Anxiety DIsorders and Substance Abuse

Anxiety Disorders and Substance Abuse

Last Updated (Wednesday, 31 December 1969 15:59) Monday, 08 September 2008 21:49

Anxiety Disorders affect about 18% (about 40 million) of the American adult population in any given year, causing them to be filled with fearfulness and uncertainty. Unlike the relatively mild, brief anxiety caused by a stressful event (such as speaking in public or a first date), anxiety disorders last at least 6 months and can get worse if they are not treated. Anxiety disorders commonly occur along with other mental or physical illnesses, including alcohol or substance abuse, which may mask anxiety symptoms or make them worse.
There are several different expressions of anxiety disorders including: panic disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), social phobia, specific phobias and generalized anxiety disorder (GAD).   Each anxiety disorder has different symptoms, but all the symptoms cluster around excessive, irrational fear and dread.
Effective therapies for anxiety disorders are available, and research is uncovering new psychopharmacological and behavioral treatments that can help most people with anxiety disorders lead productive, fulfilling lives.

http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/anxiety-disorders/introduction.shtml

http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/the-numbers-count-mental-disorders-in-america.shtml#Anxiety

http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/418735