Anxiety Disorders
Anxiety is a universal human emotion. It is a general feeling of apprehension about possible danger. It is only when anxiety becomes overwhelming or chronic that it may be classified as an anxiety disorder.
Studies in the Unites States have shown that phobias are the most common category of psychiatric disturbance among women and second most common among men. The probability that anyone will develop an anxiety disorder at some point in his or her lifetime is about 15%. Anxiety problems and reports of various fears were tied with addictions as the third most frequent counseling problem reported by pastors.
The Pastor’s Guide to Psychological Disorders and Treatments
By W. Brad Johnson, PhD & Wm. L Johnson, PhD
Subtypes:
Phobias
Specific Phobias: Key Indicators
- Marked, excessive, unreasonable, and persistent fear of a specific object or situation (e.g., animals, storms, sight of blood, heights)
- Exposure to the object or situation provokes an immediate anxiety response, which can be as severe as a panic attack.
- The person knows that his or her fear is excessive and unreasonable.
- The person avoids the feared object or situation if at all possible or else endures it with intense distress.
- Avoiding the anxiety significantly disrupts the person’s normal activities (e.g., work, school, social activities, and relationships), or the person is quite distressed about having the fear.
Social Phobia: Key Indicators
- A marked and ongoing fear of one or more social- or performance-focused situations in which the person believes he or she will be evaluated or observed by others.
- The person fears that he or she will act in a way that will be humiliating or embarrassing.
- When exposed to the feared social situation, the person experiences intense anxiety, which may be as severe as a panic attack.
- The person understands the fear is excessive and unreasonable.
- The person attempts to avoid the feared social situation at all costs or endures it only with great discomfort.
- Avoiding the anxiety significantly disrupts the person’s normal activities (e.g., work, school, social activities, and relationships), or the person is quite distressed about having the fear.
Panic Disorder or Agoraphobia
Panic Disorder: Key Indicators
- Unexpected and recurring panic attacks. Panic attacks typically last ten minutes or less and involve intense fear or discomfort in which at least four of the following symptoms of panic are present: (1) palpitations, pounding heart, or accelerated heart rate; (2) sweating; (3) trembling or shaking; (4) sensations of shortness of breath or smothering; (5) feeling of chocking; (6) chest pain or discomfort; (7) nausea or abdominal pain; (8) feeling dizzy; (9) feelings of unreality or feeling detached from oneself; (10) fear of loosing control or going crazy; (11) fear of dying; (12) numbness or tingling sensations; (13) chills or hot flashes.
- Following the initial panic attack, the person may have persistent concern about the health implications of the attack, or a seriously restricted lifestyle in anticipation of further attacks.
- The attacks cannot be explained by substance abuse or other medical problems.
Agoraphobia: Key Indicators
- The person is extremely anxious about being in situations in which escape might be difficult or embarrassing, or situations in which help may not be immediately available should symptoms of panic occur.
- The most commonly fear situations include being outside the home alone, being in a crowd or standing in a line, being on a bridge, or traveling in a plane, bus, etc.
- The person can endure these situations only with great difficulty and usually requires a great deal of reassurance.
Generalized Anxiety Disorder
Generalized Anxiety Disorder: Key Indicators
- Excessive anxiety and apprehension about a range of events or activities.
- The person finds it difficult to control the worry.
- The anxiety or worry is usually associated with symptoms such as restlessness, fatigue, poor concentration, irritability, muscle tension, and sleep disturbance.
- The anxiety is usually severe enough to interfere with the person’s work or relationships.
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder: Key Indicators
- The person has recurrent obsessions or compulsions
- At some point, the person has been able to recognize that the obsessions or compulsions are excessive or unreasonable.
- In most cases, the obsessions or compulsions cause substantial distress, take a great deal of the person’s time, and seriously interfere with the person’s normal routine and relationships.
- During episodes, the person may or may not have insight about the excessive or unreasonable nature of the obsessions or compulsions.