Anxiety is a normal reaction to stress and can actually be beneficial in some situations. For some people, however, anxiety can become excessive. While the person suffering may realize their anxiety is too much, they may also have difficulty controlling it and it may negatively affect their day-to-day living. There is a wide variety of anxiety disorders, including obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), panic disorder, PTSD, and generalized anxiety disorder, to name a few. Collectively, they are among the most common mental disorders experienced by Americans.
Unlike the relatively mild, brief anxiety caused by a stressful event (such as speaking in public or a job interview), anxiety disorders last at least six months and can get worse if they are not treated. Each anxiety disorder has different symptoms, but all the symptoms cluster around excessive, irrational fear and dread.
Anxiety disorders commonly occur along with other mental or physical illnesses, which may mask anxiety symptoms or make them worse. A qualified mental health physician must conduct a very careful diagnostic evaluation to determine whether a person’s symptoms are caused by an anxiety disorder or a physical problem. If an anxiety disorder is diagnosed, the type of disorder or the combination of disorders that are present must be identified, as well as any coexisting conditions, such as depression or substance abuse. Sometimes alcoholism, depression, or other coexisting conditions have such a strong effect on the individual that treating the anxiety disorder must wait until the coexisting conditions are brought under control. Many people diagnosed with anxiety disorder also suffer from depression and vice-versa. While the two conditions are not the same and one doesn’t cause the other, the symptoms are often similar.
It is believed that, like heart disease and type 1 diabetes, mental illnesses are complex and probably result from a combination of genetic, environmental, psychological, and developmental factors. Several parts of the brain are key factors in the production of fear and anxiety. Using brain imaging technology and neurochemical techniques, scientists have discovered that the amygdala and the hippocampus play significant roles in most anxiety disorders.
The amygdala is believed to be a communications hub between the parts of the brain that process incoming sensory signals and the parts that interpret these signals. It can alert the rest of the brain that a threat is present and trigger a fear or anxiety response. The emotional memories stored in the central part of the amygdala may play a role in anxiety disorders involving very distinct fears, such as fears of dogs, spiders, or flying. The hippocampus is the part of the brain that encodes threatening events into memories. Studies have shown that the hippocampus appears to be smaller in some people who were victims of child abuse or who served in military combat. By learning more about how the brain creates fear and anxiety, scientists hope to discover better treatments for anxiety disorders.
In general, anxiety disorders are treated with medication and specific types of psychotherapy. There is a new treatment option for depression called Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) that does not involve any type of drug or medication. TMS therapy has been demonstrated to be safe and effective in treating major depressive disorder in adults who have not been able to achieve improvement from antidepressant medication.
Effective therapies for anxiety disorders are available, and research is uncovering new treatments that can help most people with anxiety disorders lead productive, fulfilling lives. If you think you have any type of mental illness, you should seek information and treatment right away
For more information about mental illness or TMS Therapy, please contact Anjum Bashir, MD, at 309-808-2326 or 217-422-0027. His Bloomington office is located at 205 N. Williamsburg, Suite E, and he also has an office in Decatur. He is one of the few physicians in Central Illinois offering TMS Therapy for depression. TMS therapy is covered by most insurance companies including BC/BS, UBH, and Medicare.