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Everything You Need to Know About Anxiety Disorders

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Anxiety Disorders Association of America

ADAA Got Anxiety


Last Updated: 11/24/2009

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City: Silver Spring
State: Maryland
Country: US

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November 9, 2009 - Monday 
Everyone experiences stress and anxiety, so it's important to recognize the signs and symptoms and learn some skills to cope.

National Stress Øut Week is a good time to consider how stress and anxiety affect your life, and what you can do to reduce their impact.

This year National Stress Øut Week, sponsored by ADAA, highlights the benefits of mind-body practices such as yoga, breathing and meditation to reduce stress and anxiety.
 
"As more scientific research emerges that affirms the mind-body connection, it becomes increasingly clear that anxiety and stress can negatively affect our health in many ways," says Jerilyn Ross, MA, LICSW, president and CEO of ADAA.

"The good news is that there are many things you can do to get your anxiety under control to become healthier and live better."
 
Visit www.adaa.org/StressOutWeek2009.asp to learn how to cope with stress and anxiety, including twelve tips to get you started, whether you have an hour or just five minutes.

And spread the word! Tell your friends and family about National Stress Øut Week.
5:39 PM 
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September 4, 2009 - Friday 
Pregnant women with a history of anxiety or depression can face difficult and confusing choices about treating their symptoms with antidepressants and other medications.

Both anxiety disorders and depression are more likely to affect women than men, and women who are pregnant are not excluded.

In fact, symptoms can develop or worsen during or after pregnancy, though in some cases women notice fewer symptoms while pregnant.

Read on for an overview of treatment options for pregnant women, including what medications are safe to take.
3:02 PM 
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July 9, 2009 - Thursday 
One in three people with social anxiety disorder also have major depression, and those with both disorders are more likely to have more severe depressive symptoms.

Additionally, studies show that social anxiety disorder during one's adolescence or young adulthood seems to predict depressive disorders later in life. Researchers are studying whether or not early treatment of social anxiety disorder reduces the risk for depression down the road.

Read on for symptoms of major depression and treatments that work for both depression and social anxiety disorder.
1:33 PM 
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July 1, 2009 - Wednesday 
"You're Never Too Young"
Social Anxiety in Children
 By Murray B. Stein, MD, MPH, and John R. Walker, PhD

Excerpt from Triumph Over Shyness: Conquering Social Anxiety Disorder, Second Edition

Severe shyness and social anxiety occur in children as well as in adults. Remember, many adults with social anxiety disorder say their problems began when they were much younger. Often though, their symptoms are not recognized as problems by teachers, counselors, coaches or, sometimes, even parents. In this chapter we'll describe the kinds of shyness problems kids can have, how to recognize them, and when to be concerned.
 
When children are very young, shyness is often viewed as an endearing trait, as in, "Look how shy she is, hiding her head in Mommy's shirt. Isn't that cute?" When children are of preschool age, it is common for them to exhibit shyness behaviors such as stranger anxiety (hiding, crying, or running to Mommy when a new person enters the room), remaining very quiet around people with whom they are not familiar, or clinging to Daddy when in a novel situation.

These kinds of behaviors are not, within reason, abnormal in a preschooler. They are, however, very much abnormal in a fifth-grader.

One of the difficulties we experience as parents is knowing when a child has moved from "that's normal" terrain to "this just ain't right" territory. What is developmentally appropriate for a three-year-old is rarely appropriate for an 11-year-old. But since we are so close to our children and see them develop over a long period of time, parents often have problems detecting "abnormal" in their own kids. A good rule of thumb is to observe and be aware of how your child handles social situations and friendships compared to other children of the same age.
 
It may come as a shock to hear that parents are, in general, pretty lousy at knowing what is going on in the emotional lives of their children. Studies have shown that children and parents differ tremendously in the way they rate their own emotions, particularly when it comes to assessing anxiety. Parents typically know when their children are very anxious but tend to rate them as less anxious than the children rate themselves. When children rate themselves as moderately anxious, their parents more often than not are oblivious to the anxiety.

What is the explanation for this phenomenon?
 
The truth is that we are too busy making lunches and driving carpool to notice much of what's going on in the emotional lives of our kids. We're not talking about bad parents; we're talking about very, very good parents. Emotions are felt strongly, but they are internal states: Unless someone tells you that she or he is anxious or uncomfortable, it can be very hard to know. Children will sometimes tell us, though they don't always have the words to say it in a way that makes sense to adults. Teenagers, of course, prefer to tell us nothing.

Read the entire chapter about childhood social anxiety disorder.
 
Order your copy today of Triumph Over Shyness: Conquering Social Anxiety Disorder, Second Edition.
2:30 PM 
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June 16, 2009 - Tuesday 
Sarah Hunt will run in the New York City Marathon later this year in memory of her mother, Robin, who suffered from debilitating anxiety and depression.
 
And she hopes to raise $10,000 for ADAA along the way.
 
"She hated living with anxiety and depression," Sarah says about her mother, who passed away in April.

"On most days the simple acts of daily living were too much for her to handle. Her disease kept her alone, sad, and scared. No one should feel that way."
 
Support Sarah today. Visit www.active.com/donate/sarahhunt, and follow her progress as she trains at smilewithyoureyes.tumblr.com.
 
All donations will go directly to ADAA; Sarah is paying for all marathon costs, including airfare and lodging, herself.
 
"Your contribution in her name, even if it's only the amount of a cup of coffee, would make her so proud," Sarah says. "It's time to eliminate the stigma, educate the public, and find the way to deal with these disorders."
 
Please help Sarah achieve her goal. Donate today.
1:30 PM 
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June 4, 2009 - Thursday 
At around the age of 10, I became aware that I was different. I felt intense social anxiety. I had no skills to use to interact socially with my peers. I was quiet and blended into the walls. I didn't trust my perceptions and it took many years before I could admit, much less say aloud, how I felt.

These are the words of Cynthia Kipp, who has social anxiety disorder.

woman holding a glass of alcoholAs a teenager Cynthia started drinking to alleviate her anxiety around her peers. But her drinking soon became a problem.

About 15 million U.S. adults, or 7 percent of the population, have social anxiety disorder in any given year. And it isn't unusual for people with social anxiety disorder -- or other anxiety disorders -- to drink excessively to cope with symptoms or try to escape them.

Read on for more information about the connection between social anxiety disorder and alcohol abuse. Part two of this two-part series will discuss social anxiety disorder and depression.
1:47 PM 
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May 20, 2009 - Wednesday 
A new documentary series from A&E gives a first-hand look at how an anxiety disorder can radically affect a person’s life.

Each one-hour episode of “Obsessed” follows two people who experience debilitating symptoms, their struggles, and the process of rehabilitation.

Watch “Obsessed” Mondays at 10 p.m. on A&E. Get more information about the show. 

The first episode features Helen and Scott, who have obsessive-compulsive disorder, or OCD. Learn more about OCD.

Anxiety disorders are the most common mental illness in the United States, affecting 40 million adults. Help ADAA reach more people and advocate for better treatment by making a donation today. Donate now.
8:16 PM 
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May 15, 2009 - Friday 
Listen to the latest research on the genetics of anxiety disorders in a new podcast.

Experts Kerry Ressler, MD, PhD, Emory University, and Jordan Smoller, MD, ScD, Harvard Medical School/Massachusetts General Hospital, discuss how genes play a role in anxiety disorders and what that means for you and your family.

Listen now to "The Genetics of Anxiety Disorders."
 
Check back for more: ADAA will present a new podcast each month.
3:38 PM 
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April 28, 2009 - Tuesday 
Follow the Anxiety Disorders Association of America on Twitter: http://twitter.com/gotanxiety.
2:08 PM 
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April 10, 2009 - Friday 

ADAA has just released a new book on social anxiety disorder (social phobia).

Triumph Over Shyness: Conquering Social Anxiety Disorder, Second Edition, is full of practical tips, helpful techniques, and more to help manage anxious thoughts and physical symptoms of social anxiety disorder.

Using humor, warmth, and language that is easy to understand, authors Murray Stein, MD, MPH, and John Walker, PhD, explain what causes social anxiety disorder, how it impacts social and romantic relationships, and what treatments work.

This book is only available through ADAA and costs $15.

Break free from the bonds of social anxiety. Order your copy today: http://www.adaa.org/Bookstore/adaapublications.asp

Learn more about social anxiety disorder and read personal stories: http://www.adaa.org/socialanxietydisorder

2:19 PM 
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