Anxiety Disorders

Generalized Anxiety Disorder

Generalized Anxiety Disorder is characterized by excessive, uncontrollable, and persistent worry about a variety of everyday events such as job, finances, or health. Excessive worry may also include more minor matters such as deadlines for appointments, keeping the house clean, and whether or not the workspace is properly organized. Often times, persistent worry includes physical symptoms such as fatigue, restlessness, muscle tension, insomnia, and/or problems with concentration.

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder consists of both obsessions (recurring thoughts that cause anxiety or discomfort) and compulsions “rituals” (repetitive behaviors or mental acts to reduce or avoid anxiety or discomfort). Typical obsessions include fears of being contaminated by germs, fear of causing harm, or excessive worry that something will go wrong if the compulsion is not performed. Common compulsions include excessive washing or cleaning, “checking”, counting, or insisting that things be put in a certain order.

Separation Anxiety Disorder

Separation Anxiety Disorder is a psychological condition in which an individual has excessive anxiety regarding separation from home or from people to whom the individual has a strong emotional attachment (like a mother). Separation anxiety is often characterized by some of the following symptoms: Persistent, excessive worrying about losing the subject of attachment, Persistent, excessive worrying that some event will lead to separation from a major attachment, Excessive fear about being alone without subject of attachment, Persistent reluctance or refusal to go to sleep without being near a major attachment figure (like a mother), Recurrent nightmares about separation.

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, PTSD, is an anxiety disorder that can develop after exposure to a terrifying event such as physical and sexual assaults, abuse, natural or human-caused disasters, accidents, military combat, and many other serious events. People who have PTSD may feel stressed or frightened even when they’re no longer in danger. People with PTSD may have persistent flashbacks, bad dreams, frightening thoughts of the traumatic event. They may avoid places, events, or objects that are reminders of the experience. They may experience sleep problems, feel detached or numb, be easily startled, tense or “on edge”, feelings of strong guilt, depression, and worry.

Panic Disorders

Panic Disorder is described as intense episodes of extreme anxiety, known as panic attacks. Panic attacks consists of frightening set of physical symptoms, such as racing heart, shortness of breath, feelings of choking, chest pain, fear of dying, and feelings of detachment. Panic attacks have a sudden onset and may be triggered by an especially stressful situation, or it may occur for no particular reason. The panic attack usually last for several minutes, but seldom last more than 30 minutes.

Social Anxiety Disorder

Social Anxiety Disorder is the overwhelming fear of one or more social situations in which persons typically worry about being evaluated by others. As a result, persons tend to avoid the social situations that cause anxiety or discomfort. Common situations of Social Anxiety include public speaking, public performance, social gatherings, meeting new people, eating in public, and using public restrooms.

Specific Phobias

Specific Phobias are unreasonable or irrational fears related to specific objects or situations such as flying, heights, animals, insects, or receiving an injection. The fear or anxiety may be triggered both by the presence or the anticipation of the specific object or situation. As a result, persons tend to avoid direct contact with the objects or situations.

Agoraphobia

Agoraphobia is characterized by an abnormal fear of expecting or experiencing a difficult or embarrassing situation for which there is no escape. Such situations include public places, bridges, tunnels, buses, automobiles, airplanes or other situations in which escape is blocked or help may be difficult to obtain. Panic attacks are common in situations where persons feel trapped, insecure, out of control, or too far from his personal comfort zone. A person may avoid these situations (resulting in being confined to their home), endure them with great discomfort, or need the help of a companion to enter them.

Trichotillomania (Hair Pulling)

Trichotillomania is the compulsive urge to pull out scalp hair, eyelashes, beard hair, nose hair, pubic hair, eyebrows, or other body hair. The compulsive hair pulling often results in bald spots on the head, eyelashes, or brows. Low self-esteem and the fear of socializing are sometimes a result of the altered appearance.

Dermatillomania (Skin Picking)

Dermatillomania is described by the compulsive urge to pick at one's own skin. Damage is often caused to the face, back, and scalp. Low self-esteem and the fear of socializing are sometimes a result of the altered appearance.