| According to the Anxiety Disorders | | | | Losing a job, serious debt, awaiting medical |
| Association of America, anxiety is the most | | | | test results, the imminent death of a loved |
| common mental illness in America, with nearly | | | | one are just a few. All of these and more |
| 20% of the adult population affected. Woman | | | | are legitimate causes for anxiety. It is only |
| are twice as likely to experience life | | | | when the anxiety becomes the defining factor |
| disrupting general anxiety disorder, GAD, and | | | | in a person's life, dictating their every |
| specific phobias than men are, however the | | | | move in some cases, that it is time to seek |
| numbers for those suffering with Obsessive | | | | professional help. If the fears are no longer |
| Compulsive Disorder are equal for the sexes. | | | | based in logic, if the affected person's |
| | | | daily life is seriously diminished, and if no |
| It is interesting to note that approximately | | | | amount of reassurance will ease their fears, |
| 1/3 of all adult sufferers of anxiety | | | | it is time to obtain an evaluation from a |
| disorders had experienced some symptoms when | | | | mental health professional. |
| they were children. Women also hold the | | | | |
| dubious honor of being far more likely to | | | | There should be no stigma associated with |
| experience Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, | | | | seeking help with for mental health concerns. |
| and twice as likely to suffer with Panic | | | | It is no different than hypertension or |
| Disorders. In these studies it is noted that | | | | diabetes, in that, left untreated will |
| childhood sexual abuse is often a precursor | | | | severely impact the suffering person's |
| for PTSD, and regardless of the age of the | | | | ability to interact with their family, |
| attack, rape will trigger PTSD in 65% of the | | | | friends and co workers, and possibly escalate |
| men and almost 46% of the woman who | | | | to where the affected person is unable to |
| experienced it. | | | | even leave their home. |
| | | | |
| We all face anxiety producing events in our | | | | When basic daily functioning is impacted by |
| daily lives, beginning when we were an infant | | | | the anxiety disorder, and the ability to |
| and we realized our mother had left the room. | | | | enjoy life is disrupted, a family member may |
| From that day on the stress in our lives | | | | need to seek advice on how to best encourage |
| continues to be experienced, overcome, and | | | | their loved one to obtain necessary help. The |
| the knowledge of our successes helps us move | | | | need for this intervention is a vital one. An |
| on to the next challenge. | | | | anxiety disorder left untreated can easily |
| | | | escalate to include other mental health |
| The child goes to school for the first day | | | | concerns, including depression and suicidal |
| and both the parents and the child are | | | | thoughts. |
| anxious. The first sleepover, away camp, | | | | |
| learning to drive, and going away to college | | | | As dismal as this may all sound, help is |
| are all important milestones that can cause | | | | readily available, and cost or lack of |
| normal anxiety in the parties involved, even | | | | insurance does not need to be a factor. |
| though there may well be an undercurrent of | | | | Resources for help are as close as the phone |
| excitement, also. | | | | book or the computer, and many state and |
| | | | county mental health clinics accept sliding |
| For adults, the list for potentially | | | | payments based on ability to pay. |
| stressful situations is virtually endless. | | | | |