Panic and Anxiety Disorders - A Rainbow of Conditions
The terms panic and anxiety disorders are very broad descriptors that don't entirely tell us what it is that the person in question is experiencing, because they encompass so many conditions.
It is not hard to see though, how the various conditions are related within this group of problems.
The first distinction we should make is between panic and anxiety disorders.
People who suffer panic attacks will find that with little or no warning they are unable to cope with a situation-they begin to panic and a host of physical and emotional symptoms occur, during which the urge to leave the situation may be great.
Though the attack may be brief it can be absolutely terrifying.
Anxiety attacks however may build more slowly.
A person may find themselves obsessing over particular thoughts-that of control over weight loss, or over fears that a particularly bad event may befall their family or friends.
This therefore includes such things as General Anxiety Disorder, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD), phobias, social anxieties, post traumatic stress syndrome, and separation anxiety, as well as eating disorders like anorexia and bulimia.
A person who suffers OCD will often perform various routines throughout their day, and may require that certain things around them are ordered in a very particular way.
They may fear that if they do not perform their ritual that it will lead to something bad, and the anxiety that builds around the inability to complete the ritual is completely out of perspective with the actual risk.
For instance if they do not turn a light on four times they may feel that a loved one will die, and it will be their fault-and these thoughts become obsessive.
Eating disorders leave a person anxiously trying to control their food intake.
They obsess over weight loss, and when they cannot avoid food altogether, may try and purge what they have eaten or else over exercise in an effort to burn extra calories.
Phobias are another anxiety related condition and they may actually, sometimes be a complication of panic attacks.
An individual who has experienced an attack under particular circumstances may fear that the circumstances were to blame, and eventually come to fear putting themselves in the situation again in case another attack were to occur.
Regardless of their cause, the fear is irrational.
Applying these more specific terms can help people to see just what a huge spectrum there is within this condition.
It is not hard to see though, how the various conditions are related within this group of problems.
The first distinction we should make is between panic and anxiety disorders.
People who suffer panic attacks will find that with little or no warning they are unable to cope with a situation-they begin to panic and a host of physical and emotional symptoms occur, during which the urge to leave the situation may be great.
Though the attack may be brief it can be absolutely terrifying.
Anxiety attacks however may build more slowly.
A person may find themselves obsessing over particular thoughts-that of control over weight loss, or over fears that a particularly bad event may befall their family or friends.
This therefore includes such things as General Anxiety Disorder, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD), phobias, social anxieties, post traumatic stress syndrome, and separation anxiety, as well as eating disorders like anorexia and bulimia.
A person who suffers OCD will often perform various routines throughout their day, and may require that certain things around them are ordered in a very particular way.
They may fear that if they do not perform their ritual that it will lead to something bad, and the anxiety that builds around the inability to complete the ritual is completely out of perspective with the actual risk.
For instance if they do not turn a light on four times they may feel that a loved one will die, and it will be their fault-and these thoughts become obsessive.
Eating disorders leave a person anxiously trying to control their food intake.
They obsess over weight loss, and when they cannot avoid food altogether, may try and purge what they have eaten or else over exercise in an effort to burn extra calories.
Phobias are another anxiety related condition and they may actually, sometimes be a complication of panic attacks.
An individual who has experienced an attack under particular circumstances may fear that the circumstances were to blame, and eventually come to fear putting themselves in the situation again in case another attack were to occur.
Regardless of their cause, the fear is irrational.
Applying these more specific terms can help people to see just what a huge spectrum there is within this condition.
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