Anxiety disorders are a group of related conditions rather than a single disorder. They can look very different from person to person (Rivas-Vazquez, Feldman, 2003). One individual may suffer from intense anxiety attacks that strike without any warning, while another gets panicky at the thought of attending and talking at a party (Rivas-Vazquez, et al., 2003). Despite their different forms, all anxiety disorders share one major symptom: persistent or severe fear or worry in situations where most people would not feel threatened (Rivas-Vazquez, et al., 2003). There are six major types of anxiety disorders, each with their own distinct symptoms, these include: generalized anxiety disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, panic disorder, phobias, post-traumatic stress disorder, and social anxiety disorder (Rivas-Vazquez, et al., 2003). Generalized anxiety disorder occurs when an individual consistently has their worries and fears distract them from their day-to-day activities or they are troubled by persistent feelings that something bad is going to happen (Rivas-Vazquez, et al., 2003). An example of this occurs when a person is afraid to follow through on everyday activities due to the fear that something might happen to them.
An Obsessive-compulsive disorder is characterized by unwanted thoughts or behaviors that seem impossible to stop or control (Rivas-Vazquez, et al., 2003). An example of this occurs when a women has a book collection that she dusts daily and does not let anyone else, including her husband, touches her books. She insists that her husband should get into bed at night before her so that she could make sure that nothing in the house had been moved after she went to bed. If they were late for an engagement, she was unable to modify her routine of getting ready. Both at work and at home, she refused to allow others to do any tasks that might be helpful to her, as she felt that only she could perform these tasks correctly.
A panic disorder is characterized by repeated, unexpected panic attacks, as well as fear of experiencing another episode (Rivas-Vazquez, et al., 2003). An example of this occurs when a man was going about doing an everyday activity and experienced rapid heart pounding, difficulty breathing, feelings of unreality, and tingling in his fingers. During this first panic attack he experienced the fear that he was dying of a heart attack and then he went immediately to the emergency room at the local hospital. Since that time he has experienced approximately one panic attack each week and often worries about having a future panic attack. He fears that his panic symptoms mean he is about to die from a heart attack or stroke even though his physician has ruled out any medical problems. Over the years he has experienced significant interference in his life due to his symptoms and fear of triggering a panic attack.
A phobia is an unrealistic or exaggerated fear of a specific objects, activity, or situation that in reality presents little to no danger to them at all (Rivas-Vazquez, et al., 2003). An example of this is when a person has a phobia of a snake. This would be a legitimate fear but if this individual lives in the United Kingdom there is a slight possibility that they may be out in the countryside on a warm summer's day and they may possibly come across one of our increasingly rare snakes but in reality the possibility of seeing that snake in the United Kingdom is slim to none.
Post-traumatic stress disorder is an anxiety disorder that can occur in the aftermath of a traumatic or life-threatening event (Rivas-Vazquez, et al., 2003). A man gets into a car crash with his wife, subsequently he lives and his wife passes away. This person then has been having flashbacks or very vivid images, of the crash; these flashbacks will sometimes cause him to dissociate, to where he will lose track of where he is and he feels like he is back at the scene of the accident. This person is very scared of these flashbacks, and worries that it is a sign that he is going "crazy". He tries to avoid anything that reminds him of the crash, and will avoid looking at pictures of his wife, going to his grave site, or talking about her with friends and family.
Finally, a social anxiety disorder is a debilitating fear of being seen negatively by others and humiliating in public (Rivas-Vazquez, et al., 2003). An example of this occurs when an man is worried about being negatively evaluated when he interacts with authority figures at work (for example, talking to his boss, making phone calls to senior executives within the company) or when speaking in front of a group of people (for example, giving presentations during meetings at work). He is afraid that other people will think that he is stupid and incompetent, even though others have told him that they respect and admire his skills and knowledge. He is very concerned that his mind will go blank, that he will not be able to think of anything to say, or that he will use the wrong words. He first noticed a problem when he was unable to participate in classes at university because he felt too self-conscious and anxious.
The exact causes for any mood disorders are not well understood, but some combination of genetic predisposition, psychological and medical factors appears to play a role in these disorders (Teachman, 2006). Some key factors that could constitute the cause of mood disorders are: psychological factors, genetic factors, drugs, and medical conditions (Mclaughlin, Hatzenbuehler, 2009). The way in which psychological factors could cause a mood disorder is by giving an individual a personal feeling of helplessness and vulnerability, anger, hopelessness and pessimism, and low self-esteem to an individual (Mclaughlin, et al., 2009). The way genetic factors could cause mood disorders are when genetically a person has a history of depression. This creates the possibility of an offspring also developing depression, which is a mood disorder. The way in which drugs could cause mood disorders is from prescribed medical and psychiatric conditions as many commonly abused substances, can also cause depression (Mclaughlin, et al., 2009). Examples of this include: anthihypertensives, psychotopics, narcotics and nonnarcotics analgesics, antiparkinsonian drugs, numerous cardiovascular medications, oral antidiabetics, antimicrobials, steroids, chemotherapeutic agents, cimetidine, and alcohol (Mclaughlin, et al., 2009). Finally, medical conditions could cause a mood disorder. Examples of medical conditions that could cause mood disorders are viral and bacterial infections, cardiovascular disorders, or musculoskeletal disorder (Mclaughlin, et al., 2009). Now that I have the causes for these disorders, I will explain how these disorders affect the brain.
The forebrain is the most affected part of the brain in people who have anxiety disorders (Kalat, 2009). The hippocampus and amygdale are of particular importance, as they are interconnected and also project to both subcortical and cortical nuclei (Kalat, 2009). Other brain structures involved in controlling emotion, such as the hypothalamus, may also be involved in the pathogenesis of anxiety disorders (Kalat, 2009). People with obsessive-compulsive disorders (OCD) often show increased activity in the basal nuclei, in particular the striatum and other frontal lobe areas of the forebrain (Kalat, 2009). The parts of the brain that are affected in people who have mood disorders are as followed: cingulated cortex and hippocampal formation. A major role for the anterior cingulate cortex in mood disorders is apparent from a wealth of neuropsychological, neuroanatomical and functional imaging data, consistent with the increasingly sophisticated models which place it at the interface of emotion, cognition, drive and motor control (Kalat, 2009). The hippocampal formation (dentate gyrus, Ammon’s horn, subiculum and parahippocampal cortex) has been implicated in mood disorder for two main reasons (Kalat, 2009). First, several, though by no means all, MRI studies have found smaller hippocampal volumes in major depression and bipolar disorder; there is also a report of decreased weight of the parahippocampal gyrus in elderly depressed patients (Kalat, 2009). Secondly, there is a well‐studied model linking depression, via growth factors and second messengers, to the atrophic effects of glucocorticoids and stress on hippocampal pyramidal neurons and their dendrites (Kalat, 2009). Now that I have described how these disorders affect the brain, I will explain the treatments for both anxiety and mood disorders.
Medication for anxiety disorders could be helpful to people in order to control an individual’s anxiety issues. A variety of medications are used in the treatment of anxiety disorders but the two most common are: benzodiazepines and antidepressants (Vitiello, 2009). These medications serve as antidepressants, antianxiety, antipsychotic and stimulant to create ease to someone who has anxiety disorder (Vitiello, 2009). Even though medication could be helpful it’s most effective when combined with behavioral theory (Vitiello, 2009). Behavioral theory is a place where individuals are given a forum to talk about their problems and learn tools to cope with their disorder (Vitiello, 2009). In behavior therapy people work through their problems, develop coping skills, and gain greater sense of control over their own lives (Vitiello, 2009).
There are several new treatments that are showing promise as complements to both theory and medication (Vitiello, 2009). In the cases of mild anxiety disorders, these treatments provide great relief: exercise, relaxation techniques, biofeedback, and hypnosis (Vitiello, 2009). To relieve anxiety as little as 30 minutes of exercise three to five times a week could really help a person (Vitiello, 2009). Participating in an aerobic activity such as a brisk walk, jog, swimming, bicycling, racquetball, or tennis will have a positive and stabilizing effect on mood and give a person’s a sense of well-being due to the chemicals released in the body during a person’s workout (Vitiello, 2009). When a person practices relaxation techniques regularly it can reduce anxiety and increase feelings of relaxation and a person’s emotion well-being (Vitiello, 2009). This includes mindfulness meditation, progressive muscle relaxation, controlled breathing, and visualization (Vitiello, 2009). Biofeedback is a sensor that measures specific physiological functions such as heart rate, breathing, and muscle tension (Vitiello, 2009). The way biofeedback helps a person with anxiety disorder is through therapy that has proved very effective in numerous cases. It also teaches a person to recognize the body’s anxiety response and learn how to control them using relaxation techniques (Vitiello, 2009). The best thing is that this theory teaches a person how to become more aware of their breathing (Vitiello, 2009). It is essential as rapid or shallow breathing is among the prominent causes of anxiety disorder (Vitiello, 2009). Once a person is familiar with this type of theory, their cognitive thought patterns along with psychological responses will be changed (Vitiello, 2009). Finally, hypnosis is sometimes used in combination with cognitive-behavioral therapy for anxiety (Vitiello, 2009). Hypnotherapy differs from therapist to therapist and according to the depth and complexity of the cause and the suggestibility of the client (Vitiello, 2009). The average is between three and six sessions, and in that time frame it uses techniques and methods to make people mask they ever had an anxiety disorder to begin with.
Medication for mood disorders could be helpful in aiding people with their disorder. A variety of medications are used in the treatment of mood disorders but the most common are: Valproic acid, Carbamazepine, Risperidone, Quetiapine, and Olanzapine (Bogart, Gallo, Vranceanu, 2009). Even though medication could be helpful it would be most effective when it’s coupled with cognitive behavior theory (Bogart, et al., 2009). Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy is an empirically supported treatment that focuses on patterns of thinking that are maladaptive and the beliefs that underlie such thinking (Bogart, et al., 2009). An example of this would be a person who is depressed may have the belief that their “worthless,” and a person with a phobia may have the belief that “I’m in danger,” while the person in distress likely holds such beliefs with great conviction, with a therapist’s help an individual is encouraged to view such beliefs as hypotheses rather than actual facts (Bogart, et al., 2009). Furthermore, those in distress are encouraged to monitor and log thoughts that pop into their minds in order to enable them to determine what patterns of biases in thinking may exist and to develop more adaptive alternatives to their thoughts (Bogart, et al., 2009).
The number of college students who are afflicted with a serious mental illness has drastically risen over the past couple of decades (Roan, 2010). In 1998, 93% of the students seeking counseling were diagnosed with one mental disorder, compared to 96% of students in 2009 (Roan, 2010). This is a trend that appears will continue over the next decade. The percentage of students with moderate to severe depression (form of a mood disorder) rose from 34% to 41% while the number of students on psychiatric medications increased from 11% to 24% (Roan, 2010). These statistics show that medication is being used to aide a lot of these depression problems which show that students in college are becoming more depressed over the years. With that said, the number of students who said they had thought about suicide within two weeks of counseling fell from 26% in 1998 to 11% in 2009 (Roan, 2010). This could reflect the improvements in suicide prevention and counseling outreach on college campuses. Now that I have explained both Anxiety and mood disorders, I hope it draws light to how serious of disorders they are and ways to treat them.
It is not uncommon for students in college to experience stress and anxiety. Here are some suggests to alleviate stress in college. First off, a positive attitude is the first step to combat stress. I have learned in my years of college that attitude is everything. If you believe in yourself, and your abilities you could achieve anything. Another way of coping with stress is learning how to not stress out about exams you will be taking throughout your college career. It’s important to prepare yourself and study for these exams in advance because a lot of students in college are procrastinators and even though students believe you perform better under pressure statistics show that a person does better on an exam if well prepared for it. Another way of relieving stress throughout college is deep breathing exercises. I learned a long time ago that its important when you start to get worried, stressed, or scared about something to close your eyes and take a few deep breaths. By doing this, it helps you relieve any stress that a person have obtained in college and could help a person throughout their day. Sometimes stress can grow into a more serious problem. If you feel depressed, have prolonged insomnia or indigestion problems due to your anxiety seek profession help at the counseling center located at your university. They are a great help to let you speak about whatever is going on in your life and will help relieve a bit of stress. Two other things that I have noticed will help relieve stress and anxiety throughout college are getting enough sleep and monitoring alcohol consumption. When you do not get enough sleep every night it will affect the way a person functions which will affect their grades. This creates the issue of worse grades and ultimately enhances stress in a student’s life. The final thing that will help relieve stress and anxiety will be monitoring alcohol consumption. As a college student at time we drink far too much, this creates an issue because we make mistakes that we sometimes regret. This could cause stress and anxiety in one’s life and make things more difficult. I hope this paper has really informed everyone about how serious of an issue anxiety and mood disorders are and how they should be handled.
Works Cited
Bogart, Gallo, Vranceanu, A. (2009). Depressive symptoms and momentary affect: The role of social interaction variables. Depression and Anxiety, 26, 464-470.
Kalat, James W. (2009). Biological Psychology. North Carolina State University, Wadsworth 2009.
McLaughlin, Hatzenbuehler, M. (2009). Stressful Life Events, Anxiety Sensitivity, and Internalizing Symptoms in Adolescents. Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 118, 659-669.
Naragon-Gainey, K. (2010). Meta-Analysis of the Relations of Anxiety Sensitivity to the Depressive and Anxiety Disorders. Psychological Bulletin, 136, 128-150.
Rivas-Vazquez, Feldman, L. (2003). Assessment and Treatment of Social Anxiety Disorder. Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, 34, 396-405.
Roan, S. (2010). More college students mentally ill. Los Angeles Time, 1.
Teachman, B. (2006). Aging and Negative Affect: The Rise and Fall and Rise of Anxiety and Depressive Symptoms. Psychology and aging, 21, 201-207.
Vitiello, B. (2009). Treatment of Adolescent Depression: What we have come to know. Depression and Anxiety, 26, 393-395.
Wolitzky-Taylor, Olatunji, B. (2009). Anxiety Sensitivity and the Anxiety Disorders: A Meta-Analytic Review and Synthesis. Psychological Bulletin, 135, 974-999.
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