What Is Separation Anxiety Disorder
This condition mostly happens to children or teens, who may worry about being away from their parents. Children with separation anxiety disorder may fear that their parents will be hurt in some way or not come back as promised. It happens a lot in preschoolers. But older children and adults who experience a stressful event may have separation anxiety disorder as well.
The Drake Institute Can Help
Since 1980, the Drake Institute has been successfully treating patients for their anxiety disorder symptoms.;
By using Biofeedback in conjunction with brain-map guided Neurofeedback and Neuromodulation, the Drake Institute is able to create non-drug treatment protocols custom-tailored to each patients specific needs and requirements.;
In addition to these advanced treatment methodologies, the Drake Institute also utilizes Heart Rate Variability training to improve the homeostasis or balanced functioning of the autonomic nervous system.;
During Bio- or Neurofeedback, the physiologic recordings are provided back to the patient instantaneously through auditory and/or visual feedback, which enables the patient to reduce and potentially eliminate their tension through achieving deep relaxation, creating healthy homeostasis and physiological balance. This deep relaxation may not be possible without the physiologic feedback provided from the instruments.;
Once the physiological tension is reduced, the anxiety symptoms begin to reduce as well. For example, if a patient is dealing with tension headaches, the process of Bio- or Neurofeedback can assist with lowering the individuals blood pressure and allows them to release the abnormal muscle tension that that carry in their face and head, subsequently causing the headaches to dissipate. ;;;
Signs And Symptoms Of Phobias
The symptoms of a phobia can range from mild feelings of apprehension and anxiety to a full-blown panic attack. Typically, the closer you are to the thing youre afraid of, the greater your fear will be. Your fear will also be higher if getting away is difficult.
Physical symptoms of a phobia include:
- Difficulty breathing
Emotional symptoms of a phobia include:
- Feeling overwhelming anxiety or panic
- Feeling intense need to escape
- Feeling unreal or detached from yourself
- Fear of losing control or going crazy
- Feeling like youre going to die or pass out
- Knowing that youre overreacting, but feeling powerless to control fear
Symptoms of blood-injection-injury phobia
The symptoms of blood-injection-injury phobia are slightly different from other phobias. When confronted with the sight of blood or a needle, you experience not only fear, but also disgust.
Like other phobias, you initially feel anxious as your heart speeds up. However, unlike other phobias, this acceleration is followed by a quick drop in blood pressure, which leads to nausea, dizziness, and fainting. Although a fear of fainting is common in all specific phobias, blood-injection-injury phobia is the only phobia where fainting can actually occur.
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How Many People Are Affected By Phobias
Approximately 5% of the general population suffers from at least one phobia, although there are large differences amongst countries. In the United States, nearly 9% of the population has been diagnosed with a specific phobia while, for example, that number drops to .2% in Northern Ireland. Approximately 4.6% of the worlds population suffers from a social phobia.
Phobia Treatment: Can Phobias Be Cured
Luckily, phobic disorders are highly treatable, and since afflicted individuals are typically acutely aware of their disorder, the diagnosis process is typically straight-forward. ;;
For most individuals, the prescribed treatment usually encompasses behavioral therapy, medications like Zoloft, or some combination of the two approaches.;
However, at the Drake Institute of Neurophysical;Medicine, we believe there is a better way.;
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Treatment Of Anxiety Disorders
Anxiety disorders can be successfully treated. The most common form of treatment is a combination of drug therapy and cognitive-behavioral therapy .
Because most anxiety disorders have some biological basis, the most common drugs prescribed are anti-depressants and anti-anxiety drugs.
CBT involves helping people to turn their anxious thoughts and feelings into more rational ones. Sometimes people will benefit from being exposed in a controlled way to the object and situation they fear. Some CBT techniques have been developed to deal with specific disorders. For example, people with panic disorder can benefit from learning new breathing and meditation techniques, which can help them deal with their anxiety.
Support groups and learning more about the disorder can also help a great many people deal with anxiety disorders. Involving family and friends who are also affected by the disorder, can help people recover or learn how to cope with their condition.
The most important first step in treatment is to get a proper diagnosis from a specialist in anxiety disorders. Many people suffer for 10 years or more before getting the right treatment.
Seven Diagnostic Criteria For Specific Phobias
The fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders outlines seven diagnostic criteria for specific phobias:
- The phobic object or situation almost always provokes immediate fear or anxiety.
- The phobic object or situation is avoided or endured with intense fear or anxiety.
- The fear or anxiety is out of proportion to the actual danger posed by the specific object or situation and to the socio-cultural context.
- The fear, anxiety, or avoidance is persistent, typically lasting for 6 months or more.
- The fear, anxiety, or avoidance causes clinically significant distress or impairment in social, occupational, or other important areas of functioning.
- The disturbance is not better explained by symptoms of another mental disorder, including fear, anxiety, and avoidance of situations associated with panic-like symptoms or other incapacitating symptoms; objects or situations related to obsessions; reminders of traumatic events; separation from home or attachment figures; or social situations.
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What’s The Difference Between Fear And Phobia
Fear is a natural emotion triggered by the brain in response to situations that it considers dangerous. Fear protects us from danger, or at least allows us to calculate the risks of a scary situation and take precautions. A phobia is an exaggerated and intense version of fear that leads us to feel extreme anxiety in certain settings even though the situation poses little or no danger. While occasional fear can protect us, phobias can greatly interfere with your quality of life.
How Are Anxiety Disorders Diagnosed
If you have symptoms of an anxiety disorder, talk to your healthcare provider. Theyll start with a complete medical history and physical examination.
There are no lab tests or scans that can diagnose anxiety disorders. But your provider may run some of these tests to rule out physical conditions that may be causing symptoms.
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Whats The Outlook For People With Anxiety Disorders
Anxiety disorders can often go undiagnosed and untreated. Fortunately, treatment can help. The right treatment can help improve your quality of life, relationships and productivity. It can also support your overall well-being.
You dont need to live with constant worry and fear. If you notice symptoms of an anxiety disorder, talk to your healthcare provider. Its best to get diagnosed and treated as soon as possible. Doing so can limit the problems that anxiety disorders can cause. Often, a combination of medications and counseling for anxiety can help you feel your best.
Social Anxiety Disorder : Social Phobia Disorder
Social anxiety is a fear of humiliation or of being judged by others, and an avoidance of social situations where attention centers on the individual . According to the Social Anxiety Institute, social anxiety has become the third largest psychological disorder, following depression and alcoholism . Commonly, victims of this social phobia have problems pursuing social environments, interactions, and relationships . The failure to fulfill daily requirements
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How Does Psychotherapy Treat Anxiety Disorders
Psychotherapy, or counseling, helps you deal with your emotional response to the illness. A mental health provider talks through strategies to help you better understand and manage the disorder. Approaches include:
- Cognitive behavioral therapy is the most common type of psychotherapy used with anxiety disorders. CBT for anxiety teaches you to recognize thought patterns and behaviors that lead to troublesome feelings. You then work on changing them.
- Exposure therapy focuses on dealing with the fears behind the anxiety disorder. It helps you engage with activities or situations you may have been avoiding. Your provider may also use relaxation exercises and imagery with exposure therapy.
Social Phobia Disorder And Social Anxiety Disorder Essay
include social interaction. Nerves can sometimes trigger anxiety during classroom interactions, job interviews, or other social events. It is almost normal to stand in front of a crowd and feel like youre being judged constantly and tremble. There is a major difference between nerves and an anxiety disorder. When someone sufferers with social anxiety, they normally avoid situations that allow them to feel judged by others. I believe that social phobia can be resolved in some individuals but, not for everyone
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Who Is At Risk For Anxiety Disorders
A mix of genetic and environmental factors can raise a persons risk for developing anxiety disorders. You may be at higher risk if you have or had:
- Certain personality traits, such as shyness or behavioral inhibition feeling uncomfortable with, and avoiding, unfamiliar people, situations or environments.
- Stressful or traumatic events in early childhood or adulthood.
- Family history of anxiety or other mental health conditions.
- Certain physical conditions, including thyroid problems and heart arrhythmias .
Anxiety disorders occur more often in women. Researchers are still studying why that happens. It may come from womens hormones, especially those that fluctuate throughout the month. The hormone testosterone may play a role, too men have more, and it may ease anxiety. Its also possible that women are less likely to seek treatment, so the anxiety worsens.
Common Types Of Phobias And Fears
There are four general types of phobias and fears:
- 1. Animal phobias such as the fear of snakes, spiders, rodents, and dogs.
- 2. Natural environment phobias such as a fear of heights, storms, water, and of the dark.
- 3. Situational phobias including the fear of enclosed spaces , flying, driving, tunnels, and bridges.
- 4. Blood-Injection-Injury phobia, the fear of blood, injury, illness, needles, or other medical procedures.
Some phobias, however, dont fall into one of the four common categories. These include fear of choking, fear of getting a disease such as cancer, and fear of clowns. Other common phobias that dont fit neatly into any of the four categories include:
Social phobia, also called social anxiety disorder, is fear of social situations where you may be embarrassed or judged. If you have social phobia, then you may be excessively self-conscious and afraid of humiliating yourself in front of others. Your anxiety over how you will look and what others will think may lead you to avoid certain social situations youd otherwise enjoy.
Fear of public speakingan extremely common phobiais a type of social phobia. Other fears associated with social phobia include fear of eating or drinking in public, talking to strangers, taking exams, mingling at a party, or being called on in class.
Agoraphobia was traditionally thought to involve a fear of public places and open spaces, but is now believed to develop as a complication of panic attacks.
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What Is Social Anxiety Disorder
Social anxiety disorder is a common type of anxiety disorder. A person with social anxiety disorder feels symptoms of anxiety or fear in certain or all social situations, such as meeting new people, dating, being on a job interview, answering a question in class, or having to talk to a cashier in a store. Doing everyday things in front of peoplesuch as eating or drinking in front of others or using a public restroomalso causes anxiety or fear. The person is afraid that he or she will be humiliated, judged, and rejected.
The fear that people with social anxiety disorder have in social situations is so strong that they feel it is beyond their ability to control. As a result, it gets in the way of going to work, attending school, or doing everyday things. People with social anxiety disorder may worry about these and other things for weeks before they happen. Sometimes, they end up staying away from places or events where they think they might have to do something that will embarrass them.
Some people with the disorder do not have anxiety in social situations but have performance anxiety instead. They feel physical symptoms of anxiety in situations such as giving a speech, playing a sports game, or dancing or playing a musical instrument on stage.
What Are The Treatments For Anxiety Disorders And Phobias
There has been a lot of progress in the understanding and diagnosis of the various forms of anxiety disorders. Treatment is specific to the severity of the disorder. The most effective forms of therapy are based on cognitive and behavioural approaches. Individuals may also learn calming techniques and meditative therapy and anti-depressant medication can be prescribed to help their anxiety. In most cases therapy will help the individual get better and lead a productive life.
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Recovery Is Possible With Treatment
Recovery from an anxiety disorder is possible with the right treatment and support. Effective treatments for anxiety disorders may include:
- Cognitive behavioural therapy aims to change patterns of thinking, beliefs and behaviours that may trigger anxiety.
- Exposure therapy involves gradually exposing a person to situations that trigger anxiety using a fear hierarchy: this is called systematic desensitisation.
- Anxiety management and relaxation techniques for example deep muscle relaxation, meditation, breathing exercises and counselling.
- Medication this may include antidepressants and benzodiazepines.
What Else Should I Ask My Healthcare Provider
If you have an anxiety disorder, ask your provider:
- Whats the best treatment for me?
- Do I need medication? What type?
- How long should I take medication?
- What type of psychotherapy will work best?
- What else can I do to manage my symptoms?
- What other conditions am I at risk for?
A note from Cleveland Clinic
An anxiety disorder can make it difficult to get through your day. Anxiety disorder symptoms include feelings of nervousness, panic and fear. You may also have physical symptoms such as sweating and a rapid heartbeat. But you dont need to live like this. Several effective anxiety disorder treatments are available. Talk to your healthcare provider to figure out your diagnosis and the best treatment plan. Often, treatment combines medications and therapy. Anti-anxiety medications and antidepressants, together with CBT, can help you feel your best.
Last reviewed by a Cleveland Clinic medical professional on 12/17/2020.
References
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The Difference Between Fear And Phobia
The term phobia gets thrown around a lot these days, but having a fear and having a phobia arent exactly the same thing.
Essentially, fear is temporary; phobia isnt.
Having a phobia creates a stumbling block in your life, and the fear it causes can be so strong that youll do anything to avoid the object of that phobia. Phobia that becomes debilitating is a type of anxiety disorder. Take, for example, a job offer. You made it through the hardest partlanding your dream positiononly to find out that your office will be on the 20th floor of an office buildingand you have a phobia of heights. In order to avoid being so high off the ground, you turn the position down and pass up a significant job opportunity because of your phobia.1
Phobias can be debilitating and crippling, and they can keep you from enjoying the things you love with the people you love. But it doesnt have to be this way. There is hope and help for people with phobias.
Mental Health Treatment Program Locator
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration provides this online resource for locating mental health treatment facilities and programs. The Mental Health Treatment Locator section of the Behavioral Health Treatment Services Locator lists facilities providing mental health services to persons with mental illness. Find a facility in your state at www.nimh.nih.gov/findhelp.
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Everyone Experiences Anxiety At Some Point In Their Life
People become anxious when they have to face a highly stressful situation like taking a test, going for a job interview, or getting married. When one is anxious and under stress the body reacts: hands become clammy, the heart beats a little faster, and one can even feel light-headed or dizzy. Some people become preoccupied with fear and worry, and the intense feelings of anxiety continue. If this happens, an individual may have an anxiety disorder.
One in six Canadians are affected by an anxiety disorder. Anxiety can take the form of panic disorder, phobia, or obsessive-compulsive disorder. Without treatment an individuals physical, mental, and emotional health may be in jeopardy. Anxiety disorders can also lead to alcohol and/or drug abuse, family problems, depression, and in some cases, suicide.
What Is The Difference Between Anxiety And Phobia
Anxiety is the feeling of unease, worrying, and apprehension whereas phobia is an intense fear that an individual feels when in reality there is little or no danger.
Anxiety is natural as we all feel anxious in difficult situations, but phobias are not. They are considered as disorders that need to be treated.
Anxiety can become a disorder when it disrupts the individuals daily routine. Phobias are also considered as a type of anxiety disorder.
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Anxiety Disorders Can Have Serious Effects
An anxiety disorder may lead to social isolation and clinical depression, and can impair a persons ability to work, study and do routine activities. It may also hurt relationships with friends, family and colleagues. Its common for depression and anxiety to happen at the same time. Depression can be a serious illness with a high risk of self-harm and suicide.