Anxiety Disorders

Most people experience feelings of anxiety before an important event such as a big exam, business presentation, or first date. Anxiety disorders, however, are illnesses that fill people's lives with overwhelming anxiety and fear that are chronic, unremitting, and can grow progressively worse. Tormented by panic attacks, obsessive thoughts, flashbacks of traumatic events, nightmares, or countless frightening physical symptoms, some people with anxiety disorders even become housebound.

Anxiety disorders are real, diagnosable and treatable. They are the most common mental illnesses in America, affecting more than 19 million people each year. Although these disorders can be treated effectively, millions of people continue to suffer needlessly and often in silence. The lack of understanding about these illnesses, the lack of recognition of the symptoms, and the stigma attached to the illnesses too often result in anxiety disorders being misdiagnosed and under treated.

19 million people affected each year
(13.3% of population)

United States - Cost
$46.6 billion in direct & indirect costs
(1/3 of the $148 billion national mental health bill)

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Symptoms of Anxiety Disorders

• Agitated worry about everyday routine events
• Always anticipating the worst
• REAL physical symptoms of fatigue, trembling, muscle tension, headache and/or nausea

• Panic attacks - sudden feelings of terror that strike repeatedly and without warning
• Physical symptoms -chest pain, heart palpitations, shortness of breath, dizziness
• Abdominal discomfort
• Feelings of unreality
• Fear of dying

• Repeated intrusive and unwanted thoughts
• Rituals that seem impossible to control

• Physical symptoms of nightmares, flashbacks
• Numbing of emotions - Depression
• Anger, irritability
• Easily distracted
• Easily startled

• Extreme disabling & irrational gear of something posing little or no threat or actual danger
• Fear causing avoidance of things or situations causing people to limit their lives