More Than One Kind Of Anxiety Disorder: Part Five
This is part five. Recognizing that you face a problem is just the first step in treating an anxiety disorder. However, as you speak to your therapist you will realize that he or she is trying to identify the specific disorder that may be afflicting you so that your condition may be treated effectively. So now you may wonder if there is more than one kind of anxiety disorder and if so, what are the different kinds or types?
Health experts have identified six major types of anxiety disorders:
1. Generalized Anxiety Disorder
2. Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder
3. Panic Disorder
4. Phobia
5. Post-traumatic Stress Disorder
6. Social Anxiety Disorder.
Each one of these has their own distinct symptoms, as we will get to know in the following sections.
Today we will talk about number five.
5. Post-traumatic Stress Disorder
When we undergo a traumatic event in our lives, it is very natural that we feel very disturbed and find it hard to come to terms with life after that event. Even going about our daily activities becomes an ordeal and we often spend days or nights, remembering and feeling distressed over the event. However, as days go by, with adequate support from friends and family, our minds start to heal and we achieve a certain degree of closure with respect to the event. Though there may always be feelings of sadness, we find it easier to carry on with our normal lives.
At times, the trauma or event that we went through is so powerful that we are unable to come to terms with it or find a way to seek relief. You may find yourself constantly thinking about it and as a result constantly distressed. You may have very frequent and very intense nightmares or flashbacks. You may act hyper vigilant, jump easily, withdraw into yourself and avoid any situation or conversation that would remind you of the event. If you are having such great difficulty in getting over your trauma and getting back to your normal activities, you may be suffering from what is called post-traumatic stress disorder (PSTD).
Though post-traumatic stress disorder has been associated more with soldiers scarred by their war experiences, anyone who experiences an event that had threatened your safety or your life, can undergo trauma and later suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder. And what is even more unfortunate is that post-traumatic stress disorder can affect not just those who were personally involved in the event. It can affect those who witnessed it; those who had to pick up the pieces after the event like emergency workers as also close friends and family members. Anyone who could have been touched by the event can be affected by post-traumatic stress disorder.
Some of the traumatic events that can lead people into such situations are:
· War
· Sexual or physical abuse
· Natural disasters like earthquakes or tornados
· An accident like a car or plane crash
· Violent assault like during a robbery
· Kidnapping
It is considered that a post-traumatic stress disorder is just a response mechanism of the mind to deal with what was a completely out of the ordinary situation. As we have mentioned above, anyone undergoing the kind of traumas listed above will be feeling frightened and overwhelmed beyond belief. Their trust and their sense of safety have been completely shattered and they think that their lives can never be normal again. They feel disconnected from the real world and go about their routine work feeling numb about everything. While all these reactions are completely understandable, most people do manage to pull themselves through their personal tragedies and bit by bit, start living normal lives.
Those with post-traumatic stress disorder often find it difficult to come out of the psychological shock they felt and continue to go through the same distressing emotions they first felt. They are unable to cope with the trauma, making it difficult for them to move on. Often they are placed on medications by their health care providers, some with positive results. Better results overall have been documented by using a pill-free anti-anxiety program. For a recommendation, click here.
