Have you ever felt anxious about something for any reason? Or, feeling anxious or worried in the times of stressful situations? It is ok to feel what you feel as long as you have rational reasons to validate your feelings. Anxiety is a normal response to any stressful event and it helps you deal with that situation. But, when anxiety becomes too much that it can affect your day to day activities and peace of mind, it becomes an anxiety disorder.



Anxiety disorder is excessive anxiety and worry about events or activities, which occurs most often than not in most days for at least six months. A person who has anxiety disorder finds it difficult to control the feelings of worry and fear. The anxiety, worry, or the physical symptoms of anxiety disorder can cause considerable suffering or harm on the important areas of daily life activities. Some of the common types of anxiety disorders include separation anxiety, social anxiety or phobia, selective mutism, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), posttraumatic stress disorder (PSTD), panic disorder, agoraphobia, generalized anxiety disorder, and specific phobia. Each of these anxiety disorders has different symptoms, but the entire symptoms revolve around excessive, unreasonable fear and dread.

Separation anxiety is defined as developmentally improper and excessive anxiety relating to separation from home or to someone you are so attached with. Social anxiety or phobia is generally understood as extreme fear in the face of social interaction. Selective mutism is the consistent failure to speak in specific social situations where you are expected to render speech. OCD is an illness wherein you have recurrent and unwanted urge to do something to relieve your discomfort. PST is an incapacitating condition that follows a terrifying event (persistent terrifying thoughts). Panic disorder is categorized as recurrent brief episodes of intense fear that are accompanied by many physical symptoms, like heart palpitations and dizziness, even without external threat. Agoraphobia is defined as an incapacitating fear of open spaces, resulting to avoidance of crowds, and open public places. General anxiety disorder is described by diffuse feelings of apprehensions with physiological symptoms. Specific phobia is a feeling of intense, irrational fears towards certain things, like closed-in places, heights, water, etc.

If you think you have an anxiety disorder, the first person you should see is your family doctor. A physician can determine whether the symptoms that bother you are due either to anxiety disorder or other medical condition, or both. If indeed you are diagnosed to have anxiety disorder, the next step you should do is definitely see a mental health professional whom you are comfortable talking with. Clearly, in order for you to be treated from this condition, you and your doctor should work together as a team and make a plan to cure you from anxiety disorder. Don't let this condition ruin your mood, activities, or your life in general. Get immediate treatment the soonest possible time once you think that you might have an anxiety disorder. The sooner you get the treatment, the sooner you feel better.