The Grim Figures of Anxiety in The U.S.

Anxiety is a common psychiatric illness that affects both adults and children the world over. According to a report published by the U.S surgeon general, an estimated 40 million Americans suffer from anxiety related disorders. Despite the disorders being highly treatable, only a paltry 1/3 of the 40 million Americans ever receive treatment. According to the U.S Public Health Service, approximately $42 billion is spent every year in the country to treat anxiety related disorders. The same institution goes ahead and states that 12.7 million of the entire female population in the US suffers from one of the most common type of anxiety- phobia. Experts blame the rising cases of anxiety disorders in the US on the stressful conditions of modern day living. What with the change in climate patterns and economic upheavals? Everyone out there has something to worry about.

•Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) includes images, impulses and thoughts that are intrusive and recurrent. The same are considered to be forbidden, grotesque or inappropriate.

•Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) is characterized by long periods (typically more than 6 months) of worry. Symptoms include irritability, insomnia, poor concentration, fatigue and muscle tension.

•Panic disorder- this is characterized by distinct phases of discomfort or intense fear. It is commonly associated with several cognitive and somatic symptoms. Symptoms associated with this type of anxiety include trembling, sweating, smothering or choking sensations, gastrointestinal distress or nausea and palpitations. The attack occurs abruptly and builds to a crescendo in 10 to 15 minutes. According to the American Psychiatric Association (APA), panic disorders occur twice as much in women that they do in men.

•Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD)- this type of anxiety is associated with individuals who have recently undergone extreme trauma. According to the Anxiety Disorders Association of America (ADAA), the symptoms are quite evident shortly after the traumatic event in most people while in others, the symptoms manifest themselves immediately.

•Specific phobias such as agoraphobia which is associated with the fear of being in a situation where it is practically impossible to avoid or escape from such as being in a plane or a bus.

•Social anxiety disorder- this is associated with people who experience anxiety in social situations such as public speaking and performances. The fear is brought about by the possibility of ridicule and embarrassment.

Apart from the above types of anxiety illnesses, there are other less common disorders that are also related to anxiety such as substance-induced disorders and anxiety illnesses caused by medical conditions. Many people do not seem to understand exactly what anxiety is. So, what is anxiety? It is a disorder that is closely related to mental disorders. When someone is suffering from this condition, their emotional tone or mood is greatly disturbed. As a matter of fact, one of the principal manifests of this condition is mood disturbances. The disturbances also affect the behavior, thinking and physiological activities of the victim. Despite the prevalence of anxiety related disorders in the US, they are also omnipresent throughout the rest of the world.

According to the ADAA, 16 percent of all adults between the ages of 18 to 54 suffer from yearlong anxiety illnesses. Within the same age group, anxiety has been observed to be greatly intertwined with substance abuse. This disorder has a longitudinal course that is characterized by disability periods, illness episodes that recur frequently, chronicity and early onset of the disorder in terms of the patient’s age. Some types of anxiety such as agoraphobia and panic disorder have been linked to higher rates of attempted suicide.

The author has spent a lot of time learning about Anxiety and other related topics. Read more about What is Anxiety at the author's website.