Common Anxiety Disorders and Their Causes

Anxiety Disorder

Anxiety disorders, which are characterized by persistent feelings of threat and worry, are the number one mental health problem in the United States, affecting more than 21 percent of all adults’ ages 18 to 64.57 Among U.S undergraduates, 13.2 percent report being diagnosed with or treated for anxiety in the past year.

To be diagnosed with a generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), one must exhibit at least three of the following symptoms for more days than not during a 6-month period: restlessness or feeling on edge, being easily fatigued, difficulty concentrating or mind going blank, irritability, muscle tension, or sleep disturbances. GAD often runs in families and is readily treatable.

Panic Disorders

Panic disorders are characterized by panic attacks, acute anxiety bringing on an intense physical reaction.

Approximately 3 million Americans 18 and older experience panic attacks, usually in early adulthood. Although highly treatable, panic attacks can become debilitating, particularly if they happen often and lead sufferers to avoid interacting with others.

An attack typically starts abruptly, lasts about 30 minutes, and leaves the person tired and drained. Symptoms include increased respiration, chills, hot flashes, and shortness of breath, stomach cramps, chest pain, difficulty swallowing, and a sense of doom or impending death.

Although researchers aren’t sure what causes panic attacks, heredity, stress, and certain biochemical factors may play a role. Some researchers believe that sufferers are experiencing an over-reactive fight-or-flight response.

Phobic Disorder

Phobias, or phobic disorders, involve persistent and irrational fear of a specific object, activity, or situation, often out of proportion to circumstances.

About 10 percent of American adults suffer from phobias such as fear of spiders, snakes, or public speaking.

Another 8 percent suffer from social phobia, or social anxiety disorder, characterized by persistent avoidance of social situations for fear of being humiliated, embarrassed, or even looked at.

Some social phobias cause difficulty only in specific situations, such as speaking in front of a class. In extreme cases, sufferers avoid all contact with others.

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder

People compelled to perform rituals over and over again; who are fearful of dirt or contamination; who have an unnatural concern about order and exactness; or who have persistent intrusive thoughts that they can’t shake may suffer from obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).

Approximately 1 percent of Americans 18 and over have OCD. Sufferers often see their behaviors as irrational, yet feel powerless to stop them. For a person to be diagnosed with OCD, the obsessions must consume more than 1 hour per day and interfere with normal life.

The exact cause is unknown; genetics, biological abnormalities, learned behaviors, and environmental factors have been considered. Onset is usually in adolescence or early adulthood; median age of onset is 19.

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

People who have experienced or witnessed a natural disaster, violent assault, combat, or other traumatic event may develop post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

PTSD is not rooted in weakness or an inability to cope; traumatic events can actually cause chemical changes in the brain that lead to PTSD. About 4 percent of Americans suffer from PTSD each year, and 8 percent will experience PTSD in their lifetimes. Fourteen percent of U.S. combat veterans who fought in Iraq and Afghanistan have experienced PTSD.

Symptoms of PTSD include the following:

■ Dissociation, or perceived detachment of the mind from the emotional state or even the body

■ Intrusive recollections of the traumatic event — flashbacks, nightmares, or recurrent thoughts

■ Acute anxiety or nervousness, in which the person is hyper-aroused, may cry easily, or experience mood swings

■ Insomnia and difficulty concentrating

■ Intense physiological reactions, such as shaking or nausea, when reminded of the traumatic event

Although these are common initial responses to traumatic events, PTSD may be diagnosed if a person experiences them for at least 1 month following the event. In some cases, symptoms may not appear until months or years later.

Anxiety disorders vary in complexity and degree, and scientists have yet to find clear reasons why one person develops them and another doesn’t. The following are cited as possible causes:

Biology. Positron-emission tomography (PET) scans can identify areas of the brain that react during anxiety-producing events. We may inherit tendencies toward anxiety disorders.

Environment. Although genetic tendencies may exist, experiencing a repeated pattern of reaction to certain situations programs the brain to respond in a certain way. For example, if your sibling screamed whenever a large spider crept into view, you might be predisposed to react with anxiety to spiders later in life.

Social and cultural roles. Because men and women are taught to assume different roles in society, women may find it more acceptable to express extreme anxiety. Men, in contrast, may have learned to repress such anxieties rather than act on them.