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GMF website

About Anxiety Disorders - What are they?

Anxiety is an emotion that pervades our society. When we lived in caves anxiety was a survival mechanism that created a series of physiological functions designed to make sure we are alert and ready for action if we are in danger.

Unfortunately in today's society, anxiety had become a normal way of life. Social and financial pressures cause your unconscious mind to always be on the defensive. Most people will suffer the effects in one way or another. About 40% of the population will develop such severe stress in their lives that they will suffer a phobias or a panic attack. About 12% will develop what is known as Panic Disorder and about 8% will suffer from the debilitating effects of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, either directly or through close family member.

Phobias are irrational fears of certain circumstances, events or objects. They are a learned response where the body responds with an inappropriate "flight or fight" response. They are relatively easily fixed although many medical practitioners and psychologists still struggle with them because of lack of specific effective training.

Panic Attacks usually start when the victim becomes aware of a physical feeling that is deemed very unusual or potentially dangerous. The same "flight or fight" response is the initial trigger, but in a Panic Disorder the first event creates additional anxiety in the victim which in turn creates more intense symptoms.

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder is created when a victim undergoes severe emotional or physical trauma. It can occur when the victim:

• Is involved in a war
• Is affected by violence or terrorism, either personally or seeing the event
• Is raped or otherwise personally assaulted
• Is in or has seen an accident, usually when death is involved

Treatments for these disorders vary from drug intervention to psychotherapy. Panic Disorders can usually be treated successfully. PTSD gives therapists an extra challenge because of the deep disturbing symptoms and the recurring flashbacks, but new research is breaking through the barrier with excitingly different ways of dealing with it, even in long term victims.

The research we are undertaking here will help accelerate those methods and help everyone suffering from anxiety disorders.

Panic Disorder Self Test
Does This Sound Like You?

1. Do you have sudden bursts of fear for no reason?
2. Do you feel awful when they happen?
3. Do you become aware of any of these problems during these sudden bursts of fear.

• I have chest pains or a racing heart.
• I have a hard time breathing.
• I have a choking feeling.
• I feel dizzy.
• I sweat a lot.
• I have stomach problems or feel like I need to throw up.
• I shake, tremble, or tingle.
• I feel out of control.
• I feel unreal.
• I am afraid I am dying or going crazy.

PTSD Self Test
Does This Sound Like You?

1. Have you lived through a scary and dangerous event?
2. Do you suffer from any of the following?.

• Sometimes, all of a sudden, I feel like the event is happening over again. I never know when this will occur.
• I have nightmares and bad memories of the terrifying event.
• I stay away from places that remind me of the event.
• I jump and feel very upset when something happens without warning.
• I have a hard time trusting or feeling close to other people.
• I get mad very easily.
• I feel guilty because others died and I lived.
• I have trouble sleeping and my muscles are tense.

If you aware of some of these problems, you may have Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).