Everyone experiences anxiety from time to time. Perhaps the person has watched a scary movie or seen something upsetting on TV. More ominously, perhaps the person has experienced or witnessed a crime. Anyone might get anxious in these situations, but the person with an anxiety disorder has persistent or recurrent anxiety that prevents them from full participation in life. Anxiety can range from relatively mild (occasional “butterflies,” jitteriness, accompanied by a sense of unease) to severe (frequent, disabling panic attacks). Severe anxiety disorders can lead the person to alter his lifestyle to accommodate the anxiety, for example, avoiding activities.

They can. They are the best option for mild anxiety that most of us experience from time to time. There are many books, online resources and apps with relaxation exercises (often paired with deep breathing) and meditation guidance. They are relatively simple to learn. These approaches can provide relief and can be used anywhere once the person understands the method. Mental health professionals can guide the person who needs a more personal approach to learning relaxation or meditation.

Yes. Many medications have FDA approval to treat anxiety disorders. Several members of the benzodiazepine class are routinely used to provide relief from anxiety. These minor tranquillizers are safe and effective but should be used for short-term relief. They have many side effects, including drowsiness, and can be habit-forming at higher doses. People taking these medications should not use heavy machinery or drive until they understand how the medication might affect them.   

Antidepressants are widely used to treat anxiety disorders, such as generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder, agoraphobia, and social anxiety disorder. The most commonly prescribed medications are from the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) class. They are generally effective and have few side effects, although they do not provide immediate relief.

Children can be treated with the same methods as adults. A therapist may be effective by turning the therapy into a game to make it fun for the child. The medication works in children just as in adults, but the psychiatrist must be mindful of the much lower doses used in children.

Primary care physicians and psychiatrists diagnose someone as having an anxiety disorder if symptoms occur for six months on more days than not and significantly interfere with the person’s ability to function at home, work, or school.

Doctors perform physical and psychological evaluations to rule out other causes of the symptoms of anxiety. Cardiovascular disease, thyroid problems, menopause, substance abuse, and drug side effects, such as from steroids, may cause symptoms similar to those of an anxiety disorder.

Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) is an exaggerated anxiety and tension that persists for months on end and affects approximately 6.8 million Americans, or about 3.1 per cent of the population. GAD causes people to anticipate catastrophe and worry excessively about many things, from overarching concerns such as health, money, or work to more routine concerns such as car repairs or appointments. GAD affects twice as many women as men, and the anxiety becomes so severe that normal life and relationships become impaired.

Worries can be accompanied by physical symptoms, such as fatigue, headaches, muscle tension and aches, difficulty swallowing, trembling, twitching, irritability, sweating, and hot flashes. The disorder usually develops gradually and may begin at any time during life, although the risk is highest between childhood and middle age. It is diagnosed when someone spends at least six months worrying excessively without a specific focus on the fear and an inability to control the anxiety.