Anxiety Disorders Sample
Anxiety Disorders Sample According to Hyman and Cherry (16), the anxiety disorders are defined as mental disturbances that are characterized by fear and anxiety as the central symptoms. Even though anxiety and fear are the central symptoms, not every individual who experiences these symptoms is said to have an anxiety disorder. It has been found that anxiety can be associated with medical side effects, a broad range of physical illnesses, and some psychiatric disorders (Hyman and Cherry 17). Anxiety is comprised of an individual’s aspects of experience such as mental apprehension, physical symptoms, dissociative anxiety, and physical tension. The common types of anxiety disorders include Generalized Anxiety Disorder, Panic Disorder, Social Anxiety Disorder, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD), and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Individuals can suffer from the symptoms of a single anxiety disorder or multiple anxiety disorders simultaneously (Hyman and Cherry 18). Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) will be described throughout the discussion.
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is defined as a type of anxiety disorder that is characterized by recurrent, uncontrollable thoughts, obsessions and compulsions that can negatively interfere with an individual’s ability to function properly (Elliott and Laura 8). The behavior of those individuals suffering from OCD is in most cases due to as sense of danger. For instance, an individual suffering from OCD can repeatedly weak up to check whether he or she has closed the doors all the night. This is a neurotic behavior and it is possibly caused by depression, infection, brain and chemical dysfunction, and through inheritance. Treatment of OCD varies from one individual to another and it can include medication, therapy, or both at the same time (Hyman and Cherry 19).
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is defined as a type of anxiety disorders which develops after an individual experiences a terrifying traumatic incident (Goulston 7). The traumatic incidents may include earthquakes, violent criminal events, or army armed combat. These traumatic events are often associated with the personal experiences that involve serious injury, death and the threat of death which enhances the development of strong feelings of fear and impuissance (Goulston 11). The patients persistently re-experience the repulsion through disturbing dreams, thoughts, or mental images. The repeated experience produces physical sensations similar to those of the real traumatic incident, such as increased heartbeat, fast breathing, and sweating. The treatment can involve trauma-focused cognitive-behavioral therapy, medication such as the administration of antidepressants, and family therapy (Hyman and Cherry 22).
According to the descriptions of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), it is evident that individuals who suffer from anxiety disorders experience fear and anxiety as the common characteristics. Individuals can suffer from the symptoms of a single anxiety disorder or multiple anxiety disorders simultaneously. Different types of anxiety disorders can be associated to different causative factors. Treatment of anxiety disorders usually requires a therapist because these are mental disturbances.
