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Did you know that more than 5 million Americans suffer from some form of anxiety? There are many types and several degrees of severity of the condition ranging from mild to severe. If you or someone you know has suffered with a generalized anxiety disorder, you are quite aware of its potential to immobilize your daily routine and disrupt life to the point where it is no longer enjoyable.

The National Institute of Mental Health reports that close to five million people in the United States have social anxiety.

Yes, anxiety sufferers usually develop depression as a result of social anxiety disorder. These types of mental health disorders are considered secondary disorders.

There are a three major theories as to the cause of anxiety disorders. These are listed on our web page Causes The Heart Foundation (Australia) have published a review of primary studies on their web site and conclude there is "little evidence to link panic disorder with either chronic heart disease development or (its) progression.

A doctor may perform a physical examination along with various diagnostic tests as part of a patient's routine check up or in response to a particular complaint to determine if the patient may suffer from a digestive disorder. It is important to schedule regular visits to your doctor and to alert the doctor if you believe that you may have a digestive disorder.

There are screening tools on this site to detect symptoms of depression and mania. They can help identify whether you may have one of these illnesses. Take the results of the screening to your doctor and consult with him/her about a possible diagnosis. Mood disorders are illnesses that need treatment like any other illness. Early diagnosis is very important. Most treatment plans include a combination of medication, talk therapy, and support.

Answer: Yes. Many people we see are depressed as a result of their anxiety. Typically, as we treat the anxiety and these symptoms begin to lift, so do the symptoms of depression.

Beating the Blues™ is available in more than 300 primary care and mental health services in the United Kingdom. Beating the Blues is accessed in the routine care setting, as recommended by your GP or other health professional. You should ask your GP if Beating the Blues is the right programme for you.

Mental disorders, like all mental activity in general, involves physical and chemical processes in the brain. Although cognitive and behavioral states are experienced by a conscious person, these experiences would not exist were it not for the underlying chemistry. When there is a clinical psychiatric problem it is therefore a result of some alteration in the "normal" chemistry.

This question requires its own frequently asked questions page. Please see our extensive Depression and Anxiety FAQ page for information describing each of the following conditions, its causes, symptoms and treatment options:

According to the National Institute of Mental Health, (NIMH), Post Traumatic Stress Disorder is one of the 5 recognized types of mental illness commonly known as anxiety disorders. While these five major categories are significant, the complexity of mental disorders demand for segmentation into even more conditions. The post-traumatic stress syndrome,... Anxiety disorder treatments offer the ability to stop worrying.

Humiliating experiences, especially in public, or if they come to public knowledge and are repeated, potentially contain elements capable of generating a Social Anxiety nucleus. On the one hand, humiliation, not necessarily physical aggression (it may be just verbal), contributes to self-depreciation and self-devaluing. On the other hand, the action of the one who humiliates contributes to the humiliated person’s formation of the concept of the "other" as strong and aggressive.

There are many treatments for Social Anxiety Disorder, but those most frequently used are in the categories of medication, therapy, or a combination of both. Several types of medication and of psychotherapy approaches are used.

If symptoms of an anxiety disorder are present, the doctor will begin an evaluation by asking you questions about your medical history and performing a physical examination. Although there are no laboratory tests to specifically diagnose anxiety disorders, the doctor may use various tests to look for a physical illness as the cause of the symptoms.

Social anxiety disorder is a medical condition. Social anxiety disorder also known as social phobia is characterized by overpowering worry or fear of social or public situations that interferes with daily life. The anxiety may be about public speaking, meeting new people, dating, interacting with authority figures or any activity that may draw attention to you. Some people may have one specific activity which they fear while others may fear any potential social or public interaction.

There are an estimated 2.8% of the U.S. population (4 million Americans) have GAD during a year's time. GAD most often strikes people in childhood or adolescence, but can begin in adulthood, too. It affects women more often than men. Back to Top

Bipolar disorder is also known as manic depression because a person's mood can alternate between the "poles" of mania (highs) and depression (lows). Either of these moods can last for hours, days, weeks or months. A person can also "cycle" between mania and depression. However, a person with unipolar depression experiences only the depressive symptoms (lows) and no signs of mania.

Studies have shown acne can cause poor self-image, low self-esteem, lack of confidence, anxiety and depression. It seems the worse the acne, the worse the consequences. Effective treatment of acne can turn this around and reduce emotional and psychological symptoms. Even mild acne can have a major psychological impact. If acne is affecting your enjoyment of life, you should see a GP for help - there is a lot available!

Depression and bipolar disorder can affect children and adolescents. Talk to your pediatrician if you believe your child is experiencing any symptoms of depression or bipolar disorder. Your pediatrician may be able to help or may recommend you consult with a professional who is experienced in treating these illnesses in children. Depression and bipolar disorder have symptoms similar to other illnesses (like ADHD and anxiety) so be sure your doctor screens your child for all possible conditions.

Different people are comfortable with sharing different amounts of information. Some people feel that it is unnecessary to inform their employers of their diagnosis. For other people, however, their diagnosis and the need for some sort of treatment accommodation have a significant impact on their job and they feel a need to inform their employer. If you decide to inform your employer, be prepared to do some educating.

First educate yourself on the symptoms of these illnesses. Then pick an appropriate time when you can quietly discuss your concerns with this person. Explain why you believe he or she should be screened for depression or bipolar disorder by comparing their behavior with the symptoms. Encourage them to seek help and resist the urge to function as a therapist. Reassure them that you are having this conversation because you care about them and want to help them feel better.

Unlike people with clinical, or "unipolar," depression, most people with bipolar disorder experience extreme mood swings between the "high" (manic) and "low" (depressive) symptoms of the illness. Bipolar disorder is often misdiagnosed as depression because people tell their doctors only about the depression and do not mention their manic symptoms. See more information on getting the right diagnosis.

Anxiety which persists over an extended period of time with frequent periods of high intensity is indicative of an anxiety disorder. In such a condition, anxiety is present most of the time without any apparent reason, or the anxiety is so uncomfortable that you stop some of your everyday activities, or you experience frequent bouts of anxiety which are so intense they terrify and immobilize you.

How badly do we damage our bodies when we suffer from anxiety? I'm concerned about the long-term effects.

Fortunately, much progress has been made in the last two decades in the treatment of people with mental illnesses, including anxiety disorders. Although the exact treatment approach depends on the type of disorder, one or a combination of the following therapies may be used for most anxiety disorders: Medication : The antidepressant drugs Paxil and Zoloft and anti-anxiety medications such as Xanax or Klonopin are used to treat anxiety and panic disorders.

General anxiety disorder is a medical condition. Generalized anxiety disorder is characterized by a constant, overpowering worry and anxiety that interferes with daily life and lasts at least six months. The anxiety is usually about work, family, relationships, money or health. Although most people with GAD may realize that their anxiety is excessive, they are unable to control their responses so that even the thought of dealing with daily activities make them more anxious.

any given time approximately 5 million people in the United States suffer from social anxiety disorder. Social anxiety disorder is almost twice as common in women than men, but this result may be due to the fact that fewer men are willing to seek medical treatment. Symptoms most commonly appear for the first time in people in their childhood or early teenage years.

The exact cause of social anxiety disorder is not known but scientists believe that it may be caused by an imbalance of the brain's neurotransmitters. Neurotransmitters are the chemical messengers of the brain that allow cells to communicate with each other. Norepinephrine (NE), serotonin (5-HT) and dopamine (DA) are such neurotransmitters. An imbalance of these chemicals is thought to affect the symptoms of anxiety.