ANXIETY
DISORDERS—SYMPTOMS,
HELP NUMBERS & Helpful
Web Sites
Disclaimer: Online information
found here is made available so that individuals may find out whether
consultation with a counselor or doctor may be helpful. This is a help site and
is not intended to provide treatment, diagnosis, or consultation. This
information does not replace the advice of a doctor.
What
are Anxiety Disorders?*
Anxiety
is your mind and body’s natural response to events that are threatening. The
right amount of anxiety can help you, but too much anxiety can interfere with
your life. Some worry and anxiety are real. They are not just in your head. They
can be treated, and they are nothing to be ashamed of.
COMMON SYMPTOMS OF
ANXIETY*
--Worry
--Rapid heartbeat
--Fears
--Shortness of breath
--Thoughts that don’t go away
--Nausea
--Avoidance of people, places or things
--Faintness
--Dry mouth
--Compulsions
--Sweating
--Restlessness
--Shaking
--Aches, pains
--Difficulty concentrating
Fight or
Flight*
As long
as humans have been on earth, when they have been confronted with threatening
situations, their bodies have had automatic responses to prepare them to fight
the threat or run away from it.
For
example:
--Increased alertness
--Increased heart rate
--More blood flowing in the muscles of the arms and legs, possibly
causing
shaking or
jitters
--Less blood flowing in the digestive system so more blood is available
to the
arms and legs, possibly causing dry mouth or abdominal discomfort
--Dilated pupils (for better vision)
--Constricted blood vessels in the skin and open sweat glands, leading
to
paleness or
clamminess.
In our
brains, the hypothalamus, when stimulated, directs nerve cells to fire and
starts a chemical release increasing adrenaline, noradrenalin and cortisol in
the blood and causing the reactions listed above.
In
people with depression, bipolar disorder, and/or anxiety disorders the fight or
flight response may be stimulated more often and for longer periods of time than
in people without these illnesses. This means that more things are perceived as
threatening. An out-of-balance fight or flight response can cause a person
to:
--Have a real physical reaction to everyday people, place, or
things.
--Believe danger is around every corner.
--Be convinced something
terrible will happen if certain things aren’t done a certain
way.
--Feel constantly keyed-up and on-edge.
--Avoid everyday people,
places or things in an effort to avoid the anxiety
response.
All of
these things can interfere with people’s lives so much that they aren’t able to
do things they would like to do and their relationships are strained or
lost.
*”What
is Anxiety?”; www.dbsalliance.org/site/PageServer?pagename=about_depression_anxietymain May 25, 2005 & updated December 19,
2006.
There are five types of
anxiety disorders. To learn more, click on any of the
anxiety disorders listed below.
Obsessive-Compulsive
Disorder (OCD)
Post-Traumatic
Stress Disorder (PTSD)
Social
Phobia (or Social Anxiety Disorder) &
Other phobias (www.nmha.org/go/phobias)
HELP
NUMBERS
For
help or more information contact any of the following individuals, groups, or
agencies:
--Guidance Counselors—
High School Katie Fistler 421-4426 (Mason City Alternative School) Dave Jacobson 421-4432 (Mason City High School) Dusty Rhodes 421-4432 (Mason City High School) Karla Wymore 421-4432 (Mason City High School) Middle School Sara Bucknam 421-4423 (Roosevelt Middle School) Gina Friederich 421-4420 (John Adams Middle Schoo) Elementary Sarah Despenas 421-4406 (Harding) or 421-4411 (Jefferson)
Kay Erland 421-4408 (Hoover) or 421-4415 (Roosevelt)
--Family physician or local/area clinic
--Family services, social
agencies, or clergy
--Check the phone book under
“mental health”, “health”, “social services”, “hotlines” or “physicians” for
phone numbers and addresses.
An
emergency room doctor also can provide temporary help and can tell you where and
how to get further help.
FOR
AFTER HOURS HELP CALL:
24
Hours Daily—Confidential--Free
National Suicide
Hotline: 1-800-273-8255
Teen Help Line:
1-800-443-8336
Teen Help Line is not a crisis
or “hotline”. The line provides health information & referral services for
Iowa teens.
If
you are thinking of harming yourself or know someone who is, tell someone who
can help immediately.
--Call your doctor.
--Call 911 or go to a hospital emergency room to get immediate help or ask a friend or family member to help you do these things.
--Call the toll-free, 24-hour hotline number for the
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline 1-800-273-8255
--Make sure you or the suicidal person is not left alone.
Helpful Links for More
Information On Anxiety
Scroll
down the page to find web sites about anxiety.
National Institute of Mental
Health
www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/anxiety-disorders/index.shtml
Anxiety
Disorders Association of America (ADAA)
www.adaa.org/AboutADAA/PressRoom/Stats&Facts.asp
Mental
Health America (NMHA)
www.mentalhealthamerica.net/go/information/get-info/anxiety-disorders
National Alliance on Mental
Illness
(NAMI)
www.nami.org/Content/ContentGroups/Illnesses/Anxiety_Disorders_in_Children_and_Adolescents.htm
Teens
Health
www.kidshealth.org/teen/your_mind/mental_health/anxiety.html
www.kidshealth.org/teen/your_mind/mental_health/ocd.html
www.kidshealth.org/teen/your_mind/mental_health/ptsd.html
www.kidshealth.org/teen/your_mind/mental_health/social_phobia.html
www.kidshealth.org/teen/your_mind/mental_health/phobias.html
American Psychiatric Association
(APA)
www.healthyminds.org/factsheets/LTF-Anxiety.pdf
www.healthyminds.org/factsheets/LTF-Phobias.pdf
www.healthyminds.org/factsheets/LTF-OCD.pdf
www.healthyminds.org/factsheets/LTF-PTSD.pdf
www.healthyminds.org/factsheets/LTF-Panic.pdf
Depression and Bipolar Support
Alliance (DBSA)
www.dbsalliance.org/site/PageServer?pagename=about_depression_anxietyintro
Sites
identified in the article above:
Obsessive-Compulsive
Disorder (OCD)
Post-Traumatic
Stress Disorder (PTSD)
Social
Phobia (or Social Anxiety Disorder) &
Other phobias (www.nmha.org/go/phobias)