Anxiety
Anxiety is a part of normal, everyday life, and everyone will experience it in some way shape or form at some point. For most people, anxiety about any one thing exists only for a short time and the individual is able to cope with it quickly and effectively. However, for many others anxiety can be very debilitating, even to the point where it begins to influence the way they live life. These individuals have what is known as an anxiety disorder. Affecting roughly 18% of the U.S. population over the age of 18, they are the most common form of mental illness in the country. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, it is estimated that over 40 million Americans suffer from some form of anxiety disorder.
The term “anxiety disorder” itself is an umbrella term, encompassing many different types of anxiety related issues. Some of these include; Social anxiety disorder, GAD or generalized anxiety disorder, certain types of phobias, posttraumatic stress disorder, and sometimes even depression.
For those who suffer from any of these types of anxiety disorders, just living life normally day to day can become a challenge. It can become difficult to stay focused, some may have have difficulty sleeping, and some may experience sudden and intense bouts of fear which is known as a panic attack. For individuals with social anxiety, they may go so far as to rearrange their daily activities just to avoid certain situations because the feeling of anxiety can be so crippling.
As horrible as these disorders can be, they don’t have to be permanent as there are methods of treatment. The problem is many people wait long periods of time before seeking treatment and some never do seek for a solution.
