Anxiety disorders are mental disorders with some form of anxiety as a major symptom. Although, anxiety is present in nearly all people who suffer from any mental disorder; it is the main symptom in these disorders. The anxiety disorders are categorized by the way the anxiety manifests itself. There are eight main types of anxiety disorder. I’m going to talk in this blog about Separation Anxiety Disorder (SAD), General Anxiety Disorder (GAD) and Panic Attacks and Panic Disorder.

Separation Anxiety Disorder (SAD) -This disorder’s main characteristic is anxiety when a child leaves home or people to whom she is attached. While separation fear is common and expected in young children, especially during the first and second years of life, it usually abates as a child approaches the school years to the point that a separation anxiety is not present. SAD has the following symptoms:

1. A serious worry that something bad (often including death) will happen to parents or caregivers upon separation or to the child, upon separation from the parents or caregivers.
2. This anxiety is manifested even when a separation is anticipated
3. Worries over abduction or being kidnapped
4. School refusal in order to stay near parent, often accompanied by a stomach ache and headache complaints around separation time
5. Fear of being alone or even going to sleep without the parent
6. Bad dreams about separation
7. Bed wetting
8. Rage episodes and tantrums and begging not to be forced to separate

As mentioned above, while we don’t know the exact mechanism of how an anxiety disorder as SAD is generated, the disorder often appears after a major separation, a move to new surroundings, loss of an important care-taking figure, in a house with over protective parents, and in families with others who have the same condition.

Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) – This disorder is characterized by excessive worrying. It is hard to specify the source of worry since it varies quite a bit and is general in nature. The child often feels on edge and is tense most of the time. As a result, she is often tired, has muscular tension states, and finds it difficult to relax, concentrate, or just let loose. There is irritation and often trouble sleeping, as well. Often such children are quite perfectionistic and come from homes that are pressure cookers for performance.

Panic Attacks and Panic Disorder (with or without agoraphobia) – A Panic Attack is one of the most uncomfortable symptoms known to us. Sometimes called anxiety attacks, panic attacks are a discreet period during which a child or teenager feels intense fear, often of doom, going crazy, dying, or some vague dread of being out control. They can last anywhere from several minutes to a half hour. There is an intense need to escape. An outpouring of adrenaline leads to many physical symptoms along with ideas of death or going crazy. The following are listed as the most common symptoms:

1. Shortness of breath
2. Choking feeling
3. Racing pounding heart, sweating, trembling, chills, or hot flushes
4. Chest discomfort
5. Nausea and abdominal distress
6. Feeling unreal or perceiving the world as unreal
7. Dizziness, feeling like fainting or in fact fainting
8. Tingling or numbness in the extremities

Panic Disorder occurs when a worry is experienced after one or more panic attacks and the child begins to anticipate another and, as a result, often alters his behavior to avoid being unable to escape or get help, if one might occur. Thus, many children develop an avoidant (phobic) lifestyle to avoid such situations like leaving home, crowds, being on a bridge, and public transportation. This syndrome is called agoraphobia from the Greek word agora meaning marketplace referring to an open place. Some people never develop the agoraphobia, but simply have panic disorder with recurrent panic attacks and worry, but no avoidance.

DISCLAIMER

Information contained in this blog is intended for educational purposes only. It is not intended as medical or psychiatric advice for individual conditions or treatment and does not substitute for a medical or psychiatric examination. A psychiatrist must make a determination about any treatment or prescription. Dr. Paul does not assume any responsibility or risk for the use of any information contained within this blog.

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