Anxiety in Teens Anxiety is something that everyone will experience in his or her lifetime In fact a quarter of all teens will develop an anxiety disorder anxiety disorder is much more severe than an occasional feeling of worry They are characterized by uncontrollable anxious feelings that happen nearly every day for a period over six months These symptoms are characterized into multiple anxiety disorders such as Obsessive Compulsive Disorder Post Traumatic Stress Disorder Agoraphobia and Social Anxiety Disorder or Social Phobia In the past succumbing to feelings of anxiety was seen as a weakness and people suffering from anxiety and or depression were told to simply be stronger Anxiety is so prevalent now however doctors and researchers are delving into the reasons for its commonness and now believe biological factors as well as emotional factors play a part In the past anxiety was seen as an attention seeking mechanism Nervous Nellies was a term used for constantly anxious people Now it is known that anxiety affects many young people and is one of the most diagnosed mental illnesses in the world There are many different classes of anxiety disorders such as Generalized Anxiety Disorder GAD Panic Disorder Post Traumatic Stress Disorder PTSD Social Phobia Agoraphobia and Obsessive Compulsive Disorder OCD
Those who worry constantly and cannot relax even if there is nothing to worry about experience generalized Anxiety Disorder Most cases of GAD start when the individual is a child or teenager however diagnosis does not take place until the person has exhibited feelings of anxiety for a majority of days over 6 months Levin Judith Symptoms include insomnia fatigue trembling muscle tension headaches irritability or hot flashes Approximately 1 percent of adolescents will develop GAD in a year with girls being twice as likely to develop the disorder As children with GAD move into their teenage years their worries go from complaining about psychical symptoms such as sore muscles sleep problems and head aches to asking questions such as I am afraid to go to school because what if I do badly on a project or What if I grow up and global warming affects my family Young adults may show physical symptoms such as looking even more fatigued as compared to other teens their age after spending hours working on a project People with GAD may also have other physical and emotional illnesses GAD often coexists with depression substance abuse or other anxiety disorders Irritable Bowel Syndrome a disease associated with stress is something that people with GAD may also experience and should notify their doctor if they experience this insomnia or headaches as it will aid their doctor is making a proper diagnosis Mental Health GAD is the most common anxiety disorder and unfortunately often goes undiagnosed Panic Disorder is a condition characterized by spontaneous panic attacks and living in constant fear of the next attacks that affects 1 out of 75 people
The main difference between Panic Disorder and GAD are the panic attacks experienced by those with Panic Disorder Other differences include psychical symptoms such as chest pains trembling and shaking palpitations hyperventilation excessive sweating and feeling of choking Ankrom Sheryl Teenagers with Panic Disorder avoid locations where they have experienced an attack or avoid certain social situations because they do not want to be seen by peers if a panic attack occurs A panic attack is a sudden period of intense fear almost like a deer in headlights feeling Symptoms include racing heart beat fear of losing control dying or going insane desire to runaway or hide tingling and numbness of the skin and anticipated anxiety Mental Health Panic Disorder is more common than alcohol abuse or depression however getting a proper diagnosis can be challenging Research has shown that people can see 10 or more professionals before receiving a proper diagnosis and only 25 percent of people with Panic Disorder receive proper treatment Mental Health Proper diagnosis is crucial if the person with Panic Disorder wishes to live a fulfilling life It is possible to live a normal life with Panic Disorder if one receives treatment such as medication therapy or attends a support group with aid from a psychologist or psychiatrist Post Traumatic Stress Disorder or PTSD is a mental disorder with distinguishing symptoms following a traumatic event Mental Health PTSD is triggered by a traumatic event such as a rape or a mugging The person involved or maybe even a bystander can experience flashbacks memories nightmares or terrifying thoughts especially if they are exposed to something that triggers reminiscent of the event Doctors recognize that any traumatic situation that involved great psychical harm can trigger it Works Cited Admin Generalized Anxiety Disorder AnxietyBC 19 Sept 2017 www anxietybc com parenting generalized anxiety disorder Sheryl Ankrom Reviewed by a board certified physician
What s the Difference Between Panic Disorder and GAD Verywell 5 Nov 2017 www verywell com panic disorder vs gad 2584211 latest_citation_text Bellenir Karen Mental Health Information for Teens Health Tips about Mental Wellness and Mental Illness Including Facts about Mental and Emotional Health Depression and Other Mood Disorders Anxiety Disorders Behavior Disorders Self Injury Psychosis Schizophrenia and More Omnigraphics 2010 Panic Disorder When Fear Overwhelms National Institute of Mental Health U S Department of Health and Human Services www nimh nih gov health publications panic disorder when fear overwhelms index shtml
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