This document discusses anxiety, including its definition, types, causes, symptoms, and treatments. There are several types of anxiety disorders such as generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder, social anxiety disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and post-traumatic stress disorder. Causes can include genetics, brain chemistry, life stressors, and certain drugs. Symptoms vary but include physical sensations as well as social and cognitive effects. Treatments include medications, psychotherapy, and alternative therapies such as exercise, meditation, and aromatherapy.

1. ANXIETY

2. Overview
• What is Anxiety
• What are the different types of anxiety
disorders
• What are the causes
• What are the symptoms
• What are the treatments

3. Definition of Anxiety
• Anxiety is a feeling of apprehension or fear. The
source of this uneasiness is not always known or
recognized, which can add to the distress you
feel.
• Anxiety disorders are a group of psychiatric
conditions that involve excessive anxiety.

4. Types of Anxiety Disorders
• 1.Panic Disorder
• 2.Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder
• 3.Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
• 4.Phobias
• 5.Generalized Anxiety Disorder

5. Panic Disorder
• The abrupt onset of an episode of intense fear or discomfort, which peaks
in approximately 10 minutes,
• Panic disorder is when you've had at least two panic attacks (you feel terrified and
overwhelmed, even though you're not in any danger) and constantly worry and
change your routine to keep from having another one. It's a type of anxiety disorder.
and includes at least four of the following symptoms:
• A feeling of imminent danger or doom
• The need to escape
• Palpitations
• Sweating
• Trembling
• Shortness of breath or a smothering
feeling
• A feeling of choking
• Chest pain or discomfort
• Nausea or abdominal discomfort
• Dizziness or lightheadedness
• A sense of things being unreal,
depersonalization
• A fear of losing control or "going crazy"
• A fear of dying
• Tingling sensations
• Chills or hot flushes

6. Panic Disorder
There are three types of Panic Attacks:
1. Unexpected - the attack "comes out of the blue" without
warning and for no discernable reason.
2. Situational - situations in which an individual always
has an attack, for example, upon entering a tunnel.
3. Situationally Predisposed - situations in which an
individual is likely to have a Panic Attack, but does not
always have one. An example of this would be an
individual who sometimes has attacks while driving.

7. Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder
Characterized by uncontrollable obsessions and
compulsions which the sufferer usually recognizes as
being excessive or unreasonable.
• Obsessions are recurring thoughts or impulses that are
intrusive or inappropriate and cause the sufferer anxiety:
– Thoughts about contamination, for example, when an individual
fears coming into contact with dirt, germs or "unclean" objects;
– Persistent doubts, for example, whether or not one has turned off
the iron or stove, locked the door or turned on the answering
machine;
– Extreme need for orderliness;
– Aggressive impulses or thoughts, for example, being overcome
with the urge to yell 'fire' in a crowded theater

8. Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder
• Compulsions are repetitive behaviors or rituals performed by the OCD
sufferer, performance of these rituals neutralize the anxiety caused by
obsessive thoughts, relief is only temporary.
– Cleaning. Repeatedly washing their hands, showering, or constantly
cleaning their home;
– Checking. Individuals may check several or even hundreds of times to
make sure that stoves are turned off and doors are locked;
– Repeating. Some repeat a name, phrase or action over and over;
– Slowness. Some individuals may take an excessively slow and
methodical approach to daily activities, they may spend hours organizing
and arranging objects;
– Hoarding. Hoarders are unable to throw away useless items, such as old
newspapers, junk mail, even broken appliances
• In order for OCD to be diagnosed, the obsessions and/or compulsions
must take up a considerable amount of the sufferers time, at least one
hour every day, and interfere with normal routines .

9. Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
• Exposure to traumas such as a serious accident, a natural
disaster, or criminal assault can result in PTSD. When the
aftermath of a traumatic experience interferes with normal
functioning, the person may be suffering from PTSD.
• Symptoms of PTSD are:
– Reexperiencing the event, which can take the form of intrusive thoughts
and recollections, or recurrent dreams;
– Avoidance behavior in which the sufferer avoids activities, situations,
people,and/or conversations which he/she associates with the trauma;
– A general numbness and loss of interest in surroundings;
– Hypersensitivity, including: inability to sleep, anxious feelings, overactive
startle response, hypervigilance, irritability and outbursts of anger.

10. Social Phobia/Anxiety
• Social anxiety disorder, also known as social phobia, is an
intense fear of social situations. This fear arises when the
individual believes that they may be judged, scrutinized or
humiliated by others.
• Individuals with the disorder are acutely aware of the
physical signs of their anxiety and fear that others will
notice, judge them, and think poorly of them.
• In extreme cases this intense uneasiness can progress
into a full blown panic attack.

11. Social Phobia/Anxiety
• Common anxiety provoking social situations include:
– public speaking
– talking with people in authority
– dating and developing close relationships
– making a phone call or answering the phone
– interviewing
– attending and participating in class
– speaking with strangers
– meeting new people
– eating, drinking, or writing in public
– using public bathrooms
– driving
– shopping

12. Generalized Anxiety Disorder
• Excessive uncontrollable worry about
everyday things. This constant worry
affects daily functioning and can cause
physical symptoms.
• GAD can occur with other anxiety
disorders, depressive disorders, or
substance abuse.

13. Generalized Anxiety Disorder
• The focus of GAD worry can shift, usually
focusing on issues like job, finances, health
of both self and family; but it can also
include more mundane issues such as,
chores, car repairs and being late for
appointments.
• The intensity, duration and frequency of the
worry are disproportionate to the issue

14. Common Causes
• There is no one cause for anxiety disorders. Several
factors can play a role
– Genetics
– Brain biochemistry
– Overactive "fight or flight" response
• Can be caused by too much stress
– Life circumstances
– Personality
• People who have low self-esteem and poor coping skills may be more prone
• Certain drugs, both recreational and medicinal, can lead
to symptoms of anxiety due to either side effects or
withdrawal from the drug.
• In very rare cases, a tumor of the adrenal gland
(pheochromocytoma) may be the cause of anxiety.

15. Symptoms of Anxiety
Anxiety is an emotion often accompanied by
various physical symptoms, including:
• Twitching or trembling
• Muscle tension
• Headaches
• Sweating
• Dry mouth
• Difficulty swallowing
• Abdominal pain (may be the only symptom of stress
especially in a child)

16. Additional Symptoms of Anxiety
Sometimes other symptoms accompany
anxiety:
• Dizziness
• Rapid or irregular heart rate
• Rapid breathing
• Diarrhea or frequent need to urinate
• Fatigue
• Irritability, including loss of your temper
• Sleeping difficulties and nightmares
• Decreased concentration
• Sexual problems

17. Social Effects of Anxiety
• Depression
– Not as involved with family and friends the way you
used to be
– Lowered quality of relationships
– Low energy
– Lack of motivation to do the things you once looked
forward to doing
• Unable to convey the person that you are
• Fear and avoidance of situations where previous
attacks occurred

18. Allopathic Treatments
• Medications (Drug Therapy):
• Behavioral Therapy
• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
• Psychodynamic Psychotherapy

19. Alternative Treatments
• Acupuncture
• Aromatherapy
• Breathing Exercises
• Exercise
• Meditation
• Nutrition and Diet Therapy
• Vitamins
• Self Love

20. Behavioral and Cognitive
Therapy
• Teaches patient to react differently to situations and
bodily sensations that trigger anxiety
• Teaches patient to understand how thinking patterns that
contribute to symptoms
• Patients learn that by changing how they perceive
feelings of anxiety, the less likely they are to have them
• Examples: Hyperventilating, writing down list of top fears
and doing one of them once a week, spinning in a chair
until dizzy; after awhile patients learned to cope with the
negative feelings associated with them and replace them
with positive ones

21. Psychodynamic
Psychotherapy
• Psychodynamic therapy is a general name for therapeutic
approaches which try to get the patient to bring to the surface
their true feelings, so that they can experience them and
understand them. Psychodynamic Psychotherapy uses the
basic assumption that everyone has feelings held in the
subconscious which are too painful to be faced. We then come
up with defenses (such as denial) to protect us knowing about
these painful feelings.
• Psychodynamic psychotherapy assumes that these defenses
have gone wrong and are causing more harm than good,
making you seek help. It tries to subdue them, with the
intention that once you are aware of what is really going on in
your mind the feelings will not be as painful.
• Takes an extremely long time and is labor intensive

22. Acupuncture
• Caused by the imbalance of chi coming about by
keeping emotions in for too long
• Emotion effects the chi to move in an abnormal
way: when fearful it goes to the floor, when angry
the neck and shoulders tighten
• Redirects the chi into a balanced flow, releases
tension in the muscles, increases flow of blood,
lymph, and nerve impulses to affected areas
• Takes 10-12 weekly sessions

23. Aromatherapy
• Calming Effect: vanilla, orange blossom, rose,
chamomile, and lavender
• Reducing Stress: Lavender, sandalwood, and
nutmeg
• Uplifting Oils: Bergamot, geranium, juniper, and
lavender
• Essential Oil Combination: 3 parts lavender, 2
parts bergamot, and 1 part sandalwood

24. Exercise
• Benefits: symbolic meaning of the activity, the
distraction from worries, mastery of a sport,
effects on self image, biochemical and
physiological changes associated with exercise,
symbolic meaning of the sport
• Helps by expelling negative emotions and
adrenaline out of your body in order to enter a
more relaxed, calm state to deal with issues
and conflicts

25. Meditation
• Cultivates calmness to create a sense of control
over life
• Practice: Sit quietly in a position comfortable to
you and take a few deep breaths to relax your
muscles, next choose a calming phrase (such as
“om” or that with great significance to you),
silently repeat the word or phrase for 20 minutes

26. Nutrition and Diet Therapy
• Foods to Eat: whole grains, bananas, asparagus,
garlic, brown rice, green and leafy veggies, soy
products, yogurt
• Foods to Avoid: coffee, alcohol, sugar, strong
spices, highly acidic foods, foods with white flour
• Keep a diary of the foods you eat and your
anxiety attacks; after awhile you may be able to
see a correlation
• East small, frequent meals

27. Vitamins
• B-Vitamins stabilize the body’s lactate levels
which cause anxiety attacks (B-6, B-1, B-3)
• Calcium (a natural tranquilizer) and magnesium
relax the nervous system; taken in combination
before bed improves sleep
• Vitamin C taken in large doses also has a
tranquilizing effect
• Potassium helps with proper functioning of
adrenal glands
• Zinc has a calming effect on the nervous system

28. Self Love
• The most important holistic treatment of all
• Laugh: be able to laugh at yourself and with
others; increases endorphin levels and decreases
stress hormones
• Let go of frustrations
• Do not judge self harshly: don’t expect more from
yourself than you do others
• Accept your faults