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Anxiety Disorders
A basic introduction
Everybody knows what it's like to feel anxious
– the butterflies in your stomach before
a first date, the tension you feel when your boss
is angry, the way your heart pounds if you're
in danger. Anxiety rouses you to action. It gears
you up to face a threatening situation. It makes
you study harder for that exam, and keeps you
on your toes when you're making a speech. In general,
it helps you cope.
But
if you have an anxiety disorder, this normally helpful
emotion can do just the opposite – it can keep
you from coping and can disrupt your daily life.
Anxiety disorders aren't just a case of "nerves."
They are illnesses, often related to the biological
makeup and life experiences of the individual, and
they frequently run in families. There are several
types of anxiety disorders, each with its own distinct
features.
An
anxiety disorder may make you feel anxious most
of the time, without any apparent reason. Or the
anxious feelings may be so uncomfortable that
to avoid them you may stop some everyday activities.
Or you may have occasional bouts of anxiety so
intense they terrify and immobilize you.
Anxiety
disorders are the most common of all the mental
disorders. At the National Institute of Mental
Health (NIMH), the Federal agency that conducts
and supports research related to mental disorders,
mental health, and the brain, scientists are learning
more and more about the nature of anxiety disorders,
their causes, and how to alleviate them. NIMH
also conducts educational outreach activities
about anxiety disorders and other mental illnesses.
Many
people misunderstand these disorders and think
individuals should be able to overcome the symptoms
by sheer willpower. Wishing the symptoms away
does not work – but there are treatments
that can help. These pages are meant to help you
understand these conditions, describe their treatments,
and explain the role of research in conquering
anxiety and other mental disorders.
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