Fact sheet about anxiety disorders
Approximately one in four Australians will suffer from an anxiety disorder or panic attack during their life. An anxiety disorder is when fear and discomfort rise above normal levels, disrupting day-to-day life and causing great distress.
There are several types of anxiety disorders, with different characteristics and symptoms. They include the following:
Generalised anxiety disorder
Characterised by uncontrollable worrying, often accompanied by restlessness, irritability and sleep difficulties.
Panic disorder
People with panic disorder experience panic attacks, or they fear having the attacks. Panic attacks are characterised by a feeling of fear or terror, accompanied by a range of distressing physical symptoms. Fears can include a fear of death, illness or insanity from having a panic attack, and can lead to the avoidance of situations that could cause an attack.
Phobia
Phobias can include a fear of flying, spiders, needles and other situations or things. Phobias can also include social anxiety disorder – the fear of social situations or feeling embarrassed in front of other people.
Obsessive compulsive disorder
Obsessive compulsive disorder involves the suppression of unwanted thoughts through repetitive compulsive actions such as washing hands, checking or counting.
Post-traumatic stress disorder
Post-traumatic stress disorder is the experience of psychological disturbance following a traumatic event, either through direct involvement or as a witness.
Physical effects of anxiety disorders
- difficulty sleeping
- tremors or feeling shaky
- feeling short of breath
- hyperventilating
- heart palpitations and rapid heartbeat
- dizziness
- sweating
- headaches
- muscular pain
- dry mouth
- nausea or vomiting
- diarrhoea.
Treatment program for anxiety disorders
Wesley Hospital Ashfield and Wesley Hospital Kogarah’s treatment programs for anxiety disorders combine medication and cognitive behavioural therapy, which has been shown to be effective in treating anxiety. The treatment program includes:
- in-patient therapy – providing collaborative treatment sessions to help identify the negative thought processes and aspects of life that could have contributed to the development of the disorder. The therapy also provides ways to manage the symptoms.
- day patient program – an eight-week program for the treatment of anxiety, which also uses cognitive behavioural therapy and is run by qualified psychologists trained in mental health. The program monitors symptoms, identifies contributing behavioural or thought patterns, helps develop skills to cope with stress, and assists in creating a support network.
