More than Just Stress

It is normal to experience occasional anxiety, especially with today's hectic life style. People with an anxiety disorder suffer from persistent worry and tension that is much worse than the anxiety most people experience from time to time. The high level or chronic state of anxiety associated an anxiety disorder can make ordinary activities difficult or even impossible.

The main symptom of an anxiety disorder is an exaggerated or unfounded state of worry and anxiety, often about such matters as health, money, family, or work. Although people with anxiety disorders may realize that their anxiety is excessive or unwarranted, they are unable to simply “snap out of it”—for them, the mere thought of getting through the day can provoke anxiety.

The persistent worry characteristic of anxiety disorders is hard to control, and interferes with daily life. Many anxiety sufferers seem unable to relax, and may startle easily. In addition, anxiety disorders are often accompanied by physical symptoms, such as fatigue, headaches, and muscle tension.

Anxiety disorders do not appear suddenly; they develops over time. To be diagnosed with an anxiety disorder, you must have had anxiety more days than not for at least 6 months. The anxiety must also be associated with at least 3 of the following symptoms:

• Restlessness or feeling keyed up or on edge
• Fatigue
• Difficulty concentrating or mind going blank

• Irritability

• Muscle tension
• Difficulty falling or staying asleep, or restless unsatisfying sleep

Symptoms will vary from person to person, and you don’t need to have all the above symptoms in order to have an anxiety disorder.

Causes

The exact causes of anxiety disorders are difficult to explain. Research suggests that environmental and genetic factors (a family history) may predispose a person to developing the disorder. Experts also agree that anxiety disorders may be caused by an imbalance of certain chemicals in the brain—in particular, two neurotransmitters (chemical message carriers) called dopamine and serotonin, which are believed to regulate mood and behavior.

Anxiety disorders may also be caused by a highly stressful event in your life, such as:

• A childhood psychological trauma
• The death of a loved one
• Divorce
• Losing your job, or changing jobs

In people who develop anxiety disorders, anxiety symptoms often hit during childhood or adolescence, but they can also begin in adulthood. People of all ages are affected by anxiety disorders, and is twice as likely to appear in women as in men. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, about 19 million Americans suffer from depression and 4 million from anxiety disorders each year.

Researchers continue to gain insights into the causes of anxiety disorders and their relationship to genetics and experience. Although the causes of anxiety disorders are not always known, the symptoms are recognizable, and effective treatments are available.