Anxiety

Anxiety is a normal reaction to stress. It helps one deal with stressful situations, study harder, or keep focused. In general, it helps one cope. But when anxiety becomes an excessive, irrational fear of everyday situations, it can become a disabling disorder.

Useful Anxiety Resources

• www.adaa.org
• www.nimh.nih.gov
• www.freedomfromfear.org

5 Types of Anxiety Disorders

• Generalized Anxiety Disorder
  • uncontrollable worry about everyday things
  • physiological response to worry

• Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)

  • obsessive thoughts, images, impulses that are recurrent, persistent, intrusive, and inappropriate
  • repetitive rituals used to counteract obsessive thoughts
   

• Panic Disorder

  • recurrent unexpected panic attacks
  • worry about panic attacks
  • change in activities or avoidance because of having panic attacks
  • avoid physical sensations similar to panic attack