 18 years and older are affected by panic disorder5 and is twice as common in women as men.6
2.2 million American adults age 18 years and older are affected by obsessive compulsive disorder7 and is about equally common in men and women.8 Onset is usually in childhood, adolescence, or early adulthood.9
15 million American adults age 18 years and older are affected by social anxiety disorder or social phobia.10 and is about equally common in men and women.11 Onset is usually in childhood, or early adolescence.12
7.7 million American adults age 18 years and older are affected by post-traumatic stress disorder13 and women are more likely to develop PTSD than men.14 PTSD can occur at any age. |
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Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
Having persistent, intrusive, upsetting, irrational thoughts (obsessions) and using repetitive rituals (compulsions) to control or temporarily alleviate the anxiety produced by these obsessions.
Common obsessions are on germs or dirt which could lead to the compulsion of repetitive hand washing. Another is an obsession with intruders which could lead to the compulsion of locking and relocking door locks many times before going to bed. Another is having difficulty throwing things out which leads to hoarding or accumulating unneeded items.
Healthy individuals may have daily routines but the difference from those affected by OCD is that these rituals impede with daily living and the repetition is distressing. Awareness of the repetitive behavior varies from one person to the next.
In many cases, this disorder impairs the social, occupational, and personal functioning of the individual.
"Getting dressed in the morning was tough, because I had a routine, and if I didn't follow the routine, I'd get anxious and would have to get dressed again. I always worried that if I didn't do something, my parents were going to die. I'd have these terrible thoughts of harming my parents. That was completely irrational, but the thoughts triggered more anxiety and more senseless behavior. Because of the time I spent on rituals, I was unable to do a lot of things that were important to me."
“On my way to work, I would start thinking that maybe, I didn’t turn off my oven. Part of me knew that I already checked it several times before leaving the house. But I just couldn’t help going back to see if the oven dial is on ‘Off.’ My boss already spoke to me about being late to work but I just couldn’t help going back. I knew my rituals didn’t make sense and I’m embarrassed about them. I didn’t think I could overcome them until I began therapy.”
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The most important thing to keep in mind is that you are not alone.
Getting treatment for mental health issues is a team effort. In most cases, anxiety disorders can be successfully treated with medication and certain kinds of psychotherapy. By working with your doctor and / or therapist, you can take control to find the approach that is the most appropriate for your needs. There are many avenues for treatment so if one does not work, you can try other methods. So do not lose hope.
Get help today, for tomorrow enjoy better living and brighter horizons.
Taking Medications
Here are a few things to remember if you are taking medications for your anxiety.
• If you are just starting to take medication, remember that they usually take effect 4 to 8 weeks to become fully effective. So be patient and don’t be discouraged.
• Work with your doctor for the right dosage and medication for your anxiety. If one medication does not work, you can try others. Don’t give up and continue to work with your doctor.
• Ask your doctor what the side effects are of the medication you are taking.
• There are medications that need to be tapered off so do not stop taking your medication abruptly. Ask your doctor how and when you will stop taking your medication.
Medications need to be taken regularly for the anxiety symptoms to be managed.
Although medications will not cure anxiety, they will help you manage the symptoms so you can lead a normal and productive life. Studies have shown that both medications and psychotherapy can successfully treat anxiety disorder. |
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