Define Anxiety Disorder

An anxiety disorder refers to one of a number of mental disorders characterized by abnormal or inappropriate worry or fear. Generally the fear occurs without a clear threat.

Symptoms

• Common symptoms are physical, such as heart palpitations, upset stomach and difficulty sleeping; psychological or cognitive, like racing or intrusive thoughts; and behavioral, such as avoidance of feared things.

Comparison

• Anxiety disorders differ from normal stress and anxiety in several ways, primarily in that there is no clear threat or identifiable medical cause, they concern events in the distant past or that are geographically distant, or include irrational beliefs about one's fears.

Causes

• While the cause of anxiety disorders is not fully understood, genetic, biological and environmental factors all appear to play a part, as does an individual's psychological disposition, such as temperament or coping skills.

Biology

• Anxiety disorders have been linked to abnormal brain function, often in the amygdala or hippocampus, and an imbalance of neurotransmitters, especially serotonin and gamma-amino acid

Types

• Typical anxiety disorder include generalized anxiety disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, panic disorder, panic disorder with agoraphobia, specific phobia and acute stress disorder.